The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-02-20
BOLD BANDITS BAGGED.
Evans and Morrell, the California
Outlaws, Surrender.
SURROUNDED IN EVANS HOUSE
The Men Worn Out by the Lively Chase
They Have Led In EvadiBg tho Officers
of the Law-Eyans Brutally Assaults n
Woman.


They Have Led in Evading tho Officers
of the Law-Eyans BrutaIly Assaults n
Woman.
VIsALIA, Cal, Feb. 20-Chris Evans, the
train robber and outlaw who escaped from
Fresno Jail month ago, is again in GUS
tody. 1t was discovered Sunday night
chat he had come into Nisalia from the
mountains with hispartner, Edward Nor
rell, who assisted him to escape from
Fresno jail, and that the two men We're
hidden in Evans house here. Officers sur
rounded the house yesterday, and a few
hours later practically all the inhabitants
of the town were present. Evans recug-
nlzed the fact that escape was impossible,
and after n brief negotiation with Sheriff
Kay, of this county, he and Morrell sur
rendered.
Men were stationed around the house at
midnight 50 as TO command it on all sides.
The townspeople, many of whom were
armed, came to the scene, drawn by curios-
fty, and when daylight brGke large pOr
hou of the population were on the ground
OF the expected battle The news which
brought this excitement about was given
by man named Brighton, who is in the
employ of Marshal Gard Brighton and
hAs tlt nave Dttu liNlliR III ENuIlS HOuNt
and caring for Evans wife aud four little
children He was formerly deputy mar
shal in Arizona. He and Gard arrived
here nj 3 o'clock in the morning and inn
medately set to work to capture the out
laws.
II was clearly known from previous eX-
pericnce that Evans will shoot and shoot
TO kill. II was conceded that an attempt
to capture the men by assaulting the
house would sUrely result in the death of
several of the posse Moreover, Chris
Evans children were known to be in the
house, and the officers did not wish to
start fight which might result in the
death or injury of these innocent children.
II was, however, The intention TO storm
the house about noon if nothing occurred
before that time. 1t was conceded that If
The attempt should be made some lives
would be lost, but the citizens were deter
mined to put IN end to the lawless career
Of these men.
AZ g.l5 messenger was sent to the
house with note from Sheriff Kay advis.
Ing the men to surrender pcaccably, and
telling them that they would certainly he
sither killed or calturCd--that their es-
cape was impossible. The messenger was
compelled to enter the house, and was
held a hostage The messenger was a
young man named Benson. Evans said to
him when he cut cred.
"Ain't you taking great chancesf Now
you take these pistols ',ad walk ont ahead
OF ia when we get ready to go"
Henson wss badly frightened.
When Evans saw armed men around the
house, and noted that Brighton had not
returned, he attacked Mrs Brighton, who
was in the house, knocking her down and
kicking her, telling hcr to SO to bed and
stay there. lie was only prevented from
kiilinH the woman through the intCrvcu-
tiou of Murrell, who commanded him to
aesist. The woman WAS hHdly injured
and in -pasms for hours, and was badly
bruised where Kicked.
Mrs Byrd, Evans muthcr-n law, saw
he is crazy. sunday night he threatened
to kill his brGi hpr-ill=law. George Byrd
and was only prevented by the old lady
Stepping between them. Mrs Byrd says
she would have come cut of the house yes
terday only she was afraid Evans would
Kill her, RS he threatened to do.
saturday evening Evans told Mrs Byrd
that he would never be taken alive, wher
she reminded him that he was taking
great chances coming hrre. Evans abused
the Byrd family generally, said George
gave away the fact that he was going tC
Escape FROM Fresno iail. and caused hin
to be locked in a dark cell; that Perry
Byrd assisted III haunting him, and thu
ByrIs were a flock u hH2lsrds.
When Evans saw The house entirely sur
xounded he opened negotiation with Kay
b. surrender Evans soI! carrying the cor
raspundence. Evans agreed toCome out il
Kay would dispersethe crowd. The oflieerl
prdered all spectators To leave, which thel
did Then ESams enmc out on tine porci
puarmed, and Sheriff Kay and Unde
SherifI Hall weht forward aud shook hand
with him.
Evans and Morreil 1T the time of thei
Surrender had two Winchester rifles ant
pistols and plenty Of ammunition. Mar
Ahal Gard says the mcu arrested will
Evans Is Ed Martin. known here as Nor
rell; that he formerly ran n merry-go
round with Frederirks. who is accused o
killing Sheriff Passcoit OF Nevada county
hDrrell assisted in stealing arms from
saloon in this city. aud FredcrckS tool
them 10 Folsom prison for George Suntag
The bandits are Morn out. The officer
have kept them traselng. and they had T.
find some place to rest. and they took tha
chance here. The citizens are very indig
p8nt at Evans treatment Of Mrs Brigh
tOu, and had the prisoners not been re
moved they would have been lynched
The prisoners were spirited away to Fresh
shortly after midnight, the sheriff refusing
TO- give their destination.