Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-20
ANAWFULEXPLOSI0N
FEARFUL WORK OF A DEsPERArD
CHINESE MURDERER.
PEOPLE BLOWN TO lYoHs
Malcfactor Takes Refuge In . xNSs-
zine, and Fires Giant-PewdsS
when Attempt is Made to Arrest
Him.

OAKLAND. CAL. July 1.-THE works
OF the Western Fuse and Explosive Com
pany was blown up by a rssarderous China
man at $50 o'clock this morning Five
deputy sherins and constsbies. who were
trying to arrest the murderer. were killed.
The dead are DEPUTY SHERlFFS
CHARLES WHITE. son of Sheriff White:
GEORGE WooDSON, and D. c. CAME
RON; CoNsTABLEs GUS KOCH and
]. ]. LERRI; Mrs. HILL and COON No
CHUNG.
The Chinaman had fortified himself Ia
the magazine. ard blew IL up when tho
attempt 10 arrest him was made
The Celestial, who was employed IN the
works. and who caused the awful explo-
sion. had killed fellow-countryman yes
terday afternoon. in quarrel over a
Chinese lottery ticket. He then defied
the officers who went to arrest him. The
murderer fed into the magazine. which
contained five tons OF giant powder. bar
ricaded himself, and threatened TO blow
up the magazine II any one came to arr
rest him. Deputy-Sheriff Charles White.
son Of the Sheriff, and posse. consisting
OF Constable Gus Koch, Deputy -Sherift
George Woods. Deputy-Sheriff ID. C.
Cameron, Deputy-Constable J. J. Lerri,
and Deputy-Constable Harry Cramer,
were on the scene OF the shooting shcytly
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, will blow
up the magazine" the officers retired for
the night within the private office Of
the company. about twenty yards away.
CHINAMAN TRUE TO HIS WORD.
This morning at o'clock Deputy
Sheriff Charles White after consultation
with the others. determined to break
down the barrcade. not believing tho
Chinaman would carry out his threat.
Accordingly the entire posse headed for
the door. True to his word. the China
man fired the giant-powder, killing tho
five officers and blowing himself Into
atoms so small that but one piece has
been found. Whites body was fearfully
mangled. 1t was found nearly 500 yards
away. Mrs. Hill was visiting Mrs.
Pride, who lived across the way She
was killed by the falling debris of the
building
All the buildings caught fire. Engines
were soon fighting the flames. but to no
avail. The works were completely wreck
ed. -Four houses also were blown down.
and about four partially wrecked.
Deputy-Sherlff Fred. Sheriff and Deputy
Ed. White escaped. but are painfully
wounded
Deputy-sheriff sh-ritts story is to the
effect that at o'clock this morning the
Chinaman called to Dcputy-Sherifr White
that he would surrender White. Wood
sum, and Koch Immediately proceeded 10
the door. while the others followed. Just
the door was reached the sound as of
falling plank was heard. and then tho
explosion occurred.
REMAINS PICKED UP WITH SHOVELS
The name OF the Chinaman was Coon
Nc Chung The man he murdered was
Sam 81 Sing. Coroner Walden and a
corps of deputies are searching through
the surrounding fields for the remains.
In some instances they have TO be picked
up with shovels. Fourteen cars wero
blown to splinters, and several were burn
ed. Windows were broken in Oakland.
Alameda, and as far away as Berkeley.
Sheriff and White are nervous wrecks
They were carried over forty feet by the
force OF the explosion and thrown yio-
lently to the ground.