The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1921-12-28
MYSTERY IN
DEATH OF
CHINAMAN
Body of Sam Wah Shows
Evidence of Blow On
Head

day evening when Officer Tom
Wallace found the dead body of
Sam Wah, St. Johnsbury's we'll
known Chinese laundryman, dead
on the floor in the back room of
his basement laundry in the Scott
block on Railroad street. The
cause of his death will be deter
mined at an autopsy which will be
conducted Wednesday afternoon
by DR.. Whitney Of Burlington Of
the State Board of Health.
The last seen Of him alive was
Sunday afternoon when he return
ed from Sherburne's restaurant
where ne often took his meals As
Monday was a holiday and all the
stores closed, little attention was
paid to the laundry, though Eu-
gene Dauphin, who lives in the
Scott block, recalls that he saw
Il light in Sam Wah's shop about
6 o'clock Monday night. This
would seem to fix the time of the
tragedy later that evening as
when the body was found it was
evident that he had been dead
some hours. Ferdinand J. Nadeau,
who runs the Shu-Gx establish
mcnt in the adjoining room, motto
ed that his shoe shop was colder
than usual when he opened up
Tuesday morning and merely
thought the Chinaman's fire had
gone out.
Philip Racette, proprietor Of the
Railroad Street Press, noticed that
the bundles of laundry had begun
to accumulate in front Of Sam
Wah's door and about 730 Tues
day evening told Officer Wallace
that he was afraid something had
happened there. Mr. Wallace
thought it was worth investigating
and went to the police station for
d flash light. Returning he entered
Mr. Nadeau's shop and from the
back room removed some paper
that covered a hole in the wall
once used for chimney and
flashed his light upon the back
room of the laundry. Seeing the
dead body on the floor he immc-
dlately notified Chief Finley,
Sheriff Worthcn and States A.
torney Campbell who quickly re-
ported to the spot. According to
law the selectmen were notified
and Frank N. Carr also arrived
soon after the officers.
Sam Wah lay fat on his back
with his head near the little cast
iron stove. The stocking was rc-
moved on his right leg, both sail
dals were near his feet and the
stove poker lay on the floor nea"
his right hand. There was blood on
his head and hands, the latter
indicating that he had placed his
hands TO his head after his injury.
There were traces Of blood arouni
the room and some blood on the
floor. There was no evidence Of
anything having been disturbed
in either room aside from tho
poker which lay on the floor and
the partial removal of Sam Wah'5.
Clothing.
Various conjecturcS were made
by those who were present when
the body was found as to how
the man met his death. One man
believed that he fell against the
sharp edge of the stove, receiving
an injury which resulted in his
death, With the indications that
he had received Il blow on the
head the majority of those present
inclined to the belief that he was
the victim Of foul play. They
thought that he had been dclibcr-
atcly killed for his money or that
some one struck him after some
alteration. 1t is known that he
kept quite a little money in vari-
Gus parts of the room and that
he also sewed his money into the
clothes that he wore. Only the
inquest will reveal the cause Of his
death and if it was the result OF
an assault it will be difficult to 10
cate his assailant.
Sam Wah was the only Chimes
resident in st. Johnsbury and had
operated a laundry here for 30
ycars. He was born in North
China 7G years ago and was a ia
milar figure on our street,. He
could speak but little English but
was shrcwds CROUCH to accumu-
late quite a little money and was
= hardworking laundryman. He
was quite sociablc at times, cX
pressing himself in pigeon" Eng
lish and used to enjoy buying
fruit and candy and giving It
away in front of his little shop
to the children.
States Attorney Campbell lock- |
ed the laundry up after the prelim-
mary investigation and immedl
ately notified the state authorities
at Burlington. The body was not /
touched nor anything inlthc room |
disturbed. pending the autopsy |
which viii be conducted under the |
Of Dr.. Whitney.
This afternoon Il minute exam
Continued Oh page siX)