June 1, 1871 – San Francisco, California: Chinese Man Stoned to Death by Boys

On June 1, 1871, The San Francisco Call Bulletin reported that “a Chinaman named Ah He, who was the proprietor of a small cigar factory on the corner of Fourth and Freelon streets, was attacked by a gang of boys, who assaulted him with stones in his place of business.” He died from his injuries the next day. On the same day, The Greenville Journal reported that “‘Dozens of people,’ the telegraph tells us, ‘witnessed the assault, but did not interfere until the murder was completed, nor was any attempt made to arrest the murderers.’” This incident is very likely the one that Mark Twain writes about in *Roughing It* (Chapter 54): “some boys have stoned an inoffensive Chinaman to death” and “lthough a large crowd witnessed the shameful deed, no one interfered.” This lethal stonine again demonstrates public indifference to rampant anti-Chinese violence.