The record-union., 1896-02-03
A MYSTERIOUS Case.
Engineer VonSOeS Found in a Dying Con-
ditiOn at Fifth and | Streets.
Lives But Few Hours After Taken to
the Receiving Hospital Death
Due to Opium Poisoning.

e. G. Vongoes, freight engineer run
ming between here and Benicia, was
found in dying condition yesterday
afternoon at Fifth and l streets, on the
bank of China Slough
A man named Richard Thompson
came about o'clock to the police sta
ton and stated that man was at that
place in an unconscious condition, ap-
parently suffering from some sort of
opium poisoning. The patrol wagon
was sent up and Vongoes was removed
to the Receiving Hospital City Physi-
clan Nichols and his assistant, DR.. Og-
den, were summoned and responded.
They worked upon him faithfully for
some hours, but the poison had evil
IDENTIFY entered into his circulation dur
ing the several hours that he had been
subjected to its influence before the po-
lice were notified.
When he was brought to the station.
a search of his clothing showed that he
was a railroad man, he having bunch
of keys such as they use. He had also
two receipts from Liberty Lodge, X. of
p. of Oakland, showing that his dues
were paid up to January 1st. He had
also two Postoffice box receipts from
that city and about 81 80 in silver
Thompson stated that, he met Won
goes in company with Billy Brown, an
opium fiend who is well known to the
police, some time between II and 2
o'clock Shortly afterwards Brown left
him and Vongoes together and they
went around to look at the broken fire
engine and thence to Chinatown where
they took one drink together. He
noticed that Vongoes was sleepy and he
became stupid and as the Cinnamon
were going to put him out of the place,
he took him over towards the bank of
the slough and laid him down to re-
cover, as he thought he was drunk. This
was about o'clock, and as Vongoes did
not get better, he became alarmed and
notified the police.
He had known Vongoes about two
months and they generally ate supper
together in Chinatown about 3 o'clock
each evening. He had known him to
take several "shots" about two months
ago but had not known him to do SO
lately.
George Sprout, who is at3present in
Jail, on a charge of vagrancy, on being
shown Vongoes, at once declared that
he had often seen him in Chinatown
and that he called himself an engineer
When the conductor with whom Won
goes ran said that was impossible,
Sprout declared that he had spoken the
truth, and that if they would call one
McIsaacs he would identify him as
having been given "shots" by him (Mc-
Isaacs).
On the other hand, the conductor,
with whom Vongoes was engineer, as
well as the gang belonging to the train,
and several other railroad men, de-
clared positively that he never drank
or smoked, was always on hand and
attentive to duty and was a first-class
man in his line of work and could not
possibly be addicted to the use of the
drug.
Vongoes' appearance bears out the
statements OF his brother employees, as
he does not have at all the appearance
of victim of the habit.
Taken altogether, the case is wrapped
in mystery, as the conflicting state
ments of the parties lead one to wonder
whether or not the unfortunate man
had been leading a dual life, his life at
night being distinct and apart from
his daily life.
Vongoes died about o'clock last
night. Some of his friends are firmly
of the opinion that he was "doped'' by
some one for the purpose of robbery.
Brown and Thompson are detained
at the police station as witnesses in the
case, they being the last persons with
him while he was alive. The police
believe the deceased came to his death
from the use of liquor and opium at
the same time, which is said to be a
dangerous combination.