The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-06-13
UP OUTLAWS.
Chris Evans and John Sontag Over.
taken by Deputy United
States Marshals.
The Latter Is Wounded and Falls
Into the Pursuers
Hands.
Evans Also Thought to He Hurt, hut He
Makes His Escape to tho
MountainA

VIsALIA, Cal, Juno 12--Aftsr A search
extending over ten months and after six
encounters with different legal posses, the
notorious train robbers. John sonsap and
Chris Evans, finally last night met four
deputy United States mafshals, and 10 a
rssulS OF the encounter which followed
sont"g was wounded, possibly fatally, and
10 now In custody. having been brought
here this forenoon. Ills companion, Ch, ia
Evans. escaped after firing forty shots
at his putsuers. Whore hs made
his stand last night he Left his
hat and two empty guns and ths ground
was found covered with blood this morning.
An indication he too was wound
cd. II 10 thought he too will be
captured. Tho officers have been
IN tho mountains for a week looking
for tho robbers. and Sunday afternoon en-
campsd At a vacant house eighteen miles
northeast Of this city. About twenty min
utes before sunset two men were seen
oeminR down the hill toward The place.
On closer observation Il was discovered
the men were NO other than Evans and
sontaR, The fugitive dssperadoes. The
marshals and deputies grabbed thar guns
and prepared TO make fight. The officers
went out the front door of the house and a.
they went around back corner Evans saw
them and took deliberate aim and fred.
Just then Deputy Jackson opened Ere on
the bandits. 6ontsR was seen 10 throw IN
both hands sAd fall backward. Then the
firing became general and Evans returned
the shots with vengeance. Evans got be-
hind an old rubbish pile out of sight but
kept up terrible rakinR fusiIads. Jackson
was shot In the loft Lex between the
knee and ankle. About forty shots were
EXCHANGED between the officers and the
bandits. and darkness ended The battle.
Evans was seen TO crawl from behind she
rsbbish pile and ran toward the hills, fol-
lowed by deputy, who continued firing.
Evans did not return the fire and in few
minutes was ont of sight. Deputy Rarsl-
jsrs rstorned to the house, and procuring
. wagon for jackson came to this city sssn
after midnight. Deputy Aarshals Gard
and Burns remained at the sesne until this
morning. SontaR lay behind a small stack
Of hay all night. Evans tracks show he
started toward Visalia and his homo will
be watched day and night. Sontsg talks
freely. says the jig is up. and does not care
for the future. II IL possible he may rs-
cover from his wounds.
The train robbery which was the begin
ming OF this criminal chapter occurred al
Coils. near Fresno. CAL. on Aug. 3, 1899.
mite and the express messenger, George D.
Roberts. seriously injured. Officers soon
after arrested George hontaR at the house
OF CHRIS Evans in this oity. lie was after
ward tried and sentenced to the psulten-
tiary for life. When an attempt was made
to ha~ T-L
IRE on the of1oers woundinR George Witty.
In second encounter Oscar Beaver, an
officer. was killed in front o. the Evans
house. On Sept IA, Andrew McGinnis and
Victor q. Wilson were killed in the noun
tains by the bandits and two other officers
wounded. On May rs last. $. j. Black,
another officer. was wounded BY the bandits
In the mountains. No previous criminal
incident in the history of California ooc.-
stoned greater public interest. Until tho
train robbery occurred Evans bore a good
reputation and great surprise was shown
when the crime was traced to his door.
Coming down from the scene Of the affair
last night Sontag talked freely to tho OH
GERS. He said hs and Evans had not had
cent of money for . month but did not in
tsnd 10 hold up train They would have
left ths mountains only they had no money
or olothes When was shot last night"
he said, Il asked Chris to shoot me, bat hs
would not. We had two Winohestsrs. two
shotsuns and two sixshooters. Chris car
rien away the Winchester and had plenty Of
ammunition. Evans has often said he was
sorry he shot Deputy Sheriff Whisty. He
thought II was Detective smith. He would
have shot Detectives Hame, Smith OF
Thacker though. but besides these We only
sftsr blood money mon. We did not Al
ways stay together, but never separst
longer than four hours. We could not
have been convicted of train rob.
berry, as We had no hand in
it. Tho southern Pacific did me q hard
turn when was hurt in their employ, 80
when Smith tried to arrest me iasS
August l determined I would not BE-
taken by . southern Pacific officer.
Tha,'s why ! resisted.'' sontaR talked
calmly. He refused TO state what he and
Evans had in contemplation. He seemed
contdsns that Evans would never be oap-
tursd alivo.