Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1898-07-23
HURLED INTO ETERNITY.
Chinese Murderer Blows Up Powder
Magazine and Six Lives Besides His Own
are Snuffod Out.


Chinese Murderer Blows Up 4 Powder
Magazine and Six Lives Besides His own
are Snuffod Out.
Oakland, Cal, July 2O.-The works
of the Western Fuse and Explosive
Co. were blown up by n murderous
Chinaman Tuesday morning. Five
deputy sheriffs and constables who
were trying to arrest the murderer
were killed. The dead are: Deputy
Sheriffs Charles White, son of Sheriff
White; George Woodsum, ID. C.. Gamer
on, Constables Gus Koch, j. j. Lerri;
Mrs. Hill and Coon Chang. The China
man had fortified himself in the maga-
zine and blew it up when the attempt
to arrest him was made.
The Chinaman, who was employed
IN the works and who caused the aw-
tul explosion, had killed fellow coun-
tryman on Monday in a quarrel over
a Chinese lottery ticket. He then de-
fied the officers of the law who went
to arrest him. The murderer fed into
the magazine, which contained five
tons of giant powder, barricaded him
self and threatened to blow up the
magazine if any one came to arrest
him.
Deputy Sheriff Charles White, son
of Sheriff White, in charge of posse
consisting of Constable Gus Koch,
Deputy Sheriff George Woodsum, Dep
uty Sheriff d. C. Cameron, Deputy
Constable j. j. Lerri and Deputy Con-
stable Harry Cramer were on the
scene of the shooting shortly after the
murder and kept guard over the
Chinaman within his stronghold. All
the officers were armed with rifles.
After repeated demands to surrender
had been made, to all of which the
same reply came: "If you come in
here l will blow up the magazine"
the officers retired within the office of
the company, about 20 yards away.
Tuesday morning at o'clock Deputy
Sheriff Charles White determined to
break down the barricade, not believ-
ing the Chinaman would keep his
promise.
Accordingly the entire posse beaded
for the door. True to his word the
Chinaman fired the giant powder, and
in an instant a terrific explosion oc-
CURED, blowing the Chinaman 10
atoms so small that but one piece has
been found. Whites body was fear
fully mangled. 1t was found nearly
500 yards away. Koch was also b1dly
disfgured, but lived long enough to
be taken to the hospital, where he
died. Mrs. Hill was visiting a Mrs.
Bride who lived across the way. She
was killed in the falling debris Of the
building.
All the buildings took fire. Engines
were soon fighting the flames, but to
no avail. The works are completely
wrecked. Four houses also uIe blown
down and about 40 partially wrecked.
Deputy Sheriff Fred Sheriff. and Dep
uty Ed White escaped, but are painful
ly wounded.
Deputy Sheriff Sherritt's story is to
the effect that at 5o'clock in the morn
ing the Chinaman called to Deputy
White that he would surrender.
White, Woodsum and Koch immedi-
ately proceeded to the door while the
others followed. Just as the door was
reached the sound of falling plank
was heard and then the explosion oc-
Cured. Coroner Wadeni and a corps
of deputies searched through the sur
rounding fields for the remains. In
some instances they had to be picked
up with shovels. Fourteen box cars
were blown to splinters and several
were burned. Windows were broken
in Oakland, Alameda and as far as
Berkeley.
Sheriff. and Ed White are nervous
wrecks. They were carried over 40
feet by the force of the explosion and
thrown violently to the ground.