The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-20
SEVEN LIVES BLOTTED OUT
FIVE OFFICERS. A WOMAN AND THE
DESPERATE CELESTIAL.
Fuse Works Destroyed, Many Struc-
lures Wholly or Partly Wrecked,
and IA Cars Blown to Splinters.

were blown up by a murderOuS Chlnaman
at $40 o'clock this morning. Five deputy
sheriffs and constables who were trying to
arrest the murderer were killed. The China
man and woman were also killed. The
dead are:
CHARLES WHITE, deputy sheriff, son
GEoRGE WOODS. deputy sheriff.
d. c. CAMERON, deputy sheriff.
GUS kOCK, constable.
J. j. LERRI, constable.
MRS. HILL.
COON NG CHUNG.
The Chinaman had fortified himself in the
magazine and blew it up when the attempt
to arrest him was made. He was employed
in the works and had killed a felow-coun-
tryman yesterday afternoon in a quarrel
over Chinese lottery ticket. He then de-
fled the officers who went to arrest him.
The murderer fled into the magazine, which
contained five tons of giant powder. barri-
caded himself and threatened to blow up the
magazine if any one came to arrest him.
Deputy Sheriff White, in charge of a posse
consisting of Constables Kock and Jerri,
Deputy Sheriffs George Woods and D. c..
Cameron, and Deputy Constable Harry
Framer, were 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. Aft
err 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 COM
pany, about twenty yards away.
This morning at o'clock Deputy Sheriff
White, after consultation with the others,
determined to break down the barricade,
not believing the Chnaman would carry out
his threat. Accordingly, the entire posse
headed for the door. True to his word, the
Chinaman fired the giant powder, and in an
instant a terrific explosion occurred, killing
five officers and blowing the Chinaman to
atoms His body was fearfully mangled.
Kock was also badly disfgured. but lived
long enough to be taken to the hospital in
the patrol wagon. Mrs. Hill was visiting
Mrs. Pride, who lived across the way. She
was killed in the falling debris of the build
ing. All the buildings took fire. Engines
were soon fighting the flames, but to no
avail. The works were completely wrecked.
Four houses were also blown down and
about forty partially wrecked. Deputy Sher-
If Fred Sherrett and Deputy Ed White es-
capped, but are painfully wounded.
Deputy Sheriff Sheritt's story is to the
effect that at 5 o'clock this morning the
Chinaman called to Deputy Sheriff White
that he would surrender. White, Woods
and Kock Immediately 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
The name of the Chinaman was Coon Ng
Chung. The man he murdered was Ham 81
Sing. Coroner Wadeni and a corps of depu-
ties are searching through the surrounding
fields for the remains. In some instances
they had to be picked up with shovels.
Fourteen cars were blown to splinters and
several were burned. Windows were broken
in Oakland, Alameda and as far as Berk-
ley
One of the most thrilling stories is that
told by Fred Sheriff., 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 go toward
the door and assure the Chinaman that we
would not hurt him if he came out. The
fellow would invariably reply that he would
blow up the place if we attempted to take
him. Late last night he repeated his threat
so often that the people around there
thought he would do it and many moved
they would be dead for their homes are
scattered over many acres We hung around
all night, and just as daybreak appeared
Charley White urged Chinaman to tell the
fellow to come out. He would not do so,
but shortly after o'clock he told us he
would walk out and give us no more trou-
BILE. AS soon as the fellow made his APP
pearance at the door of the place Charley
White and Kock walked toward him to
make the arrest. Ed White and / followed
them about eighty feet behind. They were
almost at the door when Coon closed it
with bang. Less than a second later 1
was being carried with a cloud of debris
and earth swiftly over the ground. My
face was cut and my clothes torn, and I
cannot understand how it happened that
Ed White and myself were not killed, as
some of those killed were further away
than we i have no doubt that as soon
as the door was closed Coon fired his pistol
into the powder. Five minutes after the
explosion everything was on fire, including
a train of box cars.
Sheriff and Ed White are complete nerv-
GUS wrecks. They were carried over forty
feet by the force of the explosion and
thrown violently to the ground.