The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-01-12
RAIDED THE TOWN
Chris Evans and His Understudy,
Merrill, Again Heard From at
Fowler, Cal.
Merrill Held Up Six Men and Was
Raiding q Grocery Store When
Interrupted.
In the Fight Which Followed Seyel al
We're Wounded The Despera-
does Escaped.

FRESNO, CAL, Jan. 1.-Two men,
believed to be Chris Evans, the Visalia
bandit, and his promising understudy,
Ed Merrill, raided the town of Fowler.
Another tale of bloodshed and terror lis
the result. Fowler is village of 800
inhabitants, 10 miles southeast of
Fresno. George Leon, the station agent,
and three men employed as section
hands, were in the depot at 7 o'clock,
just after the Los Angeles express had
passed. While the four men were talk
ing masked man, with revolver in
each hand, appeared at the open door
and ordered them to
Throw UP Their Hands.
Not one hesitated to obey. AT this
juncture Howard Francis and A. Vim
cent, prominent business men of Fowler,
stepped upon the depot platform and
took in the situation and gave the alarm,
when the robber spied u. through the
window. The outlaw, still keeping the
other men covered, backed slowly out
of the door and ordered Harris and Vim
cent into the depot, saying he would
kill them if they refused. They natur-
ally went in. The masked man then
stood the six citizens up along the wall,
covering them with one revolver, and
went through their pockets. He secured
little over $40. The daring freebooter
then ordered his six prisoners into the
street, and
Made Them Walk Down Town
through the principal thoroughfares to
Kutner Goldstein's grocery. The robber
followed his six prisoners into the store,
and it was evidently his intention, alone
and single handed, to loot the grocery.
However, just as he ordered three men
previously in the store to throw mp
their hands, the proceeding was inter-
rupted by Constables Ochs and Nelson.
Then began bloody shooting affray.
Ochs, with his pistol drawn, rushed
into the store. The bandit turned upon
him and fred. Ochs fell and rolled ont
through the door. firing at the robber
from the floor. His aim was wild, how
ever, and the constable shot one citizen
through the arm and another in the
breast. The man hit in the breast was
struck by spent bullet and not
seriously hurt. though knocked down.
During the general tusilade
The Robber Escaped
and disappeared in the darkness,
Another appeared upon the scene, how.
ever, during the battle in the grocery
A wagon dashed up to the door and the
driver began shooting at Constable
Ochs, thus aiding in the escape Of the
rubber within. The man in the wagon
then drove rapidly away. This man
answers the description of Chris Evans.
In the other srohher. who wore q ban.
dana handkerchief over his face. the
men attacked believe they recognized
Ed Merrill It is believed here that the
bandits becoming pressed for food and
money, came down from the mountaini
determined TO make raid. A posse ha,
left this city TO organize pursuit from
Fowler. Constable Charles Ochs, who
i badly wounded in the right thigh and
groin. was one Of the jurors who CON
victed Chris Evans of the murder ol
Deputy United States Marshal VIE
Wilson. Ochs declares that he wounded
the Younger Of the two robbers.