The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-07-20

OAKLAND, Cal, July is-rho
works Of the Western Fuse and Explo-
slve Company we're blown up by amur-
aerops cbInaman at $40 this morning.
Five deputy sheriffs and constables
who were trying to arrest the murderer
were killed.
The dead are: Deputy sherihs
Charles White, (son OF sherlff whits)i
George woodsum, D. G. cameroni Con-
stables Gus Koch and ]. j. Lerri; Mrs.
Hill and Coon Na Chung.
The chlnaman had fortified himself
in the magazine and blew It up when
the attempt to arrest him was made.
The celestial who was employed in the
works, and who caused heexplosIon, had
killed a fellow countryman yesterday
afternoon In a quarrel over q Chinese
lottery ticket. He then de1ed the ofil-
GERS Of the law who went to arrest him,
The murderer fed into the magazine
which contained five tons Of giant
powder, barricaded himself and threat
GllEu ~ llVW up AAAG iuEAGlhu ~ AAlly
one came to arrest him.
Deputy Sheriff Charles White. son Of
Sheriff White, In charge OF a posse,
consisting OF Constable Gus Koch, Dep
Hty Sheriff George Woodsum. Deputy
Sheriff D. G. Cameron, Deputy Con-
stable j. J, Lerri and Deputy Constable
Cramer were on the scene OF the shoot
ing shortly after the murder and kept
guard over the Chlnaman 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, "lf you
come In here l viii blow up the maga-
zine" the officers retired for the night,
within the private office OF the CONF
pany, about twenty yards away. This
morning, at 5 o'clock, Deputy Sheriff
White, after q consultation with the
others, determined to break down the
barrlcade, not believing that the China
man would keep his dastardlv promise.
Kept Hts Word.
Accordingly, the entire posse headed
for the door True to his word, the
chlnaman fred the giant powder and in
an instant terrific explosion occurred,
killing I'VE officers and blowing the
Chlnaman to atoms, SO small that but
one piece has. been found. Whites
body was fearfully manGled. It was
found nearly five hundred yards away.
Koch was also badly dlshgured, but
lived long enough to be taken to the
hospital In q patrol wagon, where he
died. Mrs. Hill was visiting a Mrs.
Pride, 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 were completely
wrecked. -Four houses also are blown
down and about forty partially wreck
ed. Deputy Sheriff Fred Sheriff and
Deputy Ed White escaped, but are pain.
fully wounded.
Deputy Sheriff sherites story Is to
the effect that at o'clock this morn
ing the ChInaman called to Deputy |
Sheriff White that he would surrender.
White, Woodsum and Koch immedl-
ately proceeded to the door, while the
others followed. Just as the door was
reached the sound as Of falling plank |
was heard, and then the explosion oc-
CURED.
The name of the chlnaman was Coon
Ng Chung The man he murdered was
Sam 81 Sing.
Coroner waaenl and a corps OF dep |
utles are searching through che sur
rounding fields for the remains. IN |
some Instances they had TO be picked |
Up on shovels. Fourteen cars were
blown to spllnters and several were
burned. Windows were broken in |
Oakland, Alameda, and as far as Ber-
kelley.
Mirasulous EssaPs,
One Of the most thrilling stories OF the
fatality is that told by Fred Sheriff, of
West Oakland, whose escape was sim
ply miraculous. He said:
with the other deputy sherifrs we
kept as close TO the powder house as We |
thought advisable. Occasionally one Of
us would 60 toward the door and assure
the Chlhaman that We would not hurt
him if he came out. The fellow would
invariably reply that he would blow up
the place II we attempted to take him,
Late last night he threatened 50 often
that the people around there thought |
he would do It, and many moved out Of
their homes. Had they not done 80 they
would have been dead, for their homes
are scattered over many acres.
1--WE hung around all night and tusl
at daybreak Charley White urged
Chinaman to tell the fellow to come out
He would not do 80, but shortly after
o'clock he told US that he would walk
out and give US no more trouble.
"As soon as the fellow made his ap-
at the door OF the place Char
ley White and Koch walked toward him
70 make the arrest. Ed White and
followed them about eighty feet be-
hind. They were almost at the door
when Coon closed II with bang.
LESS than second later / was be-
ing carried with a cloud OF debris, and
swiftly hurled over the ground, My
face was cut and ms clothes torn and
I cannot understand how It happened
thnt Ed White and myself were not
Killed, as some OF those killed wero fur
ther away than we were. Coon flrod
his pistol into the powder. Five min
ties otter the explosion, everything was
on fre, Including a train OF box cars"
Sheriff and Ed White are complete
nervous wrecks. They were carried
over forty feet by the force OF tho OK
ploSion. and thrown violently to the
ground.
49,, ,a.a.1., ,raRv