davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The herald., 1898-06-05

2:30 O'Clock. About $50 o'clock she says she
saw the rig of Wong Sing standing In th%
yard but did not see anything of the owa-
er. About $3.50 she and her husband heard
third shot from the house of Joe Hunter
and this sounded dull and not as loud as
the others in the afternoon. They paid no
attention to this, as they were eating sup
per.
In Aurelian LIE Page, the shepherd boy
Is very serious witness against Clark.
The LIE Page boy states that his sheep
were on a hill about $50 yards from Joe
Hunters place, and he saw Wong Sing
drive up to the place in his wagon and go
into the house. The Chinese had been in
side about ten or fifteen minutes when Le
Page says he heard two shots at intervals
of perhaps five minutes and may be less.
Almost Immediately after this Clark came
out Of the kitchen, went to the Chinaman's
wagon, looked in 1t and then walked to
the other side of the house and looked
around the country, after which he went
into the house. LIE Page was not positive
about the time of this occurrence, but 1t
was shortly before sundown.
The inquest will be held this morning a.
10 o'clock at Dexter Samson's rooms on
South Spring street.
Clark's Craftiness
The nerve of the rascal Clark is extreme.
On Wednesday afternoon, after he had given
Clement and Agulrre the slip, while seated
in their buggy by driving away, he stayed
in the chappare but q short time, and,
We nding his way over tine hills, reached the
Pasadena road, where he took car for
this city. He got off at the Hoffmaa house
on Main street, where he telephoned for
messenger boy. When the messenger ar
rived Clark sent him away in the neigh
borhood with bogus message. AS 1t was
so near by the boy left his wheel leaning
against the curb. This was just the op-
portunity the murderer had been waiting
for. AS soon as the messengers back was
turned he jumped on the wheel and made
Off. This was the bicycle which he left
in La Canyada. The sheriff had cOntem-
plated swearing out complaint against
Clark for running off with the deputies
horses and carriage just to hold him while
the search for the Chinaman was being
prosecuted but when he heard of the BIZ
cycle transaction he concluded that there
was more in that, and he was taking steps
to get the complaint prepared when news
was telephoned in at PAS o'clock that the
body of the murdered Wong Sing Hay had
been discovered by Deputy Sneriff Frank
Davis, buried under Constable Hunters
house.
Just previous to the receipt of this mes
sage Constable Joe Hunter interviewed a
Herald reporter, and was extremely anx-
ious that the fact should be published that
the officer who arrested Clark, Phillip
Bague by nams, was one Of his own deputy
constables. When the finding of the hap
less Chinaman's corpse was announced
under Hunters house, the suspicious which
had been developed that the constable knew
more of the business than he was willing
to tell were confirmed in the mind OF Sheriff
Burr, and he at once placed Hunter under
arrest. He was taken to the county jail,
The herald., 1898-06-05
A Worthless Check

George Lamoree, a young man who has
heretofore given the officers considerable
trouble, was arrested last evening for
passing a bogus check.
Lamoree is credited with being some
what demented and has been arrested sew
eral times before for similar offenses, but
has each time Strengthened the matter up.
The detectives in this case charge that he
yesterday passed a Broadway bank check
for $35 at the clothing store Of w. Lub'n
on Main street. The signature was illeg-
ihla.
The herald., 1898-06-05

