The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-02-15
ISLAND CITY NEWS ITEMS.
Chinese Lanndryman Murdered, Snp-
posedly BY hiqhbinders.
a DOZEN MORTAL WOUNDS INFLICTED
johnson Admitted to Bait IN $4,000.
old Capitol 60 ne Presented
some Time in May.

II @Affl sVinc iiutc IN Way. W.
Galveston. Texas, February 14.-Sau
Lee. keeper of laundry in the little fran,
house. No. 27o7 Market street, was foun,
dead in his place OF business at $50 thiI
morning with a dozen frightful wounds Ii
his head. Evidence OF titanic strurr,,
In the dinGy little back room show that
sam did not yield UP his life without SUI.
i prene effort to save It, In hooks ant
crannies, drawers and boxes. none,
which the dead Chinaman had accumu.
lated was boarded. The police, after 3
short search. unearthed $4,000 of Sans
treasure, and disposed OF the first theor,
That robbery was the motive Of the crime
| Then why was he Killed? This question
comes from the police, even before that
which naturally follows, 'who killed
| him?"
Are the highbinders at work in Calves
TOM 1t would look as II they were, as
tho police say they are sure that Sam Lee
| was murdered by Chinaman
| The house in which sam Lee lived Is a
little one-story frame on the south side
OF Market, between Twenty seventh and
! Iwenty-eighth. Entrance to ii is had
| through door directly in the center, and
| the front room is used as a kind OF an Of
| flee for the laundry.
Leaving this room and proceeding
| through narrow passage way, SAM
sleeping room, a dark cuddy hole, was
passed. and the working room OF the
laundry was entered.
In this room is a lot of plumber and pic
lures such as are dear to the heart OF q
Chinaman. In the corner is low. broad
table. covered with straw mating and
Uttered with hard pillows. On this table
Sam was lying when found this morn
ing.
The body was taken to Rein's under
taking establishment after it had been
viewed by the coroner. There DIR. Clar-
ence Warfeld. county physician exam
med 1t, giving a statement as to the
eleven wounds all of which were in the
upper part of the head.
One wound Is at upper edge of right
temple. on outer edge OF angle of the
eye. three-fourths of an inch in width
and four inches deep, penetrating the
brain, and would in itself have caused
death.
Two wounds directly in front OF right
ear, made by repeated stabs, which con-
vcrged into one another as though made
pointed instrument which fractured the
bones it came in contact with on it's way
into the brain. This wound would have
been enough in itself to have killed.
One circular wound on right side of the
brow. depressing the skull and fracturing
1t. This wound looks as if it might have
resulted from terrific blow from the
poll of a Ratchet, as the edges are bruised
as from such blow. and not clean cut
as If made with a knife
One wound passing through the brow OF
the right eye. severing the lid and cutting
out the eye ball, the instrument passing
down two inches into the brain. This
wound was mortal une
On the left side, in the upper corner of
the left eye. there We're two convergns
into one which fractured the skull, going
right through into the brain. This Is the
wound which the doctor thinks finished the
Chinaman
Dr. Warfield says the wounds were made
with very heavy. sharp knife, and were
delivered with sledge hammer force. At
least four OF them, he declares, would have
necessarily produced death.
The fact that all the wounds are found
in the head the police say confirms their
suspicious that Sam Lees murder is the
work OF Cinnamon, as that is their mode
of attack
The police. Justice Barry and Constable
situation. commenced to look for evidence
which would lead TO the discovery of the
perpetrators Of the crime. On a towel
which hung on the wall near The table on
which Sam lay dead, the murderer had
wiped the blood from his hands. leaving
great red stains on ii. Water in the va
rious vessels sitting about the room was
examined, but no signs OF the murderer
having done more than wipe his hands 10
remove the evidence OF the tragedy could
he found.
On The door was found worn Ratchet
and on the poll of the Ratchet blade and
handle were found blood. The police
thought il was the weapon used TO conf
nit the murder, and it may have been.
But the wounds in Sans head could not
all have been made with Ratchet This
leads up 10 tho idea that more than one
person was interested in the killing.
Beyond these signs there are no clews
to the murderers.
Sergeant Delaya then began search for
money. as Sam was known TO be OF
frugal turn, and he was thought 10 have
hoard hidden away somewhere. Ii this
was found IL would disspate the theory
OF robbery as motive.
Here and there the sergeant looked. Al
most every box every can he picked up
contained money. He opened and ran
sacked drawers and there was money,
the place and dumping the money into
red bag, IL was poured out on table and
counted There WIS Sl26,45. OF which
amount $3.50 was in gold. IN addition TO
the cash diamond ring worth about 500.
a couple OF unset diamonds OF doubtful
value d dozen brass rings and other arti-
Giles of jewelry were found. Sam wore on
his finger small diamond ring, and had
several dollars in his pockets.
Tho notice so far are In the dark But
tbry hone 10 solve the mystery and solve
il soon. That Sam died as result OF the
edict of some of his countrymen they feel
sure. Why they should have determined
upon his murder they don't know.
ADMITTED TO BAIL.
The case OF James Johnson. ehirged
with the murder OF Richard Springfield
In the saloon known as &c, on the morn
ing of February II, was called in Justice
tl.,..,,,, .nurt ,hlz nnornine for the pur- |