The morning call., 1893-06-15
EXPECTED TO BE LYNCHED
Pistol Shots and Cries Disturb
Their Repose.
TWAS ONLY ANOTHER MURDER.
The Physicians Find 1t Necessary
to AmpEtate Evans Left Hand.
The Blood Money.
Special to THE MORNING CALL

VIsALIA, June IA. - The excitement
of Sunday. Monday and Tuesday told
heavily upon the people of Visalia,
and especially did the officers who
had been fighting the robbers need rest.
for some of them had been continuously
on the move for as long as sixty hours,
and but few of them had had more than
four or FIVE hours sleep, snatched at odd
intervals since the word came that Mar
shall Gard, Rapelje and Jackson had cor
nered the bandits. No one wanted rest
more than did Sontag and Evans. although
they had been sleeping under the influence
of opiates nearly all the time since their
capture. Consequently all Visalla went
to bed before midnight Tuesday except the
newspaper men, and they nodded in chairs
around the hotel office, waiting for some
thing to turn up.
AT 2 o'clock in the morning the reporters
made their hast visit to the jail. Both
bandits were resting easily and asleep,
though Sontag's condition was little
worse than earlier in the night. his fever
having increased. The tired reporters sent
in their last dispatch and hurried to their
| rooms.
They had hardly reached them when
bang! bang! bang! bang! bang! rang out
five shots on the still morning air. To
| jump into their clothes and rush down on
the street was the work of n few seconds.
The newspaper men found people hurry
ing from every direction, all heading for
the jail.
"What is it?"
"a mob is trying to take Evans and
Sontag."
''rhe Fresno officers have returned to
claim the robbers as their property"
These and all sorts of wild rumors were
floating in every direction, and as the
crowd hurried toward the Jail two more
shots, fired in quick succession and evil
IDENTITY in the neighbOrhood of the jail,
caused the people to break into a run.
When the Jail was reached il was found
deserted outside, but inside there was
commotion. Evans and Sontag had the
worst scare of their lives. They wer g
asleep, as was Mrs. Evans, who was with
her husband in his cell, and the guards
stationed at the cell doors were proba bly,
taking cat maps when every one was awak-
ened by the five shots.
Mrs. Evans jumped to her feet and said,
"My God, Chris, they're coming for you,"
and began to cry and wiring her hands.
Evans said, "Well. we can't stop them :;
we're helpless"
Sontag started up in his bed and said to
the nurse, "What is that? Is there a
crowd out there" just as the nurse, who
had run to the grated window and looked
out, said, There's nobody out there" the
two shots were fired near the JAIL Sontag
said, They're coming from the other side.
You can't see them. Well, l expected it,"
and the old fierce look of determine ton
crept into his face and eyes and he added,
Were almost dead anyhow"
In the meantime the guards had sent a
messenger to find out the cause of the
shooting. who returned with the news that
a murder, and, by the way, most deliber-
ate and cold-blooded murder. had been
committed uptown and that the murderer
was being chased by the officers. This
was the truth, but Mrs. Evans was so
worked up over the fact of seeing people
collecting around the Jail that she refused
to believe the guards. and it was almost
daylight before she got to sleep again.
When morning dawGed and the first faint
rays crept through the bars of the grated
windows. SOntag, who was awake, turned
on his pillow, and looking at the window,
said: Another day. l wonder how many
more" Then he relapsed into silence and
even at times failed to answer questions put
to him.
He was evidently feeling worse, but he
never complains and never mentions his
wounds unless questioned by the doctor.
Strange as it may seem. he shows but little
interest in Evans condition, unless it is
when Mrs. Evans visits him. which is
q ute often, and then they talk together in
whispers. Evans is equally retiring, but
often talks in low tones with his wife. who
is constantly beside him.
This morning Mrs. Evans left the JAIL
and wanting TO interview her THE CALL
correspondent lsisurely followed her down
the street. She entered dry-goods store
and asked for the proprietor and when he
responded she said to him; "Mr. -, am
absolutely without money. / need few
things and if you can help me 1 wish you
would" She was given the goods she
wanted and returned to the Jail.
While she puts a brave front to the out
side world it is evident that Mrs. Evans is