Three persons have been found who
heard the reports of a shotgun from the
Hunter place while Wong was there.
Harry F. Clark, the young man who was
caught after escaping from ths sheriff 8
deputies last Wednesday, ia strongly sus-
pected OF the killing and as a result of the
discovery Of the body Joe Hunt
er was also taken into custody
The reasons for the murder can
only be conjectured. At first the offic-
ers thought that it was for the purpose Of
robbery, but on searching the clothes of
the Chinese about $12 in silver WAS discov-
cred.
Clark Suspected
The disappearance of Wong Sing Hay
had aroused widespread interest, and the
officers have been hard at work on the
case. 1t was on Tuesday afternoon that
the Chinese drove up to the Hunter house
to leave basket of clean clothes and take
away some others. Joe Hunter and Harry
Clark had been "batching in the house,
which consists of five rooms. So far as
can be learned at present, nobody was at
home but Clark. The Chinaman evidently
went inside the house, but no one has yet
been located who saw him enter the place.
Several of the neighbors noticed Wong's
horse and wagon first in the driveway
south of the house and later at the side of
the cottage. George Hunter, a cousin of
Joe Hunter, resides about 200 yards east
of the latters place, and he says that it
must have been shortly before 6 o'clock
that he noticed the Chinaman's horse ard
rig by his cousins house. He thought
nothing of the occurrence at that time,
and went to perform some chores about The
house. but when he saw the rig still there
half an hour or so later he thought it
strange that Wong Sing should be loiter-
ing so.
Damaging Evidence
Directly in front of Joe Hunters house
and about 125 yards distant is small hut
in which live the family of J. w. Pen
land. Mrs. Penland states that she saw
the rig of the laundryman standing on a
little rise some distance from the Hunter
house. This was about $50 o'clock in the
afternoon, and afterwards she saw that
the rig had moved up to the side of gum
tree near the house.
Autelian LIE Page, sheepherder, a boy
about IA years of age, saw Wong Sing
drive up to the Hunter place some time in
the afternoon and also noticed his wagon
standing there. This is the last trace of
the murdered man that could be secured.
About o'clock Tuesday night, Charles
Hunter was driving along the road about
mile and a half west from north from Joe
Hunters place and noticed Wong Sing s
rig standing by the roadside with nobody
near. He thought this unusual, but drove
along. supposing that Wong might have
been delayed by some cause. When he re-
turned about two hours later and again
saw the rig, his suspicious were aroused,
and he Immediately thought that some
thing had happened, and drove the rig up
to old man Hunters place.
Under Sheriff Clement and Deputy Sher-
'iff Aguirre went to Joe Hunters house and
questioned Harry Clark. as it was under
The herald., 1898-06-05

Another one in oak,
having full set of draw
ers and compartments
for books - made of
"built-up" stock, the
kind that never gives
don't shrink.
The herald., 1898-06-05
THE MISSING NAMAN'S BODY
is FOUND
JOE HUNTERS HOUSE
WAS THE SCENE OF THE BRUTAL
TRANSACTION
BURIED UNDER THE KITCHEN
The Owner of the House Placed Behind
the Bars-A Strong Case Being
Made Out Against Clark

There Is no longer any doubt regarding
the disappearance of Wong Sing Hay the
Chinese laundryman, for whom the offic-
ors have been searching since last Tues
day. His murdered body was found hidden
under Joe Hunters house off the San Fer
nando road near Tropico yesterday after
noon where evidently 1t had been con-
cealed by the murderer. The boly had
lain there for some time, probably since
the night following the murder, and was
In badly decomposed condition. Wong
had been shot twice with shotgun, once
In the left collar bone and again in the left
side of the face beneath the cheek bone.
The herald., 1898-06-05
THf STRANGE MURDER AT TROPICO

stood that he was the only person at the
house when the Chinese called. Clark
stated that the Chinaman had called and
sat down on the bench in the kitchen and
displayed some money while in the house,
but that he had then driven away. The
officers were not satisfied with his answers
and finally decided to take him along with
them while they drove over to the laundry
of Wong, which was located in Garvanza.
While the officers left the boy wi,nout a
guard he leaped into the front seat and
escaped with the team. He was captured,
however, at La Crescenta Canyada Friday
and locked up in the county jail.
The Search for the Body
1t was Wednesday morning when the
officers first began to look for Wong Sing
Hay, and though they secured all the sur
rounding country no trace of the missing
man could be found for very good reason.
His body lay under the house, within a
few feet of all who went there in search of
clues, but for some reason nobody seemed
to think that 1t was necessary to examine
closely underneath the floor. Nearly all
the balance of the house was closely ex-
amined and some of the officers did ven
ture under the house short distance but
failed to continue on that lead. When the
searching parties first went to the Hunter
house, Wong Fung, who is a smart Mon
golian, saw a dark spot on the kitchen
floor at the end of the bench and near the
door leading into bedroom to the east
of the first room. There was big stain
around the dark spot, as If some one had
scrubbed it with oil. When asked to ex-
plain the presence Of the spot Clark said
that it had been made by somebody filling
lamp and spilling the oil on the floor.
On the inside of the next room, close to
the first spot a similar one was found,
which Clark explained in the same way.
1t was thought, however, that both of
these marks were bloodstains, and subse-
The herald., 1898-06-05
1O7 N. Spring St. nSs%: e E. "a

