The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1917-09-06
Lam Wing, Pioneer Laundry
Man, Shot in Back BY
Countryman.
COON Cow ARRESTED
Found in District Court Room
BY Janitor- Inquest
Held.

Coon Cow, the young Chinaman who
shot and killed Lem Wig at the Hong
Woh laundry at Lewiston last Friday
evening. was arrested In the district
court room at the court house at that
place Saturday morning, where he was
discovered by JanitOr Andrew Pfeisz.
Janitor Preisz went into the court
room about Z o'clock and found Coon
Cow pacing the floor. Deputy Sheriff
Harry Lydon was summoned and Coon
Cow was searched and locked in the
county jail.
The revolver with which Coon Cow
did the shooting was taken from his
person. 1t is cheap 32-caliber
weapon and the cylinder contained
four loaded cartridges and one empty
chamber. Coon Cow speaks but little
English but endeavored to explain to
Deputy Lydon that the shooting was
accidental. Later In the day he gave
testimony at the c0roner's inquest
through an interpreter, his conten-
ton being that Lem Wing had at
lacked him with the revolver and in
his efforts to wrest the weapon from
the aged Chinaman, the shot was
fired and Lem Wing was killed. He
said he was frightened and ran away
but later made his way to the court
house to surrender.
The condition of Coon Cows cloth
ING indicated he mad been hiding
under some building or other place
where he had come in contact with
the dirt and cObwebs.
The story of the accidental shoot
h4F n L.. l. Il
Dy the officers or the local Cinnamon.
Coon Cow claims rne revolver was
the property of Lem Wing but it Is
explained that If this is true, Coon
Cow had been a resident of the house
FOR the past several months and had
ample opportunity to gain possession
q Lem Wings revolver.
Chinese employed as porters about
the city and who seemed to have the
most intimate acquaintance with
Coon Cow, yesterday expressed the
view that he is insane. They state
ne Is uncommunicative and for sew
eral weeks his conduct has indicated
an unbalanced mind.
II Is evident Coon Cow had not
oeen In the district court room for
more than two hours before he was
discovered by Jailor Preisz, as Sheriff
1eorge Welker had passed through
tne room shortly after 5 o'clock in
me morning and the .Chinaman was
not there at that time.
IL Is stated that Coon Cow was a.
resident Of GrangevfIle from some
ume last fall until March of this year.
An inquest was held over the re-
mains Of the murdered Chinaman by
ooronor Vassar at 2 o'clock Saturday
afternoon.
Lee Hing. an aged Chinaman who
mas been employed at the Hing Woh
aundry for several years, testified
mat few minutes before the shoot
,ng ne was in the wash room of the
laundry and that Lem Wing and Coon
uoW were the only other occupants
u tne room. He said he then passed
.n.o the ironing room adjoining and
lnat soon he heard q shot, saw Coon
uuW s, run from the rear door and Lem
wing staggered through the door into
Inc ironing room. He said Lem asked
:, nim TO call doctor and get the po-
nee, as Coon Cow had shot him.
1oon Cow offered testimony in his
vwh behalf, the substance of his story
seelng that he and Lem Wing became
Mvoiyed In controversy and that
a lem wing, the shot was fired, the bull
solVer and In his efforts to protect
1lhselI and wrest the weapon from
Lem wing, thes hot was fred, the bull
,ss entering the body Of Lem Wing,
e SAID he was frightened because of
ne accident and first ran from the
sSene OF the shooting but later went
" Ine court house where he awaited
me coroner's jury was composed OF
NJ Z. Wiggin, r. H. Putnam, Philip
Welsgerber, George e. Beckman. W.
Z lsbell, Dan Hardin, Gus Ulrich and
Albert 9TH. The jury's verdict was in
testimony.