The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-19
STORY OF A RAID ID
How the Chinese Were Looted and
Driven Out Of Pasco.
TRIED AND ACQUITTED
One OF the Witnesses. Fearing vio-
ience. Comes to Spokane With
His Wife-The Chinese AL
lege Robbery. t

Spokane Spokesman Review: "Cbas.
M Sturgeon and wife, Pasco, was q
non-committal line on the register OF
the Pacific hotel last week. The sigma
ture itself told nothing, but back OF II
lay a story of intense interest.
On Sunday. Nov. 3, the Northern Pa
cific discharged its section crew OF
white men at Pasco, and gave their
places to a crew OF Chinese brought In
for that purpose. The change was In
the interest OF economy. The white
men had been paid $50 for rs days
work; the Chinese took the jobs for $50.
AS most of the white section men had
families. the change was received with
Indignation and a great deal of denun-
ciatory talk.
That night seven men raided the Chi
nese shanties. Only one wore a mask.
and that dropped from his face during
the excitement of the raid. The Chi
nese were marched from Pasco across
river to Kennewick, and dismissed with
the injunction that IL they showed their
faces again in Pasco they would be
treated as missionaries in Tien-Tsin
and massacred. 14
The railroad officials were indignant
at the interference with their labor and
proceeded to work up a case against
tive. r. e. Afford. was sent down from
Spokane. and he quickly secured the
arrest of Robert DeWert, ID. Stewart,
John Buchanan and one Wehrle, the
latter a section hand. I
II is said that wehrle offered to turn
states evidence, but the detective re-
fused to accept the offer. feeling salts
fed that he had evidence enough TO
convict. But. in the course of his con-
fession, Wehrle mentioned that G. M.
Sturgeon, Waterman at the bridge. had
seen and recognized all of the guard
who escorted the Cinnamon across the
river, and the Waterman was sub
poenaed. A rumor that he was re-
luctant witness and might not be pres
emit at the trial induced Sheriff Gray to
arrest Sturgeon, and thereby secure his
Testimony.
Sturgeon is a veteran railroad man.
His right arm is amputated at the
shoulder; he has lost the first two fin
gers of his remaining hand, and has
been injured in the left leg; all the re-
suits of accidents in coupling cars. In
his crippled condition he is not capable
of waging resistance to assault.
His remark that he would rather
stand a pistol shot than go upon the
stand" did not placate the anti Chinese
such a shape that IL is said he was
quietly escorted out of court by half a
dozen armed railroad employees. He re-
NAMED in hiding until the midnight
train came along, on which he and his
wife were safely placed and sent to
Spokane.
But to make the story complete, II is
necessary to take up the thread with
the arrest of the four men charged
with the crime. Public sentiment being
so strong against the Chinese, and
sympathy so general for the defend
ants. II was considered best to have
Superior Judge Upton of Walla Walla
sit as committing magistrate. AS a re
suit of this hearing DeWert. Stewart
and Wehrle were bound over for trial
before the superior court of Franklin
county. and Buchanan was discharged.
At this hearing the state was repre-
sented by Prosecuting Attorney +. p.
Speck. and the Chinese retained r. OIL
ney to assist him.
The case was set for trial Dec. 2,
and the court convened in special ses-
sion for that purpose. Judge Wallace
Mount presiding. The state was rep
resented by Prosecutor Speck, and the
railroad company sent Judge Cation
down from Sprague to help in the
prosecution. The defense was repre-
sented by Moses p. O'Brien of Walla
Walla. and Attorney Harris of Pasco.
The trial lasted two days and was
intensely interesting. Sturgeon, the
bridge Waterman. who afterward came
to Spokane for protection. went upon
the stand and testified that after the
raid he met the defendants at the
bridge; that they discussed the raid
with him. and that in answer to ques-
lions from him II the raiders had not
robbed the Chinese one of them said
| they had taken only about $40.
The Chinese testified that they had
been robbed Of $500 or $500 and one of
them testified that the raiders took
5000 from him.
The defendants denied participation
| in the raid. and went on the stand and
swore to an alibi. The wives of two OF
| the defendants also went upon the
| stand and corroborated the alibi. De-
| PENDANTS denied that they had talked
with Sturgeon about the raid. The
| Chinese identified at least two of the
| defendants as the men who had shared
In the raid.
The jury brought in a verdict of ac-
| quittal. and were then addressed by
| the court. Judge Mount expressed
| surprise at the verdict. To his mind. he
| said. two of the defendants had been
proved guilty beyond a reasonable
! doubt and should have been convicted.
| be sufficient doubt to Justify acquittal.
| He stated that he believed that local
sentiment had warped the judgment
| of the Jurors. and he wanted two of the
| defendants TO understand that he con-
sidered them guilty. in order that they
might be properly impressed with the