Tulare & Kings Counties
California
History
1913
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The first of a series of five train robberies occurred near Pixley, on the morning of February 22, 1889. As train No. 17 was leaving that place, two masked men climbed over the tender to the cab and ordered the engineer to stop the train at a point two Miles distant from the station. There the engineer and fireman were compelled to dismount and were placed as shields, one in front of each robber, and marched to the express car. J. R. Kelly, the express messenger, was ordered to open the door, which he did, and one robber entered, the other keeping guard.
Ed Bently, a deputy constable of Modesto, who was a passenger on the train, got off and proceeded forward out of curiosity and was shot and seriously wounded, the robbers firing between the fireman's legs. Another curious passenger, Charles Gubert, was shot and killed.
The railroad and express companies immediately offered rewards of $2000 each for the arrest and conviction of the robbers, and special trains with officers, men and horses, left Tulare and Bakersfield for the scene of the robbery. Trails were disclosed leading to the coast, but the robbers were not found.
January 24, 1890, as the train was leaving Goshen about four a. m., the role of the Pixley robbery was re-enacted. Five masked men again climbed to the engine from the tender, stopped the train, marched engineer and fireman to the door of the express car. Themessenger was told not to shoot, as the engineer and fireman were being held as shields. As these train officers also urged compliance the messenger opened the door and one of the robbers entered and filled a sack with valuables. Then dismounting, they compelled Lovejoy, the fireman, to extinguish the headlight and carry the sack before them a few hundred yards down the track. In the meantime, a Dane named Christensen, who was riding under the baggage ear, thinking that the train had been stopped on his account, got off, and was fatally shot. The robbers were supposed to have secured in the neighborhood of $20,000 this time.
As before, they were followed by officers toward the west, but not captured.
THE DALTON GANG
In the third instance, which occurred at Alila, as train No. 17 was pulling out of that station at 7:50 a. m., on February 6, 1891, exactly similar tactics were pursued.
The express messenger, a man named Haswell, was not so tractable as the others had been. The engineer, J. P. Thom, and the fireman, G. S. Radcliffe, were marched to the express car door; the order to open was given, but not obeyed. Instead, Haswell extinguished his light and with a repeating rifle fired several shots through the door, one of which fatally wounded Radcliffe. The shots were returned by the robbers and a fusilade ensued. The contest frightened the bandits and they fled. Under-sheriff Bennett of Los Angeles, a passenger on the train, went forward to -assist after the robbers had fled and was fired on by a third man who was holding the horses.
Sheriff Kay immediately proceeded from Visalia to the scene, and at daylight next morning found the trail of three horsemen, leading to the northwest, which, with a posse, he followed. No capture was then made, but in May following William and Grattan Dalton of San Luis Obispo county, were arrested and charged with the crime. In August, the trial of Grattan Dalton was held and he was found guilty, but in September, before receiving sentence, he, with two other prisoners, Beek and Smith, broke jail and escaped. William Dalton was tried in October and acquitted.
In the meantime a fourth attempt at train robbery in the San_ Joaquin valley had been made. The Los Angeles express, on September 3, 1891, was stopped by highwaymen when seven miles south of Modesto. Two masked men boarded the train at Ceres, compelled the engineer to pull out a mile. and a half and stop. Engineer Neff was forced to put out the headlight, get a pick and attempt to open the express car door, which the messenger refused to do.
Two bombs were then exploded under the car, the first one making a hole in the door through which the fireman was compelled to crawl and light a lamp.
Len Harris, a detective who was on the train, sneaked up to the robbers and fired four shots without effect. He was shot in the neck and dangerously wounded. More shooting ensued and the robbers, becoming frightened, left. in the direction of the coast range. After this robbery, it was reported in Visalia that it was done with a view to diverting the attention of officers so that the escape of Grattan Dalton could be effected, and at Sheriff Kay's request, Captain Byrnes, N. G. C., placed details of men from Company E to guard the jail from 3 p. m. until the following morning.
William Dalton and Riley Dean were arrested for this crime on the Sunday following, being found in a ranch house near Traver, but the case was dismissed for lack of evidence.
Before relating the particulars of the fifth and last robbery, which occurred at Collis in August of the following year, it will be well to finish the history of the Dalton brothers, who at this time were supposed to be the only participants in the whole series of robberies.