Also open evenings and Sunday 4 moons
for the accommodation of those who cannot
come any other time.
The herald., 1898-06-05

intimate. Since he had last seen her. how
ever. she had married and settled down.
and the husband, whose name is William
Gray, came upon the scene and admins
tered a severe licking to the visitor.
Phillips had Gray arrested on a charge OF
battery, and alleges that Gray struck him
with a beer glass. Gray claims he only
used his fist
The herald., 1898-06-05
His Face Punched

John Phillips, fisherman of Redondo,
suffered badly bruised face at the hands
of an irate husband in a lodging house at
119k West Second street yesterday morn
ing.
He went to the rooms to call on woman
with whom he claims he had formerly been
The herald., 1898-06-05

first object his eyes fell on was parcel of
egg shells.
mo. l DON'T" he exclaimed once more.
''it's nothing but some bad eggs"
But the further on Davis crawled the
worse became the odor, and finally, when
he got behind the chimney, which is just
west of the center line of the house, he
saw a mans form lying on the ground.
1--WE found him. He's up here by the
chimney" called out Davis, and when
the crowd understood that the body was
really under the house they hurried to the
door and tried to get a look, but without
success. as 1t was fully thirty feet from
the door to where the Chinaman lay and
had they been able to penetrate the dark
ness the chimney would have screened the
body The body was found lying on its
back, with the right arm outstretohed and
the head pointing toward the northeast.
1t was clad in theregular working clothes
of the Chinese and over the head were a
couple of sheets, while about the neck was
smaller cloth. In order to get the body
out it was necessary to have more light
under the floor, and so hole was knocked
in the side of the wall which enclosed the
space. With much difficulty the body was
sented itself when the cloths had been re-
moved.
Fearfully Mutilated
The skull had been broken in many places
and the flesh was black, while there was
a large hole on the left side of the face
under the cheek bone made by shotgun.
The dead man had also been shot in tn =
left clavicle near the neck, big round
hole nearly the size of a quarter of dol
lar being visible. The blood from this
| wound had saturated the white blouse of
the murdered man. Decomposition had
| set in, and the head and upper portion of
| the body were in a terrible state. Wong
Fung recognized the remains as those of
the missing Wong Sing Hay. At first it was
thought that the breaking of the skull
had been done with an ak or some blunt
instrument. but subsequent examination
showed that both of the wounds had been
made with shotgun, and the charge which
The herald., 1898-06-05

the mole IN the mating ana the eVldenceS
that the floor had been recently scrubbed
The balance of that section of mating
was carefully removed and will be chem
ically analysed.
Not One Mans Work
At first the officers thought it possible
that only one person was concerned in the
killing, but with the discovery of the
dead body fully thirty feet under the
house, where it could only have been taken
by arduous labor, they began to suspect
that more than one person was mixed up
in the work. All the circumstances of the
murder point very strongly toward young
Clarks guilt, but the main reason the
officers thought that second person might
have had hand in the case was because of
Clark's small stature. He is only abou.
five feet two inches tall, and 1t was rea-
soned that so small man could hardly
have been able to drag the body of Wong
Sing, who weighed about 1876 pounds un-
derneath the house when the work all had
to be done in crawling position. Who
that second man may be the officers have
not yet decided.
The evidence thus far secured makes the
case look very black for Clark, as the Chi
nese was seen going to the Hunter place,
shortly afterwards shots were heard and
young Clark was observed to come out of
the place and look around the country and
re-enter the house. No one has yet been
found who saw Wong Sing after he drove
to the Hunter place. In addition to this,
young Clark borrowed a shotgun in the
afternoon of the same day. This weapon
was secured from Samuel Hunter, who re-
sides about a quarter of a mile from Joe
Hunters place. Clark called on Samuel
Hunter and asked for the loan of his shot
gun, as he wanted to kill squirrels. Hunt
er refused to give him any cartridges with
the gun. so about o'clock In the afternoon
Clark called at the cabin of r. Penand
and there borrowed four shells. He went
to the Joe Hunter place and Mrs. Penland
states that she saw him shoot once at the
side of the yard and heard second shot
about five minutes later from the rear of
the place. These shots were fired about
The herald., 1898-06-05

