Los Angeles herald., 1891-06-11
AFRAID TO TESTIFY.
Chinese Witnesses Intimida-
ted by Threats.
Yesterdays Proceedings in the
Trial of Wong Ark.
Len Yuk Denies That He Saw the
Fatal Shot Fired.
Some Testimony at Variance With That
Given Before the Coroner-The
State Makes a Strong Case.

The second days proceedings in the
trial of Wong Ark, or Kun Dock, for the
murder of his slave Goot Cue, furnished
some startling revelations as to the ex-
tent to which intimidation of witnesses
has been carried on by the friends of the
defendant. Were it not for the fact that
the district attorney has been able to
make out a strong case against Wong
Ark, by the aid of white witnesses, the
prosecution would fall fiat. Three mon
golians, Len Took, his wife, Hook Moy,
and Len Yuk, the latter of whom was
the only witness as far as known to the
actual homicide, and all of whom had
material testimony to give, failed utterly
to tell what they knew when called to
the stand and gave every evidence OF
having been subjected to threats.
The case was called at 10 o'clock, and
Officer Bevan, who was on the stand
, when an adjournment was taken Tues
day, resumed his testimony. Under
cross-examination the witness was asked
if he had ever received any money from
Wong Ark. He replied that he had not.
Q. Did you not tell Ark early in Feb
ruary that you could not take any more
money from him then that the HERALD
had been making an expose of the cor
ruption in the police department and
you would have to lay low till it all
blew over?
A. No, sir, did not. showed Ark
a copy of the HERALD containing the
article you mention, but l only did it
because his names was in the paper. /
never received a cent from Ark.
Attorney Hardesty was proceeding
further on the same line of examination
when he was interrupted by the court.
The defense argued that they were try
ing to show that Bevan had been paid
money by Wong Ark regularly, but that
the defendant had shut down on this
and now Bevan was trying to get even.
but the court shut down on that line of
questions.
On redirect examination the witness
gave the weight of the bullet extracted
from Goot Cues body as 127 grams. In
reply to question from the district at
torney, Bevan told of quarrel which
had taken place between Wong
Ark and his slave several months
before the murder. Ark was
taking some medicine to cure him of
his craving for opium, and one day he
accused Goot Cue of putting poison in
the stuff. A quarrel arose and all of the
neighbors rushed in to take q hand.
Bevan arrived on the scene, and after
ejecting every body but Ark and Goot
Cue succeeded in getting things quieted
down. Ark afterward told Bevan that
he wanted to get rid of the woman; that
she was getting fractions and he could
not control her. He asked Bevan to
go with him and help get possession of
her, SO that he could ship her off to San
Francisco and sell her, but this Bevan
refused to do.
Officer Vignes was then put upon the
stand and testified as to the incidents
connected with Ark's arrest. He, to-
gether with Officers Bowler and John
son, found the defendant in laundry
run by white woman who had Chi
nese husband. They learned from Leu
Took that Ark was there. Took appeared
to be afraid and told them not to tell
where they got the Information.
The woman who ran the laun-
dry said that she didn't know
where Ark was. One door of the place
was locked, and the woman said that it
was the private room of her husband,
who had the key. They smashed in the
door and found Ark lying on the bed
with revolver under the pillow. Bow
Ter arrested him aud asked him why he
shot her, and Ark said, That's all
right "
Detective M. 7. Bowler was called and
gave testimony corroborative of that of
Vignes.
Hook Moy, the wife of Len Took, was
then called. She was in the next room
to that occupied by Goot Cue on the
night of the murder. Half an hour be
fore the shooting she heard voices in
Goot Cues room. AT the coroner's in
quest she swore that she recognized
Wong Ark's voice, but when the same
question was put to her yesterday she
would not make the same statement
Goot Cue was brought to the place
about two months before her death by
Wong Ark. When the shot was fired
the witness slipped into dress, put on
her shoes and went out on the sidewalk,
where she found Goot Cue screaming
with pain. What's the matter?"
asked Hook Moy, and the witness was
about to relate her conversation with
the dying woman, when long argu-
ment arose over an objection interposed
by the defense to such testimony. The
prosecution submitted authorities, and
the court took recess before the ques-
ton was passed upon.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
At 2 o'clock Hook Moy was again
placed upon the stand, and the judge
ruled upon the objection which he had
had under consideration during recess,
deciding that statements made by Goot
Cue Immediately after the shooting as
to who had committed the deed were
admissible: When she got to the side
walk Goot Cue was screaming. Len
Took, who had followed her out, said
whats the matter?'' The injured
woman said, "Some one shoot me. Some
one shoot me in the stomach" On be-
ing asked who it was, she said: don't
know; think it was Kun Dock"
This testimony also differed from that
given by the witnesses before the cor
oner. On that occasion Hook Moy said
unequivocally that Goot Cue. said. as
she lay on the sidewalk that Kun Dock
had shot her.
Hook Moy proceeded to tell of the in
cidents following the shooting: Her
husband, Leu Took, followed her out of
the house and a great crowd assembled.
She and her husband carried the injured
woman in the house and laid her on a
mat, when Officer Rohn arrived on the
scene.