The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-20
FIRED THE magazine
Awful Deed of a Chinaman in
California.
ALREADY A MURDERER
Seven More Lives and His
Own, Resisting Arrest.

I Oakland, Cal, July 1.-The work of the
Western Fuse and Explosives company
were blown up by murderous Chinaman
at $40 this morning. Five deputy sherffs
and constables who were trying TO arrest
the murderer were killed.
The dead are:
CHARLES WHITE. son Of sherin
White
GEORGE wooDSUM
D. c. CAMERON.
GUS KOCH.
]. j. EEERRL
MRS. HILL.
COON CHUNG.
White, Woodsu1n and Cameron were
deputy sheriffs and Koch and Leerri were
constables.
The Chinaman had fortified himself in
the magzine and blew it up when the at
tempt to arrest him was made.
The Celestian, who was employed in
the works and who caused the awful ex-
plcsion had killed a fellow countryman
yesterday afternoon in a quarrel over
Chinese lottery ticket. He then defed
thine officers of the law who went to ar
rest him. The murderer fled into the
magazine, which contained FIVE tons of
giant powder, barricaded himself and
threatened to blow up the magazine II
anyone came to arrest him.
Deputy Sheriff Charles White, son OF
Sheriff White, in charge of a posse con-
sisting of Constable Gus Koch. Deputy
Sheriff George Woodsum. Deputy Con-
stable Harry Cramer were on the scene
Of the shooting shortly after the muir
der 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 I will blow up the
ma gazine." the officers retired for the
night to the private Office of the COM
pany about twenty yards away.
This morning at 3 O'Clock Deputy Sheriff
Charles Whit, after a consultation with
the others, determined to break down the
barricade, not believeing the China man
would keep his dastardly promise. Ac-
cording, the entire posse headed for the
door.
AS GOOD AS HIS WORD.
The Chinaman fred the giant powder
and in an instant a terrific explosion oc-
Cured killing five officers and blowing
the Chinaman to atoms so small that not
one piece has been found.
Whites body was fearfully mangled. It
was found nearly 500 yards away. Koch
was also badly disfgursd and was killed
instantly. D. C. Cameron was fearfully
disfigured but lived long enough to be
taken to the hospital in the patrol wogan,
where he died.
Mrs Hill Twas visiting a Mrs Prid, 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. our
houses also are blown down and about
forty partially wrecked. Deputy Sheriff
Fred Sheriff. and Deputy Ed White es-
capped but are painfully injured
Deputy Sheriff Shoritt's story is to the
affect that at O'Clock his morning the
Chinaman called Deputy Sheriff White
that he would surrender. White, Wood
sum and Koch Immediately proceeded to
the door, while the others followed Just
as the door was reached the sound as Of
a falling plank was heard and then the
explosion occurren. The name OF the
Chinaman was Coon Ng Chung. The man
he murdered was Ham 81 Sing
Coroner Wadens and corps of depu- |
ties are searching through the surround |
TAz
stances these had to be picked up with |
shovels. Fourteen freight cars were |
blown to splinters and several were burn |
ed. Windows were broken IN Oakland, |
and as far as Berkeley.
One OF the most thrilling stories Of he |
fatality is that told by Fred Sheriff Of |
Yves Oakland. whose escape was simply |
He said:
with the deputy sherifs, we kept as
close TO the podwer house as we thought !
advisable. Occasionally one Of Us would |
so toward the door and assure the Chi |
naman that we would not hurt him II he /
came out The fellow would invariably 4
reply that he would blow UP the place IL |
we attempted TO take him. Late last /
night he repeated his threat 80 often that /
the people around there thought he would |
do It and many moved out OF their homes |
Had they not done so they would be dead. |
for their homes are scattered over many /
acres.
las soon "a the fellow made his ap- /
pearance at the door Of the place Charley |
White and Koch walked toward him to 1
make the arrest Ed White and follow
ed them about eighty feet behind. They /
were almost at the door when Coon
closed K with q bang.
Les than a second later I was being car /
RED with q cloud OF debris and earth /
swiftly over the ground. Ny face was
Gu; and my clothes torn and cannot
understand how & happened that I'd 4
white and myself weer not killed ss
some Of those killed were farther away
than we were
Il have no doubt that az 1901 as tbs