The San Francisco call., 1895-12-01
The Fugitive Boasts That He
Will Escape From His
PuTSuerS.
OFFICERS PLAN AN AMBUSH
They Will Lie in Wait at a Point
Likely to Be Passed by the
Bandit.

FRESNO, CAL, Nov. 30.-Phil Crowley,
Alameda County's outlaw, is still at large
in the western part of this county, between
Mendoza and Firebaugh, about thirty-five
miles from this city. Constable Adams
and his deputy of Medota and Constable
Swanson and his deputy of Firebaugh were
out all last night and to-day looking for
Crowley, but failed to find him.
Crowley called at two woodchoppers'
camps on the river this morning and OBJ
tanned food. At one place he traded his
shotgun to a woodchopper for a coat,
which the fugitive said he needed badly
as he did not have one. At both camps
visited by the escaped convict he boldly
announced that he was Phil Crowley, who
had been so diligently searched for in
Alameda County.
He said that he was going to get out of
the country and be free man, or die in
the attempt. Crowley's actions we're very
strange, and the woodchoppers felt much
more comfortable after he had left them
Constable Adams telephoned to the
Sheriff's Office here last evening, stating
that he was confident that Crowley was in
this county. The constable told of the
search he had made, and upon being ques-
toned by Under-Sheriff Berry, said that
he needed help.
Berry informed him that the Sheriff s
Office stood ready to assist in the chase
whenever the constable should SO desire.
The Sheriff's Office did not send out posse
this morning, as the conclusion was
reached that the report of Crowley's pres
~, Ioe+
ing, was hoax.
Later tonight Constable Adams was
called up by CALL correspondent. The
constable said that he had just returned,
after being out for twenty-four hours in
search of the bandit. He stated that he
was positive that Crowley was in the
brush on the bank of the river between
Mendoza and Firebaugh
1t was his opinion that Crowley, who
had learned during the day, Judging from
the remarks that he made to persons whom
he met, that the officers were on his trail,
would go up the river during the night
and IN the morning would be somewhere
between Mendoza and Herndon.
Adams said that he would be at GER
tain open point on the river early in the
country is thickly overgrown with brush
"half a mile high" as the constable ex-
pressed it-and the fugitive can easily con-
ceal himself with the officers only ten feet
away.
Adams will therefore lie with his posse
at the open place on the river, which
Crowley will have to cross if the Con-
stables theory that he will go up the river
tonight is correct. The officers will, at
this place. have little difficulty in ambush
ing the fugitive.
Constable Adams stated that his posse
found the fugitive's trail early this morn
Ing, and they did not have much difficulty
in following his tracks in the sand He
would sometimes 90 down into the river
bottom and then get up on the bluffs again.
Constable Adams believes that he was
close upon Crowley at one time during the
day, but the outlaw doubled and by taking
different path slipped away.
Crowley has been seen by several per-
sons, and they are all positive that he is
the man from Alameda County, as he
claims to be. On Friday morning, about
8 O'clock Crowley walked boldly through
the town of Firebaugh. Many people saw
him, and when shown the pictures and
descriptions of the bandit, all said that it
was he who paid the. town aEisit. Deputy
Constable Crutcher of this city believes
that Crowley was in Fresno about two
weeks ago and disposed of some of the
cutlery which he secured in the robbery of
a store at Danville, in Contra Costa
County.
The Constable knew that Crowley, who
went by his right name while here, sold
such goods in Chinatown, and suspected
that they were stolen goods, but the officer
at that time had not received notice of the
Danville robbery and had no reason to ar
rest Crowley. The Crowley who was here
tailed exactly with the description and
picture of the Alameda outlaw, but the
officer did not receive this description until
Crowley had left the CITY,