A Chinaman Lynched

An Entire Town Turns Out to See the Deed

COLUSA, Cal., July 11.—At about 12:30 o’clock yesterday morning Hong Di, the Chinese domestic who murdered Mrs. Billiou at St. John some time ago, was taken from jail and hanged by a mob.

He had been on trial for several days, and a verdict of guilty was returned Saturday, the jury fixing the punishment at imprisonment for life.

Mrs. Billiou, her two daughters and William Weaver, head servant man, were sitting at supper when the door of the dining room was thrown open by Hong Di, the cook, who levelled a Winchester rifle at Weaver and shot him through the shoulder.

He fell on the floor, and a second shot went through Mrs. Billiou’s head, killing her instantly.

Both daughters escaped uninjured.

The Chinaman fled, and Weaver managed to get on his feet and lock the door.

No trace of the murderer could be seen for nearly a week, when he was found on the bank of the Sacramento River, nearly starved to death.

The circumstances of this assassination were still fresh in the mind of every one, and on hearing the verdict the court became exasperated.

The judge refused to accept the decision of the jury, and a wild scene at once began.

Almost every man present was armed, and in an instant a hundred pistols were drawn amid cries of “Lynch him.”

The sheriff jumped to his feet and quieted the crowd long enough to say that while he disapproved of the verdict he hoped no blood would be shed in court.

The crowd left the court room, and the prisoner was removed to jail.

While the sheriff and his charge were inside, a large and determined mob was forming outside the jail.

All day long the crowds kept on the street, but no effort was made to get at the prisoner until near midnight.

At that time the town was alive with strangers from surrounding places, including the captain of a steamer and twenty of his crew.

Citizens were posted at all avenues of escape, and about 12:30 o’clock a break was made for the jail.

Guards had been posted by the sheriff, but as they were in sympathy with those on the outside, little resistance was made.

In a few minutes the assassin was in the avenger’s hands.

Weaver, the man whom he had shot first, was present with a rope.

The prisoner was at once conveyed to the bridge, screaming in terror.

The rope was put around his neck despite his desperate struggles, half a dozen men raising him in their arms, and he was tossed over the parapet.