quent investiga tions proved this to be
correct. The search continued with great
vgor for miles around the house, but the
right spot was neglected almost entirely
The only way to get under the house was
through a little door on the north side
near the front porch. The front part of
the house is about two and a half feet
above the ground, while in the rear part
of the place the floor is but a foot and a
half above the ground, as the land rises
slightly. Martin Aguirre crawled under
the house through the little door and
found it very dark indeed. Near the door
way he picked up small chunks of dirt
which had evidently been held together
by some sort of liquid. That's blood,
sure he said to Samuel Hunter, who was
standing at the outside of the door re-
ceiving the pieces as they were passed to
him. This was on Wednesday or Thurs
day, but the search was not continued. On
Friday Sheriff Burr, who had just re-
turned from San Francisco. determined
to examine more fully underneath the
house. The sheriff is not so wiry as Mar
tin, however, and is of larger dimensions;
so he did not crawl any farther under the
house than did the deputy. The sheriff
announced the evening after the search
under the house that he was satisfied the
man was not under there.
Found at Last
1t was decided, however, to take another
chance under the house. though, yester-
day. A posse composed of Deputy Con-
stable Jas. johnson, Deputy Sheriff Frank
Davis j. " Brighton, w. Barnhill, Flem-
ing and Sheldon and the indefatigable
Wong Fung drove to Joe Hunters place
in the afternoon. Johnson was the first
to open the door, and there, on the sill
just inside, he noticed small drop stain.
Say, fellows, come over here and take
a look this looks like blood" he called.
and Immediately Davis, who was close to
him, stopped down and after taking good
look saw that the stain was from blood.
This encouraged the party, and Johnson
and Davis crawled on their stomachs un-
der the house and started to make thor
ough search Of the place from side to side
and end to end. Johnson went over on
the east side of the building while Davis
kept on the other side, which was near the
small entrance. The men had nothing but
matches to aid them In their search, and
the work was very laborious. After Da-
Wis had advanced about ten feet from the
door back toward the kitchen he saw Il
trail along the dirt which caused him to
make an exclamation of surprise. This
trail was exactly What a body dragged
along the ground would have caused, and
Davis then felt sure that what was at the
end Of this trail would prove whether
Wong Sing Hay had been murdered or not.
By this time the difference in the height
of the floor began to assert itself as Davis
found himself encompassed in considerably
less space than when he started. A few
more feet and disagreeable odor reached
his nostris.
Boys, he's here; smell him." cried Da-
Wis to the crowd outside. but then his match
went out. When he struck another the
The herald., 1898-06-05

A Roller Top Desk of
antique oak, fully and
completely equipped
throughout with cabi-
nets, slides, drawers and
pigeon notes.-the sort
that don't get out of
order.
The herald., 1898-06-05
Buy
Diamonds
Now

"Selling at Cost" II
Is the oldest lie =
in trade. 1t is small
wonder that some 81
people doubt our 7
statement that we
are selling at cost"
We expect to be
doubted by the
skeptica1. We know
those who have
traded with Us since
oor establishment
was opened or
those who have
made purchases since
we commenced ouf
Refining Sale
are convinced that
we are doing
ALL we advertise
~ to do.
I We are willing
a to sell at cost to close
y this business.
& You can come with
n confidence.
: LISSFQER &
"a Goldsmiths
n Silversmiths
n WI Opticians
p 235 S. Spring St.
.u@ eM ~01n~0
The herald., 1898-06-05

the hole in the mating and the evidences
that the floor had been recently scrubbed
The balance of that section of mating
was carefully removed and will be chem
icallY analyzed.
The herald., 1898-11-02
Court Notes

Petitions for the probate of the last wills
and testaments of the late F. c. Howes and
the late A. w. Francisco were granted by
Judge Clark yesterday.
Sophie S. Hounson has brought suit
against Emma l. Winslow and others to
quiet title to lot rs of the subdivision of the
Ballesteros Vineyard tract.
Randall c: Hall sues the Almendro colony
and others for $780, u and the foreclosure
of mortgage on the northeast quarter of
section so, township north, range 10 west,
containing $50 acres OF land.
G. V. Stansbury brought suit against B
Marquee ct al. in foreclosure of a lien OF
front of the south 2S.3 feet of the north 50 80
feet of lot 9, block 80, of Ord's survey
A petition for letters Of administration
of the estate OF Joaquina S. de Moreno, de-
ceased, who LETT property in the Rancho
Paso de aBrtolo valued at $1,000, was filed
yesterday by c. F. Smith. The heirs are un-
known.
Deputy Marshal McCulloch went to San
Diego yesterday to take Francisco Reyes
and William Gerrull to the county Jail
there, transferred by their request to serve
out a six months sentence.
Percy Z. Fuller OF this city and James A
Hannah of Visalia were admitted to prac-
tice in the United States district and cir
cult courts yesterday-the former on motion
Of J. E. Finlayson, and the latter on motion
of w. j. Trask.
Morris Collins got into a racket at Santa
Monica the other day, and has been brought
in to serve. Is days at the county Jail for
disturbing the peace.
A petition for letters of administration OF
the estate of Martin Ballou, deceased, was
filed yesterday by Edwin Stevens, who
claims to have been asked by the widow of
the deceased so to act. The estate consists
of lot in Pasadena valued at $500. The
widow resides in Massachusetts,, and various
children live in that state, Iowa and Colo
rado.
The herald., 1898-11-02

