The Detroit times., 1911-05-12
ONCE NOTORIOUS
BANDIT Steps TO
FREEDOM
sIps Late, But Not Too Late" Says
Chris Evans, Once Terror of the
West Az Prison Gates Open
After II Years.
Emerges From Grim Institution
Model Man and Will Spend Declin-
ing Days At Daughters Home.


pause while the keeper unlocked it
STOPPING figure with hair greyeC
TO the color of prison walls and {
sad smile upon his lean cheeks.
II was Chris Evans, one time chief
tain of the Sontag-Evans gang OF ban
dts whose name for many year:
struck terror to the hearts OF rail
road crews and express messengers
He had finished paying the debt oil
his outlawry to the state of Califor
MIA. The debt that had cost him the
sight of one eye, the loss OF one
arm. his health and seventeen years
of servitude in Folsom penitenttary
Gov. Johnson had granted him par
ole. He is 60 years old
To those who stood with the writ
remembers OF his family-the
warder seemed long in opening the
grating. To the old man on the
other side the delay seemed OF less
moment. He had waited for that
gate to swing back so many years.
A little longer wouldn't matter.
Even after he had stepped with
out the walled deadline and before
his children swooped down upon the
trembling figure with tender en-
brace, he turned for a moment 10
watch the keeper bar the gate be-
hind him.
Then his shoulders Strengthened
with a jerk and he drank in the
first draughts of regained freedom.
The deliverance OF life-termer
from a penitentiary is a wonderful
thing. And 1t is still more wonder
ful to see a man who has worn the
stripes for a score OF years emerge
from his prison cave with heart un-
warped and spirit unbroken. Such
man Is Chris Evans.
No Bitterness In His Heart.
There is no bitterness In his heart,
no blasphemy on his lips, no harsh
arraignment Of the law or Its execu-
tiyes. Only q marvellous calm that
\ il warm enough to be called benevo-
y lence ....
II knew this day of liberation was
coming for me-" he told the writer
in his reserved way. There was
never IN hour of my imprisoned HE
when I gave up hope OF deliyerance,
Of parole And then his mind shot
on to the source Of -ah his trouble /
II knew that sooner or later the
power Of the Southern Pacific would
ware IN the politics of the state. and
that when that day came l would
\ get my release.
at has come a little later than
had expected"--he ran his trembling
fingers through his thin gray hair
abut not too late. A man learns to
be patient I'm this place, He learns
10 wait. ~ n.
ITS a family trait, the ability to
wait and not lose heart" he said.
glancing at his daughter Winifred,
who had some to take him home.
The story OF how his youngest
daughter has worked for the past Ave
years to secure her fathers parole Is
well known In Sacramento. Governor
after governor have heard her plead
ing. She saw her hopes realized
when two weeks ago the board of
prison directors and Gov. Johnson
granted the aging man parole.
Eyes, know whom to thank for
my release" said Evans as he laid
his good arm affectionately upon his
daughters shoulder.
we Evans never give UP. Meth.
or the women nor the man."
This man had almost single hand
ed fought great railroad corporation
with millions OF dollars and hundreds
OF armed men at its command:
remembered that he had not surren-
dered until, lying almost senseless
from wounds In the cabin OF a sup
posed friend, a Judas of his own clan
kad betrayed him after taking away
TT weapons
my. battles are over" said the old
tnn when asked II he still held re-
1ontment against his former enemies.
*Al1I want to do now Is TO 20 away
. % some quiet spot with my family
and regain my health. I've done
with flghting."
Mention OF the Southern Pacific
still strikes fire from the flint OF his
nature
when L fought the railroad In Tu-
1are county there was only one way
to battle successfully with 1.-THE
method / used. The courts every
where were packed with the rail.
roads henchmen. There was no
chance for poor man"
Has Been Model Prisoner.
Asked what had been hardest to
bear In connection with his long i'm
prisonment he replied instantly, THE
depravity OF the majority OF my fell
low prisoners. particularly their OBJ
scene language"
Among a crew OF renegades Chris
Evans stood out az wonderfully
clean man. He does not use tobacco
or liquor. In three hours talk with
him some days ago I did not once
hear him use an oath.
Whatever he may have been in the
rast--and there are those even among
the sSouthern Pacific officials who
have sold that they believed he was
as much sinned against as shining
there II not the slightest trace OF the
criminal about the one-time train
robber OF the Tuiare hills.
AZ the conveyance which was car.
rying him out through the hills to
the new life rounded an incline above
the prison walls. and when he thought
the eyes OF those who rode with him
were not upon, him for moment,
ne stole backward glance at the
grim buildings where he had paid his
Price
A biue.clad guard standing on the
wall shifted his rife long enough To
wave the paroled man q God-speed.
Then the face Of bic daughter, Wini-
1. -.