The record-union., 1898-07-20

in the private office of the company,
about twenty yards away.
This morning at ) o'clock Deputy
Sheriff Charles White, after consul
tation with the others determined to
break down the barricade, not believ-
ing the Chinese would keep his bastard
ly promise.
This is the statement of one of the
survivors
Accordingly, the entire posse headed
for the door. 1t was 5:1S o'clock ex-
actly when the assault was made. True
to his word the Chinese fired the giant
powder and in an instant terrific ex-
plOsion occurred, killing all the officers
and blowing the Chinese to atoms so
small that not one piece has been
found Charles Whites body was
fearfully mangled. 1t was found near
ly 800 yards away. Gus Koch was
also badly disfigured and was killed in
stantly D. c. Cameron was fearfully
disfgured, but lived long enough to be
taken to the hospital in the patrol wag-
on where he died. Mrs. Hill was visit
ing a Mrs. Pride who lived across the
way. The dead woman lived in San
Francisco at the Kings Daughters
Home, and was killed in the falling de-
bris of the house. All the buildings
took fire. Engines were soon fighting
the flames, but to no avail. The works
are completely wrecked. Four houses
also are blown down and about forty
partially wrecked. Deputy Sheriff
Fred Sheriff and Deputy Sheriff Ed
White escaped, but are painfully
wounded.
Deputy Sheriff Sherritt's story is to
the effect that at ) o'clock this morning
the Chinese called to Deputy Sheriff
White that he would surrender. White,
Woodsum and Koch Immediately pro-
ceeded to the door. while the others
followed Just as the door was reached
the sound of falling plank was heard,
and then the explosion occurred The
name of the Chinese was Gung Ung
Chang. The man he murdered was
Ham ST Sing. Coroner's wagons and
corps of deputies are searching through
the surrounding field for the remains.
In some instances these had to be pick
ed up with shovels. Fourteen freight
cars We're blown to splinters, and sew
erai We're burned. Windows We're bro
ken in Oakland, Alameda and as far
! as Berkeley.
One of the most thrilling stories of
the fatality is that told by Fred. Sher-
ritt of West Oakland whose escape
was simply marvellous.
Il went out there last night with
Charley White, as we We're great
friends, and l frequently went with
him in the discharge of his duties"
said Mr.. Sheriff. to a Tribune" re-
porter. With the other Deputy Sher-
IFS. we kept as close to the powder
house as we thought advisable. Occa
sionally one of us would go toward the
door and assure the Chinese that We
would not hurt him if he came out.
The fellow would invariably reply that
he would blow up the place if we at
tempted to take him. Late last night
ne repeated his threat SO often that
the people around there believed he
would do it, and many of them moved
out of their homes. Had they not done
so they would now be dead, for their
homes are scattered over many acres.
Before midnight the Chinese shouted
to one of his countrymen who was near
us for a drink of water / did not APP
prove of his being given anything. but
Charley White permitted a Chinese to
carry him a glass of water.
Billy Moffitt, who was also out there
proposed that the water be doped, as
| the easiest way to effect the arrest
Charley White did not approve of this,
and said that he did not believe it
would be long before the fellow would
| surrender. We hung around all night
and just at daybreak Charley White
| sent Chinese to tell the fellow to come
| out. He would not do so, but shortly
| after D O'Clock he told us he would
walk out and give us no more trouble.
Come out, Charley, and we will not
hurt YOU said White to the Chinese,
and the fellow said he would do so.
''As soon as the fellow made his ap-
pearance at the door of the place Char
ley White and Gus Koch walked toward
him TO make the arrest Ed White and
| followed them about eighty feet be-
/ hind. They We're almost at the door
when Gung closed it with a bang
Less than a second later / was being
carried with a cloud of debris and
earth swiftly over the ground. My
face was cut and my clothes torn, and
! l cannot understand how it happened
that l and Ed. White were not killed.
as some of those killed were farther
away than We We're.
Il have no debut that as soon as the
door was closed Gung fired his pistol
/ into the powder. This fact, however.
must forever remain in doubt, as |
did not hear a pistol shot or the ex-
! plosion. This is not surprising, how
ever. for there would not be much of
an interval after the shot was fired.
When L picked myself up and looked
1 Il L.