The record-union., 1898-07-20
A Desperate Chinese Murderer Blew up
the Magazine.
The Town Badly Wrecked and Set
on Fire - A Woman Among
Those Killed-The Criminal Re-
sisted Arrest and Barricaded
Himself in the Magazine, De-
stroying Himself and the Others
to Avoid Being Captured.

OAKLAND, July 19.-The most sem
sational tragedy ever known in Cali
fornia occurred shortly at o'clock this
morning at Melrose, a little settlement
near Sather Station, between Fruitvale
and Alameda. By the act of Chinese
murderer the powder magazine of the
California Fuse Company was explod-
ed, resulting in the instant death of
eight persons and infiicting injuries
upon several others. A dozen cottages
We're demolished; fifty buildings, in
cluding one schoolhouse, were more or
less shattered, railroad cars were
hurled from the tracks, and windows
were broken miles away from the scene
of the disaster. The property loss is
estimated as high as $500 or more.
The wretch who caused this death
and devastation was Gung ing Chang,
or All Len, who yesterday shot and ia
tally wounded Han ST Sing and then
took refuge in the powder magazine,
where he remained at bay all night, de-
flying the officers of the law to arrest
him. The Eighth Regiment of Califor-
MIA Volunteers is encamped near by,
and its officers also attempted to dis
lodge the criminal, whose first victim
rise a final effort to capture the des-
perate man was made and in an instant
the towns and cities about the bay
were shaken to their foundations by a
terrific explosion. The Mongolian had
carried out his threat, fired his revolver
into a can of powder, and of himself
and the brave men who had demanded
his surrender only mangled remains were
1nf Of a.
ing bodies, some charred by fire and
blackened by powder smoke were scat
tered over a wide area. These were
gathered up in baskets and bags, iden-
tification in most cases being absolute
magazine, and the village of Melrose
was a wreck Fires broke out in sew
eral places. and for hours the scene was
one of confusion and terror.
Tonight many communities are in
mourning. for the officers killed were
all widely known, and came from vari-
Gus parts of Alameda County.
Six Deputy Sheriffs, who were trying
TO arrest the murderer were Iilled. The
dead are Deputy Sheriffs Charles
White. son of Sheriff White; George
Woodsum, d. c. Cameron, Constable
Gus Koch ]. j. Lerri and Mrs. Hill.
The Chinese had fortified himself in
the magazine and blew it up when
the attempt to arrest hio: was made.
The Celestial. who was employed in
the works and who caused the awful
explosion, had killed a fellow country
man yesterday afternon in a quarrel
over Chinese lottery tickets. He then
defied the officers of the law who went
10 arrest him. The murderer fled into
the magazine which contained five tons
OF giant powder. barricaded the door
and threatened to blow up the maya
zine if anyone came to arrest him.
Deputy Sheriff Charles White, son of
Sheriff White, in charge of a posse con-
sistng of Constable Gus Koch, D.vt ty
Sheriff George Woodsum, Deputy Sher-
iff ID. c. Cameron, Deputy Constable j
j. Lerri and Deputy Constable Harry
Cramer were on the scene of the shoot
ing shortly after the rnurder and kept
guard over the Chinese within his
stronghold. All the officers We're armed
with rifles. After repeated demands
TO surrender had been made TO all OF
which the same reply came, If you
come in here / will blow up the maga-
zine"
The officers retired for the night with