Hardison, $4,000. The subscribers, with
the exception Of Mott, are named as direc-
tors and all the parties interested reside in
Los Angeles, except the Messrs. Hardison,
whose place of residence is given as Santa
Paula. The term of the corporation is fixed
for so years, and the principal place of busi-
ness is Los Angeles.
The purposes for which this corporation
has been formed are said to be to buy, lease
and otherwise acquire, to hold and own,
manage, operate, improve, sell and other
wise dispose of and develop lands, conces-
sions, franchises and rights Of way, mining
claims, mineral rights, oil wells and other
real estate; to carry on the business of pro-
ducing, refining, piping, storing, buying and
selling oils, petroleum, natural gas, asphalt
um, bitumen, bituminous rock, etc.; to ac-
quire pipe lines, tanks, cars, manufactures,
wharves, steam and sailing ves-
sells for water transportation; as factor, also
as agent, to engage in all such business, es-
tablish and carry on agencies, offices and
stores, and to buy and sell in this country
and in foreign lands articles and products
by itself and others; also to
acquire interests in other corporations.
The herald., 1898-11-02
HE Is PROSECUTING HER
Mrs. Lehman Complains Against
Angel Romero

If the statements of Mrs. John Lehman,
the Hewitt street washerwoman, are cor
rect, she is being made the victim OF the
malice OF Angel Romero. The latter called
at her place some days ago and Mrs. Leh
man chased him out with broom. Romero
caused the woman's arrest and she received
a twenty-day suspended sentence for bat
terry. On Monday search warrant was is
sued against Mrs. Lehman, charging that
she had stolen some articles belonging to
Mrs. Mamie de Grijalva..
Mrs. Lehman and her daughter called at
the police station yesterday to make com
plant against Romero. She claimed that
Mrs Grijalva, who is feeble-minded, had
been induced by Romero to swear out tbs
search warrant, in order to give him op
portunity to vent his spite. Mrs. Grijalva
had intrusted the articles to Mrs. Lehman
and the latter had not stolen them as al
legged Mrs Lehman also complained tha,
Romero had been annoying her daughter
The mother was advised to swear to com
plant against Romero if he persisted in
annoying them any further.
The herald., 1898-11-02
A DAMAGE SUIT
A Santa Monica Accident for Which
Payment Is Asked

The damage suit of William Flores VS.. the
Pasadena and Pacific Railway company
came on for trial before Judge York yester-
day. Plaintiff was the owner and operator
OF an omnibus at Santa Monica and engaged
in the conveyance of persons and baggage
to and from the Arcadia hotel. On Decem-
ber IA, 1897, while so engaged, his wagon
was struck by an electric car belonging to
the defendant and overthrown. Suit was
Tor $4,000 damages, on account of injuries
received by him at that time, gross careless
ness on the part of the motorman being al
legged in the complaint and special damages
OF $500 for medical and surgical attendance
were also asked. The plaintiff claims to have
been crippled for life, and makes special OBJ
lection to the location of the track of the
railroad, which was alleged to be nearer the
side OF the street at the entrance to the
hotel than was necessary or warranted.
Defendants answer set up general deni-
al OF the charges in the complaint, particu-
larly of the alleged carelessncss of the motor.
man, placing the blame for the collision on
plaintiff, who was alleged to have driven on
the, track so close in front of the car as to
make 1t impossible for the motorman n to stop.
Ample space between the track and side
walk was alleged to have been left to enable
Flores to drive safely alongside. The cause
is still on trial.