The Washington times., 1919-12-08
FACES TRIAL FOR
CHINESE SLAy|NGS
Ziang Sun Wang, Accused of
Mission Tragedy, Will Plead
In Court Tomorrow.

A little less than a year ago, Janu-
ary 90 last, DR.. Theodore T. Wong
director of the Chinese educational
mission; Chang Hsi Hsie, secretary of
the institution, and Ben Sen Wu, an
assistant, were found dead at the
headquarters Of the mission at 2023
kaiorama road northwest, their partly
decomposed bodies not being discov-
cred until February IL last
The crime created a sensation, and
the police at once set to work 70 un-
ravet It. Suspicion attached to Ziang
Sung Wan and Tsong Ing Van, said to
be students of Columbia University,
New York, at which place they were
arrested by Headquarters Detective
Sergeants Guy z. Burlingame and Ed
ward Kelly, a few days after the
coroner's inquest
Jury Indiets Wan.
The grand jury September 30 last
indicted Wan for first degree murder
for the alleged killing of the three
members of the mission The grand
jury ignored a bill against Van, the
brother of Wan, charging him with
first degree murder. but indicted him
on a charge of forgery.
Prosecution and defense are ready
case is on the calendar for tomorrow
in Criminal Court, No. 1, Justice
Gould presiding. Assistant District
Attorney Bolitha J. Laws will repre-
sent the government and Attorney
James A. O'Shea will appear for the
accused.
The police detectives detailed on
the case are said to have obtained
confession from the prisoners, in
which 1t was shown, it is said, that
on Monday. January 81, Wan rented
room at the Harris Hotel and sent
telegram to his brother Van in New
York asking him to come here i'm
mediately.
1t is alleged that the two brothers
left the hotel together on the after
noon of January %. the date of the
murder. and did not return until after
midnight. It is said a stub found in
the check book of DR.. Wong at the
mission was identified as being in
VANS handwriting. The latter is
said to have denied at first that he
ever was in this city, but later ad-
mitted that he was here at the time
of the crime.
Scheme Of Brothers-
The theory of the Government is
said to be that the scheme of the two
nese mission and obtain possession of
the check book and forge the sigma
lures Of DR.. Wong and his secretary
to a check for the amount which the
two brothers are said to have known
was on deposit with the Riggs Ma
tional Bank.
1t is said that the two brothers ac-
cuse Ben Sen WI, an attache OF the
mission with having killed DR.. Wong
uct IJo,a n~z
said to have confessed that wu was
in the scheme to get possession of
the check book and shot DR.. Wong
| and his secretary to cover up his
I tracks.
Whereupon it is claimed that Wan
took the gun, and. finding the cham
bers empty, went to a drawer and re-
| loaded IL, shooting WI in the head
as he was going into the basement.
Later he is alleged to have pressed
the gun against the PROSTATE form
of Wu and to have shot him through
| the chest 1t is alleged that the two
brothers declare that this act was
prompted by anger at WI for killing
DR.. Wong and his secretary.
kang LII, of 2014 Kalorama road.
northwest, Is said to have testified
before the coroners jury that at 7
o'clock on the evening Of January %
! ne went over to the mission house to
visit DR.. Wong. with whom he was on
| intimate terms, and that Wan an
swered the door. and appeared to be
in bad humor. He is said to have in
formed Ii that all three Of the muir
dered men were absent from the mis-
sion.
Presented Check.
II Is known that on the morning of
January 80 Van presented a check for
$1,000 to the Riggs Bank for payment.
| which was refused by George o. Vass
assistant cashier. who pronounced the
signatures to the check forReries-
| Mr. Vass is said to have identified
Van positively as the bearer Of the
forged paper.
About two weeks after the arrest OF
the twos brothers in New York, the
postoffice inspectors OF Seattle, Wash.
are said to have intercepted a letter
alleged to have been written by Van
to his mother, in Shanghai, China.
asking her to send him 81 900 to en-
able him to engage counsel to defend
himself and his brother Wan. He is
said to have declared in this letter
that both were in jail, that Wan was
sick from stomach trouble. and that
she need not worry, as both would be
released within a short time.
Wan is indicted on four counts. The
first charges him with breaking into
the Chinese mission with intent TO
commit forgery; the second. with in
tent to commit larceny; the third.
with another attempt to commit forg
cry. and the fourth with the murder
OF the three men,
Now In the time, Good Fellows. to