The herald., 1894-04-11
STILL IN DISPUTE.
THE HUNG-UP REWARD FOR Ev.
ANS AND SONTAG.
Wells. Fargo a. Co., in Doubt-Two
Posses Claim the Capture of
Evans A Compromise
Promised.

Evans Compromise
Promised.
1t is not generally known that the
$4,000 reward offered by the Wells
Fargo Express company for the capture
of Chris Evans and John SontAg has
never been fully paid, but such ia the
fact. John Son tag has been buried for
months and Chis Evans is serving life
sentence, ia Folsom. but the men who
were instrumental in capturing the
bandits are still wrsngling over the re-
ward promised them for the work. The
San Francisco Chronicle referring to the
matter says that the express company
has been ready to pay the money from
the hour of the capture Of the outlaws,
but owing to the fact that there are so
many claimants the company has held
one-halt the money awaiting some agree
lment between the men who hunted the
outlaws which would make the pay
ments finaE and release the company
from all claims.
It will be remembered that United
States Marshal Gard OF Los Angeles,
Fred Jackson of Nevada, and Tom Burns
and Hi Rappelji of Fresno county were
the men who met the bandits at Stone
corrall and gave them battle. In the
fight John Sontag was mortally wounded
and Chris Evans so badly crippled that
he could barely make his way to the
Perkins house. where he was later on
captured in bed too badly hurt to show
fight. OF the officers party Jackson was
the only man injured. He had his left
ankle so badly shattered by the bandits
bullets that the foot had to be ampu-
tsted.
Gard, Burns and Rsppelii watched
John Sontag all night at Stone corrall
after the fight and captured him in the
morning. but Sheriff Hall of Tulsre
county and posse went to the Perkins
house and captured Evans.
The wrangle over the reward has been
only over the $4,000 offered by the ex-
press company for Evans capture. The
5000 for sSontag's capture was paid to
Marshal Gard months ago, and by him
divided between himself, jackson, Burns
and Rappelji. When Gard aud posse
claimed the second $4,000 for Evans ar
rest, Sheriff Hall and others protested
bitterly.
While acknowledging that Gard and
his posse had fought and wounded
Evans, the Tulare sheriff claimed that
the bandit escaped and was only cap
tured in Perkins house after being be-
trayed, and argued that so far as Gard
and his posse were concerned, they had
lost Evans just as much as If they had
never met him.
On the other hand Gard and his poss Q
claimed that but for the fight at Stone
corral and the wounding of Evans at
that time he never would have gone to
Perkins' house, and Hall would never
have captured the bandit. They also
urged that. Evans surrendered himself
because of his wounds, inflicted at the
Stone corral fight, and that Hall de-
served neither credit nor money for the
capture of man who could not have
escaped if he would. but who wanted to
surrender and sent for the sheriff.
The quarrel between the rival posses
became exceedingly bitter and for a
time it looked as If the rival officers
would furnish more trouble by settling
the quarrel between themselves with
pistols. In fact, on more than one oc.
casion the men met and were ready to
fight but for the interference of outside
parties. The express company was
anxious to pay the reward and eug-
geated a means of settlement, namely {:
That some one of the claimants sue for
the reward and all the others intervene
and claim their share. This did not
ouit the parties to the trouble, however,
and so the matter has remained in statu
quo.
A day or two ago Fred Jackson arrived
in the city in search of Tom Burns.
jackson, although he wears cork foot,
is compelled to go ON crutches and is
greatly changed from the stalwart,
hardy mountaineer he was when he
entered the chase after Evans and Som
tag. He has been the peacemaker be-
tween the rival posses, for both sides
have recognized the fact that Jackson,
of all the pursuers alive, is the heaviest
sufferer, and both sides are willing he
should have full share OF the reward
offered for both men. Now that he has
arranged matters, Jackson is anxious to
settle the reward question and says he
will be able to do it IS soon as he fnds
Tom Burns, who is supposed to be in
this city. The express company's detec-
tives are aiding jackson in trying to
make the settlement, as they want the
reward paid, for they say that the more
promptly the rewards offered are paid
the keener the pursuit OF offenders
against the company and the better the
class Of men who can be induced to take
the trail.