The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1901-11-27
Evidence All In and the Case
Will Be Submitted Today
JURY VISITS GROUND
Every Point Was Closely Contested by
Able Attorneys on Both
Sides.


against Jack Eakright, charged with
manslaughter in causing the death of
Wong Sue Hong. a Chinaman. en-
ployed at the Chinese market gardens
northwest of town last July, came up
for trial in the district court Mon
day forenoon. This case has arous-
ed great deal of interest in Kalis-
pell and vicinity and has been the
subject of more or less comment
since the fatal shooting took place.
The circumstances under which the
killing was done and the question
Of whether the shooting was acct
dental, as claimed by the defendant,
or was intentional, has been the sub
ject of much controversy and has
made the case one of the most prom
inent in the criminal annals Of Flat
head county. The case was most bit
terly contested and lasted over two
days. The circumstances leading up
to the shooting are about as follows:
On the evening of July 26 of this
year Eakright, who was then a police
officer OF this city, received word that
Chinaman had been smus ,gled
across the Canadian boundary line
and had reached Kalispell that day.
He Immediately notified Officers
Hannah and Hilton. and search was
made of the different Chinese houses
and stores in the city, but with no
result and the hunt was abandoned.
This was about Z o'clock in the even
ing and two or three hours later Of
ficer Hannah was notified that while
the Chinese store on First street,
between Second and Third avenues,
west, was being searched, China
man had been seen to jump over the
high board fence in the rear of the
store and strike out along the rail
road track in a northwesterly direc-
ton.
From this the officers decided that
their man had taken the alarm and
had made his escape to the Chinese
truck farm about mil. from town,
in the direction said to have been
taken by the fugitive. He notified
Officer Eakright and Undersheriff
Mccarthy of what lie had been t,id
and the three men went out to the
farm for the purpose of making a
thorough search They reached the
place, but owing to an accident to
McCarthy's bicycle, Hannah and
Eahright were slightly in the lead,
and on the suggestion of Eakright,
Hannah entered the house, where he
was shortly afterwards joined by the
undersheriff, while EakTight passed
around the house to guard against
anyone escaping. The following
count of what afterward happened is
as told by Eakright and others when
on the stand at the coroner's inquest
the day after the shooting occurred
After Officer Hannah had entered
the house. Eakright went around or
the north side of the building an(
took a position on the north side o
rail fence, which runs east ant
west, and divides the field in mum
her of hog pens. The night was no
very dark and objects a short dis
lance away could be plainly seen
He had been at his station but
short time when he heard the nog
iii one Of the pens grunting in alarm
ami from that he surmised that som
one was approaching. Shortly after
wards he seen a man run aroun
one of the outbuildings and como :
his direction, but when he con
man1ed him to stop the Chinama
jumped over a low fence into a tiel
of rheubarb and ran in a westerl
direction The officer again con
manded him to halt. but the tleeln
man paid no attention to the orde
Eakright then pulled his revolve
and, throwing the gun over the to
rail of the fence by which he wa
standing. fired in the direction of til
fugitive, with the intention. as i
said, of frightening him. Unfort
nately the Chinaman stopped rul
ming and had half turned toward hi
at the instant he pulled the trisge
and the bullet went true.
officers Mccarthy and Hanna
heard the shot and running from Il
house called to Eakright asking VIII
was the matter, and the latter reptile
Here he is; I've got him." Goil
in the direction indicated the office
came across the wounded man. wi
was bleeding profusely from woul
in the center of the neck. close
the body Jack, you have hit him
said Mccarthy. did 1? l didn't
tend to-" was thereby. He thu
asked, Shall go for a doctor?'
which Hannah replied. Eyes, and
at once" He then went for his
cycle and came to Kalispell, whe
he summoned DR.. Macdonald. Aft
Eakright had left Undersheriff McC;
thy went to the house for the purpo
of notifying the inmates and to
cure help to carry the wounded M
to that place, but before he return
the victim was dead. Shortly aft
wards DR.. Macdonald arrived on t
scene but beyond perfunctory {
animation his services were n
needed. Chief of Police Johnson a
Coroner Willoughby were immedia
" notified and the body was broue
to the morgue in this city.
The next morning Drs. Maedons
and Duncan held post mortem
animation at which 1t was sho'
that the bullet after entering
neck had penetrated but short d
lance and had then ranged IN
downward course, striking the fl
rib, and severing the right sub CLAW
al artery and had then made its e