The prisoner Beek, a month or so after his escape in company with Grattan Dalton, was trailed by Sheriff Kay to the state of Washington, and there captured. On his promising information leading to the capture of Dalton he was granted immunity, providing such information proved to be reliable. It was ascertained that Dalton had never left the vicinity ; that he ranged on Kings river and that a number of people were protecting him and supplying him with food.
On the 24th of December, Kay, with Deputy Sheriffs Wilty and Hockett, Fred Hall, Cal Burland, Ed McCardie, Sheriff Hensley of Fresno and his men, discovered the camp of Dalton and Dean on the upper reaches of Kings river. Dean was captured and shots were exchanged with Dalton, who escaped on a horse which he forced a farmer to furnish him. Grattan Dalton was never captured.
The Southern Pacific train, due to arrive in Fresno at 12:10 a. m., was held up by four robbers near Collis shortly before midnight of August 3, 1892.
The robbers mounted the tender of the engine and, covering the engineer and fireman with arms, compelled a stop. A stick of dynamite was placed on the piston rod and exploded. The engineer jumped and ran, making his escape, but the fireman was held by the robbers, who marched back by the side of the train, firing to intimidate passengers. When the express car was reached, a stick of giant powder was placed on the sill of the door, and in exploding, wrecked the car, breaking three doors, blowing a hole in the roof, and scattering the contents in every direction.
The messenger, George D. Roberts, was lying on the floor, rifle in hand. The shock of the explosion threw him across the car, dislocated his shoulder and rendered him senseless for a few moments. As soon as Roberts recovered his faculties he stuck his hands through the open door to announce that he gave up. The robbers went into the car and compelled him to open the safe. Three bags of coin’ containing between $10,000 and $15,000 were taken.
THE EVANS AND SONTAG TRAGEDIES
On August 4th Chris Evans appeared in Visalia after a considerable absence, stating that he had just returned from the mountains. George Sontag also reappeared, stating that he had just returned from the east.
These were suspected by the railroad detectives and George Sontag was placed under arrest, and Deputy Sheriff George Witty and Detective Will Smith went to the Evans house for Evans and John Sontag. Smith entered the door and faced a double barreled shotgun in the hands of Evans, another gun being handy for the use of Sontag. Unable to draw his revolver on account of his coat being buttoned, Smith fled, as did Witty, Sontag giving chase to the one and Evans to the other. In their flight they were forced to leave the sheriff’s team and rig. Smith was slightly wounded in the back and hands, but managed to get to town unaided. Witty was more unfortunate, receiving some forty shot wounds and a pistol bullet which passed through his body, and almost proved fatal. Similar material to that of which the masks were made was found at the Evans home.
Sontag and Evans drove off in the sheriff’s vehicle, but returned early the next morning. The house was surrounded by a party consisting of former Sheriff D. G. Overall, Oscar Beaver, W. H. Fox, constable Charley Hall of Lucerne, detective Thatcher and sheriff Cunningham of San Joaquin county. About one o’clock, Evans and Sontag were seen in the barn harnessing the horses and were ordered to stop by Beaver, who fired two shots, one of which disabled a horse. The bandits returned the fire and Beaver fell, mortally wounded. In the excitement which ensued the robbers effected their escape on foot, walking twelve miles to the Harvey Ward place, where ‘They- procured a cart and team, and made their way to the mountains by way of Badger.
The result of the posse’s efforts were criticised and ridiculed by the press generally. Posses followed the trail and on September 14, 1892, the bandits were located at.Sampson’s flat in a log house. As the posse approached the house a volley was fired from the inside which killed Victor C. Wilson of El Paso, and Andy McGinnis of Modesto, and slightly wounded Al Witty.
Not until the following spring were the robbers and murderers again seen by officers, although many attempts were made to track them down. On April 19, 1893, Sheriff Kay received information that Evans and Sontag would pay a visit to Visalia that evening. A posse consisting of the sheriff, E. A. Gilliam, John Broder, Ed McVeagh, Morgan Baird, J. P. Carroll and E. J. Fudge, surrounded the house early in the evening, and about eleven o’clock they heard the barn doors open and discerned the men attempting to escape. Kay, Gilliam and Broder fired, but without effect. The cordon around the house proved ineffectual and for some time the bandits were not again seen.
On May 26, 1893, deputy United States Marshal Black, standing at the door of his cabin near Badger, was shot in the leg and hand, and identified his assailant as Evans.
