The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-11-07
THE MASSACRE At Los ANGELoS.
Bloody Work-The Chinamen Killed,
and their Quarters Plundered.

According to all accounts the affair at Los
Angeles was little better than a brutal massa-
ere. The correspondent Of the San Francisco
Chronicle says:
The tragedy of yesterday arose from an ILL
feeling of long standing, between two rival
Chinese companies. These parties had diff
Guilty with one another on the previous day,
and preliminary examination was held IN the
afternoon at one of the Justices courts, which
was adjourned until the next morning. On re.
turning to their quarters and just as night set
In, they resumed their quarrel aud pistols
were freely used; officers and citizens imme-
diately rushed to the scene to separate and ar
rest the com5atants. Some OF the Chinese.
however, turned upon their pursuers and hred
their pistols at them, wounding one officer IN
the right shoulder, shooting boy In the leg,
and citizen named Robert Thompson through
the breast, from the effects of which he died
within an hour and half They then sought
refuge In their quarters. The block In which
these Cinnamon secreted themselves was
surrounded by mob, and none were
permitted to leave. Shortly alter tne oiock; osa;
sde commenced, one Chinaman attempted
to escape, and, with hatchet in his hand.
determined to cut his way through the
human band encircling the Chinese strong
hold. He was quickly captured, and the con-
stables endeavored to carry him OH TO jail, out
the announcement of the death Of Thompson
being made generally known, the mob be-
came infuriated, and several attempts were
made to wrest the prisoner from the othcers.
When within about two hundred yards or the
iail the crowd closed upon the officers, aud.
overpowering them, seized the Chlnaman aud
marched him up Temple street to the corner
OF New High street. Here the cross-oean OF
the slding-door of corral offered convent
ent gibbet. rope was Immediately procured,
attached to the victims neck, thrown over the
cross-beam, and amid mad shouts OF the MOP
he was hoiSted up.
This mob, consisting mainly Of native Call
fornians, returned at once to the scene, drunk
with their fiendlsh work. 1t was not until ten
o'clock that any real attempt was made to
barricaded their doors. In the meantime sew
eral futile attempts to fire the block were
made At ten o'clock an entry was made into
one of the houses and the inmates, more dead
than alive, were dragged out aud hurried TO
the first hanging place at hand. Four were
suspended from the sides OF o wagon. SIX
were hung from the awning OF some dwellings
on Los Angeles street-one was mere boy OF
eight or nine years Of age. All OF these were
tearfully mangled before reaching the place OF
execution. Ropes were placed around their
necks Immediately upon being captured, aud
some of them were strangled before oelnS
hanged.
Thieves made good use of their opportunity,
breaking open every trunk In the Chinese
quarters, and taking everything OF value.
Two or three dozen Cinnamon took refuge In
the city Jail, where they now remain In GUS
tody.
Hints OF repetlU of last evenings pro.
ceedings having beea thrown out, the old vigl:.
lance committee has been reorganized, and
will act should such occur.
The city is in the greatest state Of excite
| ment. 1t Is reported that about forty Of the
| Chinese belonging TO the other company LETT
town during the time of the disturbance last
evening. Only one of the parties who shot at
/ the officers and citizens has been Identified
| among the dead. The other guilty ones have
escaped, while the rest OF those hanged are
supposed to be innocent.