September 17, 1903 – Tonopah, Nevada: Local Whites Lynch a Chinese Laborer Amid Anti-Chinese Riot

[AI-generated placeholder. Deeper narrative coming soon.] In September 1903 in Tonopah, Nevada, a mass anti-Chinese riot erupted, led by white union members intent on expelling the town’s Chinese residents. A mob of over a thousand invaded Chinatown at gunpoint, forcing the Chinese out and robbing them. Several who did not flee were beaten and dragged to the outskirts; one elderly laundryman’s body was later found “horribly mutilated” (Sioux Valley News, Sept. 24, 1903). That victim, identified as Ping Ling, had been lynched by the mob. In an uncommon response, local authorities arrested 18 rioters (including union leaders) and a coroner’s jury ruled Ping Ling’s death a murder, leading to indictments. However, in the end, most charges were dropped. The Chinese government later pressed the U.S. for indemnity for the Tonopah outrage.