St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-02-20

render-He Is One of the Worst
Criminals in the Country
Treatment of His Family.
VIsALIA, CAL. Feb. 19.-Chris Evans,
the train robber and outlaw, who es-
capped from Fresno Jail a month ago, is
again in custody.
1t was discovered last night that he
had come into Visalia from the mount
aims with his partner, Edward Morrell,
who assisted him 10 escape from Fresno
Jail, and that the two men were hidden
in Evans house here. Officers sur
rounded The house early this morning,
and a few hours later practically all the
inhabitants of the town were present.
Evans recognized the fact that escape
was impossible. and after brief negotia-
ton with Sheriff Kay. of this county, he
and Morrell surrendered.
The town of Visalia was thrown into
a state of wild excitement by the news
which was brought last night TO the
officials that the notorious bandits had
come down from their mountain retreat
and were at Evans house. They ar
III tOWH OotutQuy Ou 1OOts ndtlIR
left a horse and cart tied to the fence at
the ranch of Elijah Perkins, near the
stone corral.
As soon as Sheriff Kay was informed
of this, a posse of determined men was
quickly gathered, and proceeded quietly
to Evans house, which they proceeded
to surround, and guard till daylight.
Men were stationed around the house,
so as to command it ON all sides. The
townspeople, most OF whom were
armed,
CAME TO THE SCENE,
drawn by curiosity, and when daylight
broke, a large portion of the population
of the place were OH the ground of the
expected battle. The news which
caused this excitement was brought in
by a man named Brighton, who is in
the employ of Marshal Gard. Brighton.
cared for Evans house and children.
He was formerly a deputy marshal in.
Arizona. He and Gard arrived here at.
3 o'clock this morning, and Immediately,
set to work to capture the outlaws.
AS the outlines of the house,
within which the d~esperadoes were
known to be, became visible
In the gray dawn,i it was closely watched
by the excited crowd but no one evinced
a disposition to approach. 1t was
clearly known from previous experience
that Evans will shoot aud shoot to kill.
1t was conceded that an attempt to. cap
ture the men by assaulting the house
would surely result in the death of sew
eral of the posse. Moreover, CHRIS.
Evans children were known to be in
the house, and the officers did not wish
to start in a fight which might result in
the death or injury of these innocent
children. 1t was, however, the inten-
ton to storm the house about noon if
nothing occurred before that time. It
was conceded that if the attempt should
be made some lives would be lost, but
the citizens were determined to put an
end to the lawless career of these men.
At 9:10 this morning a messenger was
sent to the house with a note from Sher-
iff Kay advising the men to
SURRENDER PEACEABLY.
aud telling them that they would GER
tainly be either Killed or captured-that
their escape was impossible. This
messenger was compelled to enter the
house and held as a hostage. The mes.
senger was a young man named Benson.
Evans said to him when he entered:
'.Aint you taking great chances? Now
you take these pistols and walk out
ahead Of US when we get ready to go.'
Benson was badly frightened. When
Evans saw armed men around the
house and noted that Brighton had not
returned be attacked Mrs. Brighton,
who was in the house, knocking her
down and kicking her. and telling her
to go to bed and stay there. He was
only prevented from killing the woman
through the Intervention of MorreIl,
who commanded him to desist. The
spasms for hours. She was badly
bruised and kicked. Last evening
Evans told = Mrs. Byrd that
he would never be taken alive, when
she reminded him that he was taking
great chances coming here. Evans
abused the Byrd family generally, said
George gave away the fact that he was
going to escape from Fresno jail, and
caused him to be located in a dark cell:
that Perry Byrd assisted in hunting
him, and the Byrds were a flock of buzz
Ears.
Mrs. Byrd, Evans mother-in-law says
he is crazy. Last night he threatened
to kill his brother-in-law, George Byrd,
and was only prevented by the old lady
stepping between them. Mrs. Byrd says
she would have come out of the house
this morning only she was afraid Evans
OUL KILL HER.
as he had threatened. When Evans saw
the house was surrounded he opened
negotiations with the deputies to sur
render, Evans son carrying the CORE
s~pondence. Evans agreed to come out
if Kay would dispense the crowd. The
which they did, then Evans came out
on the porch unarmed, and Sheriff Kay