Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-06
FIRED BY TIE PIGTAILS.
NEW LIGHT THROWN ON TIE
BURNING OF CHINATOWN.

.-.ac,re Buried in the Earth and the
prildiugs Burned Over it to Prevent
me white Miners from Securing It-A
N,,nister and His Daughter Make the
statement.
GREEN RIVER, Wy. t., Oct. g.
Some testimony of a startling character
gas given to the grand jury, to-day. 1t
is calculated to throw new light on trans
actions at Rock Springs during the re-
cont riot there. Rev. Timothy Thirloway,
a congregational minister, who resided at
Rock springs with his family during the
riot. made a sworn statement, showing
tbaf the Chinese set fire TO their own
houses in order to prevent the white men
IRON robbing them OF their money, which
was buried in the ground underneath their
dwellings.
ArwoRK ON THE RUINS.
SUBSEQUENT events have shown that this
was the case, for as soon as the China
men returned to Rock Springs they COM
menced excavating under the ruins, and
in one Instance over $500 were found.
Rev. Thirloway being duly sworn,
made the following statement:
lam minister of the gospel and was
residing at Rock Spring on Sept. 2, last,
the dav on which the riot occurred, and
was in the vicinity OF Chinatown on that
dav. ! heard that there was a large num-
her Of men moving around toward the
north and Chinatown, with guns, clubs
and other weapons.
THE FIRST PUFF.
[ stepped out of my house with my
wife and saw the first two houses that
were set on ire. While standing there |
could see a number of white men on the
north side Of Chinatown, and at the same
time four Cinnamon came out of a house
in the southeast part Of the town, only
short distance from US. They were some
hundred Yards from the white men. The
four Cinnamon had not moved more than
twenty yards from the house with their
bundles when some one called them back,
and they remained in the house two or
three minutes before coming out again.
FIRING BEGUN.
In the meantime vOlley was heard on
the north side of Chinatown, and almost
instantly Cinnamon rushed out Of the
building. They hardly left when we saw
tlat the building was on fire. No white
men were seen near the house, and it was
apparent that the house was Ired by the
CGinamen Themselves. My daughter,
VINO talked with some Of the Cinnamon
at the Time, ,scan tell you more about that
and the object Of the Cinnamon in setting
the house on fire. The two houses that
were first burned belonged to the railroad
company and were known as Nos. 10 and
is. Among the Cinnamon that came out
Of No. is. the first house set on fire, l rec
ognlzed All QuOng."
MISS THIRLOwAY's STATEMENT.
The statement of Miss Eleanor Thirlo-
way was as follows:
81 came to Rock Springs in December
last, and have given instruction to
Chinese at my fathers house in the Sven-
ing. | think we had the confidence of the
Chinese, who regarded us as their friends.
just as soon as they returned some came
to'see us, and talked about their troubles.
All Quong, who lived in the cellar OF the
6ang house, No. IS, which was the first
house set on fire, told me: China boy
scared American would get things, and
emma boy set ire to house,"
sCBsTANTIATED BY ANOTHER PIG TAIL.
Lew Ack Sen, a nephew of Alb Say, a
Caihese interpreter, also told me some
iacts about setting fire to houses that
o.ler cinnamon did, viz: that they were
AFRAID the white men would find their
money.
"Ah, Quong said: China boy no likee
American catch him things, and China
10y set hre to house,"
Mrs ThirlOway testified substantially
tae same as her husband, and also that
CHnamen were seen running from the
houses, which Immediately burst forth in
A"Aies as II touched off with gunpowder.