The Train Robbers Now Hiding in the Brush.
ONE OF THE PURSUERS KILLED.
Deadly Work of the Outlaws While Surrounded in Evans' Barn.
DRIVE AWAY WITH A MULE AND CART
They Abandon Their Rig at Nigger
Creek Hill and Take to
the Brush
VISALIA, August 6.--Evans and Sontag, the Collis train robbers, came to Evans' house about 12 o'clock last night and after eating supper, went to the barn.
Five or six men, who were keeping guard, discovered the team in the barn lot, but did not see the men come in.
Undoubtedly they returned to secure the hidden coin, as a hole filled with fresh dirt and manure was found in the barn this morning.
Deputy Sheriff Oscar Beaver, who was among the guards, saw the men at the barn and opened fire.
His shots were returned by the robbers, who wounded Beaver so seriously that he died at 6 o'clock this morning.
Fifteen shot were exchanged, Beaver firing eight. Some of his shots wounded the horses so that one had to be killed. While the guard was attending to Beaver the robbers escaped about 2 o'clock on foot and went in a northerly direction.
Three miles from town they tried to borrow horses from an acquaintance. The officers in pursuit traced the men four miles northeast, where they entered a field. The pursuers' team then gave out and they returned to town.
Sheriff Cunningham states that there is no doubt that the men committed most of the train robberies in this valley. Excitement is high here, and if the men are caught they will be lynched if taken alive.
Thacker, Cunningham and Overall are just starting out again. An ex-Supervisor living fourteen miles north of this city says that the robbers passed his place at 5 o'clock this morning. They were evidently making for Stokes mountain, a rugged country with plenty of water.
Evans knows every mountain trail in the mountains of Fresno and Tulare counties and afoot can take paths that no horse can travel.
Deputy Sheriff Witty's condition has change for the worse in the last two hours. There is danger of blood-poisoning, the physicians say.
J. M. Dye, residing seventeen miles northeast of this city, came into town today. He says that Evans and Sontag passed his place at 8 o'clock in a cart drawn by a mule.
They saw a team coming down to them on the Stokes Valley road and turned back a short distance to take the Nigger-creek road, leading to Drum Valley, Fresno county. Dye met no one in pursuit.
Evans is said to have stated to one man Thursday, in accounting for his plenty of money, that he had sold his mine and received part payment. It will be recollected that on Tuesday before the train robbery John Sontag, when hiring the team, said he and Evans were going to the mountains. The team was brought back to the stable Thursday noon, looking sleek and fresh. It is about sixty miles from Visalia to Collis and that drive could be made from the time of the robbery to noon Thursday without jading the horses.
Had the team been to the mountains the horses would have show hard work.
Nothing has been heard from those in pursuit of the robbers, but it is expected every moment some one will get home.
The trunk taken from Evans' barn is in a vault at the jail and has not been opened to ascertain the contents. Groups of men have stood on the streets all day talking of nothing else than the robbery of the train and the shooting of the three men in this city arising therefrom.
A telegram from Reedly to Sheriff Kay received at 8:15 P. M. says Evans and Sontag abandoned their mule and cart at Nigger creek hill and took to the brush. The posse is in close pursuit.
Sheriff Kay returned this evening at 7 from the coast, where he arrested a Mexican on a charge of felony. He immediately began preparation for pursuit of the robbers, taking a supply of provisions for a long siege. Supervisor Ellis accompanies him.
Sheriff Cunningham, Johnny Thacker and ex-Sheriff Overall have returned to town, saying they lost the trail at Stokes valley. Cunningham returns home tonight, where he has pressing business
The remains of Oscar Beaver, who was shot by the train robbers this morning, were forwarded to Lemoore this afternoon that being his home. His wife was visiting at Rio Vista and was telegraphed to come home early this morning. Beaver was unconscious several hours previous to death.
Seventy-four small shot were found in his body. The death wound was made by buck-shot in the abdomen and chest. He was a fearless man and always has been in demand by Sheriffs when desperate work is required.
A large delegation of friends from Hanford and Lemoore accompanied the remains home this evening. The funeral will probably occur to-morrow.
The robbers undoubtedly escaped from the barn while the attention of the guard was called to Beaver. None of the guard would approach Beaver after he fell to the ground. Frank Byrd, brother-in-law of the robber Evans, who was at the house, was called out to remove him and was assisted in doing so by ex-Sheriff Overall. However Beaver lay where he fell twenty minutes and his groans could be heard blocks away.
