The Mineral argus., 1883-08-23
MURDERI!
THE E0DY OF SAM LEE, A cHiaAMaN,
FOUND ~ A PROSPECT HOLE.
Gu in tie Reok, seyering the Iuglar Vein and
Spin-l Column. and Slot in tae Back.

and vac nifty We're thrown into 4 iurore
of exc .tement by the reported killing
Of Sam Lee, a Chinaman, running
laundry at this place.
1t seems that on Monday, Aug. 18th,
Sam Lee went to the Collar mine to
collect his weeks washing, and return /
ing with a sack full Of clothes stopped {,
at Rustic saloon to get such articles as
the proprietor had for him to wash.
He left tbs place between 5 and 5
O'Clock in the afternoon and had not
been seen since Nothing serious was
app eaended until Thursday, when
susI icion was aroused and the opinion
expressed that he had met with
FOUL PLAY,
as blood stains were found in the road
and on The rocks in the bed Of the
creek. The place bore evidence Of a
sculle and attracted the attention Of
several parties, who, feeling confident
that some one had been killed, followed
up the clue, se.aching the hills and
brush around in every direction, and
found a slaal la,h hatchet covered
with blood, a pocket book, butcher
knife and candle near where the pool
Of blood was seen. This was conyinC-
ing proof to all that mmder had been
committed on that very spot, and that
the murderer had taken the body aad
hid or buried it in that vacinity. A
search was at once inaugurated to ind
the body and after an hour or two Of
dili,cnt scr.t.ny in the hil.a.des, grass
and woods, it occurred to some one
that it might have been thrown into
some pr specg hole This proved the
right Theory but ON reaching the near
est clam Zone thousand feet from
where the crime WAS committcl) and
peering into the hole nothing could be
seen. as darkness had set in. a candle
and shovel were then procured and
one OF the party jumping into the eXca
vat on, removed some OF the loose dirt,
tina, b evidence Of being lately
handed, and in q few minutes saw
the fingers and hand Of a man. This
was sufficient proof that the murdered
mans body was there, and the party
concluded to leave it just as fund
until a coroner could be notified and
an inquest he'd.
/ Tne suspected parties, Henry Lee,
Oc Ton and another Ch.naman, were
arrested by Constable Fletcher, and
placed under guard. On Friday nom
ing Deputy Sheriff KEN, seeming a
team. started as last as horses cou.d
carry him, for Big Sp.ng Creek, IN
search of a coroner. AT c ght o'clock
/ Friday evening The Deputy S-erih re-
turned win J. IoomLs. Justice Of the
Peace. and it was dec ded 10 hold the
inquest Satu day morning, at 9 o clock.
/ At that hour 4 large crowd OF citizens
were pre-. ent at Eaton's building, when
the folowin. jurors were sworn in by
the justice: c. c. Snow, +. Erwin,
Willard Dunton, Jim Washburn, 5.
Wetherall and c. 5. Fell The jury,
accompanied by fully 200 people, thea
repaired to the prospect hole for the
. purpose Of exhuming the remains Of
the deceased. and ascertain as near as
possible the cause and manner m
which deceased came TO his death.
Arriving at the hole a gunny sack was
found bearing evidence OF having been
used to wipe of the hands of the
mu-derers. \ shovel was pro
duced and on removing the earth a
horrible spectacle was presented to
view. The body was found lying on
its face with the left arm thrown over
the head, and tied up with a clothe
line wound several times around the
body, and cut 10y a knife in several
places; the clothes were burnt and
badly torn and showed every evidence
OF a terrible