Not until June 11, 1893, were the outlaws again located. A posse composed of United States. Marshal George E. Gard, F. E. Jackson, Hi Rapelje and Toni Burns had, while hot on the trail, taken up quarters in a deserted cabin at Stone Corral. The robbers were seen approaching and the posse stationed themselves outside. In the battle that ensued both Sontag and Evans were shot, the former fatally. Evans again escaped, but was soon after found at the home of E. H. Perkins, and placed under arrest. Sontag died within about three weeks after the Stone Corral fight. Evans’ trial was held in Fresno in November and December. He was found guilty of murder in the first degree and sentenced to life imprisonment. Within two weeks, however, he escaped from the Fresno jail, being assisted by a man named Ed Morrell. After getting out of jail, the pair held up a boy with a horse and cart, took it, and successfully eluding the guards, which were immediately stationed on the roads leading out of town, succeeded in again getting into the mountain country. This escape was hailed with great glee in Visalia because the Visalia officers had been severely rated for inefficiency in the Fresno papers.
. A period of several months ensued, most of which was consumed by the officers in following false clues. Evans terrorized the flume men in the hills, and the sheep herders, threatening them with death if they revealed his whereabouts.
On February 13, 1894, Sheriff Scott of Fresno county, and posse, came upon Evans’ and Morrell’s camp in Eshom. valley. Three shots were fired ineffectually, the bandits escaping hurriedly, leaving much ammunition and camp equipment.
Evans wrote several letters to friends in Visalia, and on March 7th, visited John March, who resided near Orosi, fourteen miles from Visalia. As far as the officers of the law were concerned, however, all trace of the bandits was lost after the exchange of shots with Sheriff Scott’s posse, until the following year. The mountain settlers all denied seeing or hearing anything of the outlaws.
After these exploits, which constituted one of the most spectacular criminal careers in the history of the county, it seems strange that Evans should have submitted tamely at the last, but he did.
On Saturday, May 18, 1894, the bandits came to Visalia, and on Monday the officers learned of their presence, and a posse, including Sheriff Kay, United States Marshal Gard, deputy sheriffs Witty and Robert Broder, night watchman Byrd and constable English, surrounded the house. The news brought crowds to the vicinity who watched behind houses and barns at as near range as they dared to get.
A young man named Beeson offered to take a note to Evans for twenty-five cents. He was given $1 and sent in, but did not return. At 10 a. m., an eight-year-old son of Evans came out of the house with a note to Sheriff Kay, which read:
“Sheriff Kay—Come to the house without guns and you will not be harmed. I want to talk with you. Chris Evans.”
Kay, replying, requested Evans to come out and give himself up, in answer to which he received the following:
“Sheriff Kay—Send the crowd away and bring Will Hall with you to the gate and then we will talk. I will not harm you. You are the sheriff of the county, and I am willing to make terms with you, but with no one else. I will step out on the porch when you come to the gate. Chris Evans.”
The crowd had not shown any inclination towards violence, but apparently the bandits were more afraid of it than of the officers. Accordingly, the crowd was persuaded to move away and Kay and Hall met Evans and Morrell on the porch and shook hands with them and then placed both under arrest.
Young Beeson related that when he knocked at the door he was covered with guns and told to come inside, where he was searched. No weapons were found on him, but he was regarded as a spy and told to sit down and keep his mouth shut.
By the next evening, when Sheriff Scott took Evans back to Fresno, so many threats of lynching had been expressed that it was decided not to take the risk of waiting until midnight for the but to proceed by team. When news of the departure of the officers with the prisoner became known a crowd of determined men. contained in twelve or fifteen livery rigs, started in pursuit with the intention of lynching Evans. At Goshen they learned that the officers had taken another road and were practically beyond pursuit. so the chase was abandoned.
Evans was sentenced to life imprisonment at Folsom and served seventeen years and two months, being released on parole, May 1,1911.
Morrell also received a life sentence but was pardoned after serving fifteen years.
History of
Tulare and Kings Counties, California with Biographical Sketches
History By Eugene L Menefee and Fred A Dodge
Los Angeles, Calif.,
Historic Record Company, 1913
Transcribed by: Martha A Crosley Graham -
Pages 148 - 154
Site Created: 12
January 2009
Martha A Crosley Graham
Rights Reserved : 2009