Rocky Ford enterprise., 1897-07-08

muTuCr anu diooh'
It was during the Chinese riots IN
Denver in the year 1880, the bloodiest
In its history. The forged Garfield
Morey letter had been flashed over the
wires and Its contents served to fan
into raging fire the embers of hat
red that had been smouldering in the
breasts of many for the Chinese. Lit
tie groups OF men gathered on the cor
ners and in the saloons to discuss the
letter. When evening came their num-
bers had increased until an angry mob
filled the streets and made the air
blue with its mutterlngs. When things
had reached this stage a gigantic cow
boy in red flannel shirt drove into
the crowd waving his lariat over his
head and shouting. Lets burn the
rats out Of their holes" This was all
sufficient to infiame the crowd to
violence and to the Chinse quarter OF
the town they went
There were probably 500 Cinnamon
and Chinese women huddled together
in lot of dens covering an area of half
block. The different apartments were
connected by narrow secret passages.
These were typical dens of Chinese
vice and crime, and the fumes o. opium
filled the air for block away. 1t was
a plague spot. and n menace to every
self respecting citizen. AS the officers
of the law fattened on 1t its denizens
remained unmolested. To this place
the mob rushed bowling and crying
for the rats" to be burned out. Soon
they were beyond the control Of the
police. and the chief appealed to the
sheriff. Three hundred citizens were
sworn in and armed with revolvers
and Winchester. The sheriff tried to
disperse the crowd by threats. per-
suasion and by reading the riot act.
but they only hissed and hooted.
Tho Cinnamon barricaded their
doors. and not a sound came from
within save the occasional cry Of n
woman. The mob fired at the doors
and the sheriff threatened to fire into
the crowd, but a dozen winchesters
were pointed in his face and he sub
sided. Finally some one set fire to the
old frame buildings and in n moment
the entire Chinese quarter was In
flames. The mob. maddened by the
sight. yelled and howled. They made
a rush on the doors and with some
heavy lumber broke them in and rush.
ed through. There were few shots,
few cries. and few supplications.
They shot down the men as they rush
ed from the burning building. and then
dragged them out by the queues. They
picked the little Chinese women up
in their arms and carried them out.
Quantities Of silverware. cigars. liquor
and opium were found and confiscated
by the rioters. What they could not
carry away with them was scattered on
the sidewalks. The fire department
came and turned the water on the
crowd. but some one cut the hose and
destroyed alike its usefulness for ex-
tinguishing the flames and the ardor
OF the mob. The plaiutive cries OF
the women and children were distinct
ly heard by the armed officers OF the
law. but they stood paralyzed and did
nothing. The mob was drinking their
fill Of blood and whisky. carrying
home rich booty. or the shapely little
Chinese women, when four men came
out OF the building, dragging China
man by the queue. Cries of Shoot
him" went up from the throats of a
hundred men. when a man. coatless
and hatless. rughed into the midst OF
the rioters. You cowardly dogs!' he
roared, with a voice that resounded far
above the yells and din of the crowd
He reached back into his hip pocket
I,,,N
thing glistening in the freight at his
feet and pick 1t up unnotced. He put
1t in his hip pocket and dashed up tc
the four men. Pulling 1t from his
pocket he faced them. Get out oi
here, you = =. or I Will kill every
coward OF you!" said he, waving 1t In
their faces. The men stood bacl
aghast.
"I'll kill the first that LAYS
a finger on another Chinaman. Nov
get, every coward of you"
He still waved his hand high in the
air, and its contents glistened in the
fire light.
Its Jim Moon" said one No soon.
er had the crowd recognized him thar
they threw down their weapons ant
ran. leaving standing alone against 6
background of burning buildings ant
covering Cinnamon. still waving his
hand and the silver spoon-for 1t was
only a spoon-over his head.
When the officers of the law camt
out of their trance they realized thai
the blood-thirsty mob had been scat
tered by one man with an ounce o.
determination and silver spoon.
Jim then threw down his impro
vised pistol. had hearty laugh at thu
fire department and police, then wen
up town and took drink.