The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-02-20

Tney Have Led in Evading the Officers
Of the Law-Evaus Brutully Assaults
Woman.
vIsAuA, Cal, Feb 20.-Chrs Evans, the
train robber and outlaw who escaped from
Fresno jail a month ago. is again in Gus
tody 1t was discovered Sunday night
that he had come into Ni-alia from the
mountains with hispartner Edward Nor
rell, who assisted him to escape from
Fresno Jail. and that the two men were
hidden in Evans house here. Officers sur
rounded the house yesterday, aud a few
hours later practically all the inhabitants
of the town were present Evans reCOg-
nized the fact that escape was impossible,
and after brief negotiation with Sheriff
Kay of this county, he and Morrell sur
rendered.
Men were stationed around the house at
midnight so as to command it on all sides.
The townspeople, many of whom were
armed, came to the scene, drawn 10y curios-
ity, and when daylight broke "a large por-
tion of the population were on the ground
of the expected battle. The news which
brought this excitement about was given
by a man named Brighton, who is in the
employ of Marshal Gard. Brighton and
.
and caring for Evans wife and four little
children. lie was formerly a deputy mar
shal in Arizona He and Gard arrived
here at 3 o'clock i'm the morning aud inn
mediately set to work to capture the out
laws
/ 1t was clearly known from previous eN-
perience that Evans will shoot and shoot
/ to kill. 1t 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 a fight which might result in the
death or injury of these innocent children.
{ 1t 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 an end to the lawless career
OF these men.
AT 9l5 a messenger was sent to the
house with a note from Sheriff Kay advis-
ing the men to surrender ptaceably, and
telling them that they would certainly be
either killed or captured-that their es-
cape was impossible The messenger was
compelled to enter the house, and was
held as a hostage The messenger was a
young man named Benson. Evans said to
him when he entered:
"Ain't you taking great chances? Now
you take these pistols and walk out ahead
of us when we get ready to 60"
Benson was 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 her to go TO bed and
stay there. He was only prevented from
killing the woman through the iuterven-
ton of MOrrell, who commanded him to
desst. The woman was badly injured,
and in spasms for hours, and was badly
bruised where kicked.
Mrs, Byrd, Evans mother-in-law, says
he is crazy Sunday night he threatened
to kill his brother-in-aw, George Byrd,
and was only prevented by the old lady
stepping between them. Mrs Byrd says
she would have come out of the house yes
terday only she was afraid Evans would
kill her, as he threatened to do.
Saturday evening Evans told Mrs Byrd
that he would never be taken alive, when
she reminded him that he was taking
great chances coming here. Gyms abused
the Byrd family generally, said George
gave away Jhe IaCJ inuJ he was gong to
escape from Fresno Jail, and caused him
TO b. locked in dark cell; that Perry
Byrd assisted in hunting him, and the
Byrd- were a flock of buZZards.
When Evans saw the house entirely sur
rounded he opened negotiation with Kay
to surrender, Evans SON carrying the cor
respondeuce. Evans agreed tocome out if
Kay would disperse the crowd. The officers
ordered all spectators to leave, which they
did. Then Evans came ont on the porch
unarmed and Sheriff Kay and Under
Sheriff Hall went forward and shook hands
with him.
Evans and Morrell at the time of theiI
surrender had two Winchester rifles and
pistols and plenty of ammunition. An.
/ shal Gard says the men arrested W..I
( Evans is Ed Martin, known here as Nor
rell; that he formerly ran a mertv-go
round with I'redercks, who is accused OF
killing Sheriff PassCott, of Nevada county
Morrell assisted in stealing arms from a
saloon in this city, and Fredericks took
them to Folsom prison for George Sontag
The bandits are worn out The officers
4 have kept them travelling. and they had tC
find some place to rest, and they took that
chance here. The citizens are very iudig
4 nant at Evans treatment of Mrs Brigh
4 ton, and had the prisoners not been re
4 moved they would have been lynched
a The prisoners were spirited awayto Fresno
& shortly after midnight, the sheriff refusing
togiye their destination.