Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-11-25
During Chink War of.
5000 Shots 2 Victims.
Die of Knife Wounds.

two dead men, and he had heard the
grOans Of wounded coming from some
Of the cabins IN which the gold seekers
lived
"shootin's been goin' on for hoursl"
he said. "A bunch Of us down there
IN Ruby valley been wantin' 10 come
to Virginia City, but that Chink
scrape has got us blocked off"
The man, a little Gained now, re-
ported that the battle did not seem
to be of any ferocious intensity. The
main object appeared to be the making
of a lot of noise. The members of the
opposing factions apparently did not
care where they shot, as long as they
shot. They would dash out Of cover,
give few yells Of defiance, empty
their rifles and then. with more blood
curdling screeches, duck back to cover.
When they shot, they did not care in
what direction the muzzleS Of their
guns were aimed-friend and foe alike
had to duck. After reloading, inside
the cabins, they would dash out again
and repeat their noisy Fourth Of July
performance.
NJ D. Platner was sheriff at the
time and he at once summoned his
deputies and proceeded to the scene of
battle. HoStilities were over by the
time he and his posse arrived Two
dead Chinese spraWled between what
had been the battle lines, but strangely
enough, they had been killed by knives
and not bullets. Neither faction Of
the orientals apparently knew any
thing about the twin killings.
A group of farmers had been wait
ing at the mouth of the canyon and
one Of them asserted that as many
as 5000 shots had been fired.
She sure sounded out!" he said,
from the amount of lead that was
flynn, I figured they'd be all killed
Off"
The sheriff and his deputies, knowing
the difficult job they would have with
the close-mouthed Chinese, went to
work. But after concluding lengthy
examinations the sheriff decided that
this had been a battle between tongs
His evidence indicated that one tong
was responsible Several influential
members were bound over to the grand
jury
The district Judge refused to hear
the report of the first grand jury It |
was discharged and a new jury con-
vened which, after interminable /
wrangling Of a heated nature. returned |
an indictment against two Of the /
Chinese, charging them with murder |
In the first degree
The case came to trial The Chinese /
as a race were none too popular in /
the country and the selection of a
Jury proved to be a difficult task. The
feelings of most of the jurors was ex-
pressed by one of the first men to be
Impaneled.
He was asked whether or not he
had any conscientious scrupleS against
hanging Chinese. His reply was di-
rect and to the point.
I'D be willing to hang ever last one
Of them in this comtryl"
Though biased, he was accepted for
duty. Over a hundred taleSmen were
examined before q jury was finally
completed. Then followed q lengthy
rial marked by bitterness, charges and /.
counter charges. The accused men sat
through it stolidly.
Eventually a verdict of murder in
he first degree was returned. At once
IN appeal was made, and the supreme
'ourt ordered new trial.
In this second trial, marked again
" difficulty In securing a jury that
vas not too biased, the weight of the
evidence hinged on the location Of
certain wounds on the body OF one of
he murdered men. Both dead Chinese
lad been buried, but preparation was ,
made at once TO open the grave of the
nan in question. The coffin was dug !
lp, hoisted to the surface and opened |
" the authorities, and an element of /
MYSTERY entered the whole situation
Then 1t was discovered that the coffin 4
gas empty
When the body could not be pro- ,
uced, the trial resulted in an acquittal I
nd the accused Chinese were set free /
Several years later a skeleton was 6
ound in a prospect hole and many {
the residents of Virginia City '
nought that 1t was the remains Of the !
murdered Chinese who had been re-
moved from his grave on Cemetery q
i'll. There was no proof, of course 1t t
'as all mere suppoSition, but it made Z
thrilling and Interesting story.
This Chinese war" was the high t
pot of the Chinese settlement In 8
lder glllch At the time there were 4
bout 200, and gradually the number
ropped until 20 years later there were
My about 10 working about the placer
lilings, making a living from the
round the white miners had surfaced.
he war is an almost forgotten Incl
t. ~ t-rtf d.