The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-05-01

Because he would mot pay him
what he owed, Ching Hoa, an en-
ploye of Lee Wah, Chinese laundry
man, on First avenue west. murdere
the latter in cold blood, some time
Wednesday, night, and attempted to
escape on an eastbound freight, but
was captured at Columbia Falls and
is now behind the bars of the county
Jail, with sure prospect of death
by hanging staring him in the face.
The killing was the most cold
blooded in the history of the county,
and was marked by an exhibition of
fiendishness on the part of the slayer
that is without parallel in the crimi-
nal annals of the city.
Lee Lien, or Wah, as he was vari-
Cusly known, conducted a small hand
laundry on First avenue west, south
Of the Conrad mouse, and Ching Hoa
was employed by him as a helper.
The latter had been working for
Wah for the past year, and he claims
that Wah withheld his wages and re-
fused to pay him what he owed him.
Time after time, he demanded his
wages, but Wah refused and ordered
him off the place. The murderer
grew morose and sullen and at diff
ferent times made threats against
Lee, but the latter only laughed at
him and dared him to do his worst.
Wednesday night Ching repeated
his demand for money and threat
cred to xiii Lee unless he dug up;
but the latter ordered him out of the
house, and when he returned he
found the doors locked and was
forced to remain outside. Early in
the morning he returned and, after
repeating his demand for money, he
became enraged and struck Wah
with an AK that was in the room. He
followed this up with other blows of
the AK. cutting the unfortunate mans
head almost to pieces.
The above is practically the story
told by the murderer after his cap
ture at the Falls, but investigation
has proven his story to be false in
many particulars. He claimed that
Wah had unlocked the doors of the
laundry and was about the house
when he was killed, but instead OF
that the murderer had forced his
way into the building while Wah was
asleep. and stealing up to the bed
side he chopped his head to pieces.
After committing the awful crime,
the murderer dropped his blood
stained AK and left the building. He
went to the Chinese restaurant on
Main street to secure $40 that one
Of the proprietors owed him, and
when he asked for the money, he
said that he had killed Wah, but no
attention was paid to his remarks,
as it was thought he was joking.
One of the Chinese cooks shortly
afterward went over to the Bon Ton
restaurant on Second street, where
cousin of the murdered man was
employed and told him what the
murderer had said. 1t was not be-
lieved that any crime had been COM
mitted, but to convince himself,
Wah's relative decided to investigate
and went over to the laundry. On
Wah's bed he noticed a bundle of
clothes, and when ne raised this he
was Mortified to see his relatives
body bathed in his life blood, with
his head almost chopped to pieces.
Terror stricken he rushed from the
building and fastened back to the
restaurant, where he told Lee Lack,
the proprietor. The latter notified
Oficer Demorest and Deputy Sheriff
Jack Donahue. who proceeded at
once to the scene of the crime.
The laundry is divided into three
rooms, the first being the Office, the
second the bed room, and the third
the wash room. The rooms are all
in a line and are connected. 1t was
in the bed room, which was also used
as a work room, that the crime was
committed. The bed is in the south
east corner of the room, and is a
home made structure Of boards, with
it's head toward the east. Wah was
lying on his back, in a natural posi-
ton, with what was left Of his head
slightly on one side. He had been
struck five times, the keen blade n
the ak going almost through the head
each time, making gaping wounds
from which the blood had flowed in