Evening star., 1898-07-20
FIRED INTO THE MAGAZINE
The Chinese Murderer's Awful Threat Car
ried Into Effect.
even People, Including Himself,
Wrecked and Fire Started.

The works of the Western Fuse and EX-
rlosive Company. at Oakland. Cal, were
blown up BY a murderous Chinaman at 5:20
pollock yesterday morning. Five deputy
sheriffs and constables, who were trying to
arrest the murderer, were killed. The dead
are:
Deputy Sherifs Charles White son of
Sheriff White: George WOodsum and ID. c.
Cameron.
Constables Gus Koch and ]. J. Leary.
Mrs. Hill.
Coon Ng Chung.
The Chinsman had fortified himself in the
magazine and blew it up when the attempt
to arrest him was made.
Chung. who was employed in the works,
had killed Sam ST Sing. d fellow country
man. Monday afternoon in quarrel over
Chinese lottery ticket. He then dehed the
officers OF the law who went to arrest him.
The murderer fed into the magazine.
which contained five tons of giant powder,
barricaded himself and threatened to blow
up the magazine II any one came TO arrest
him. Deputy Sheriff White. in charge of a
posse consisting of Constable Koch, Deputy
Sheriffs Woodsum and Cameron. COnstables
leary and Harry Cramer, was on the
scene of the shooting shortly after the
murder and kept guard over the Chinaman
within his stronghold. All the officers were
armed with rifles.
After repeated QemanOS 10 surrender lau
been made, to all OF which the same reply
came, IF you come in here 1 will blow up
the magazine" the officers retired for the
night within the private office of the COM
pany, about twenty yards away. Yester-
day morning at o'clock Deputy Sheriff
White after a consultation with the others
determined to break down the barricade,
not believing the Chinaman would keep his
dGstardly promise.
Accordingly the entire posse headed for
the door. True to his word the Chinaman
fired the giant powder and in an instant
terrific explosion occurred, killing the five
officers and blowing the Chinaman to atoms
so small that but one piece has been found
Whites body was fearfully mangled. 1t
was found nearly 500 yards away. Koch
was also badly disfigured, but lived long
enough to be taken to the hospital in a
patrol wagon, where he died. Mrs Hill
was visiting Mrs Pride, who lived across
the way. She was killed in the falling de-
bris of the building.
Fire Broke Ont.
All the buildings took fire. Engines were
soon lighting the flames, but to no avail.
The works completely wrecked. Four
houses also are blown down and about for
" partially wrecked. Deputy Sheriff Fred
Sheriff and Deputy Ed White escaped, but
painfully wounded.
Deputy Sheriff Sheritt's story is to the
effect that at o'clock the Chinaman called
To Deputy Sheriff White that he would sur
render White. Woodsum and Koch i'm
mediately 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 occurred.
Coroner Wadeni and a corps of deputies
are searching through the surrounding
fields for the remains In some instances
they had to be picked up with shovels
Fourteen Of the cars were blown to splin-
ters and several were burned. Windows
were broken in Oakland Alameda and as
far as Berkley.
One of the most thrilling stories of the
fatality IS that told by Fred Sheriff of
West Oakland, whose escape was simply
marvellous. He said:
With the other deputy sheriffs we kept
as close to the powder house as we thought
advisable. Occasionally one of us would
60 toward the door and assure the China
man that We would not hurt him If he