A shooting case attended with fatal results for a Chimese named Jce Kum Yung occurred in Hiaining Street last night. At about a quarter to eight the residents of the street -were startled by the report of firearms, two shots being heard in quick succession near house No. 13. Doors were thrown open, and windows were- flung up in all directions, and scurrying aliens sped to tihe place from whence the shots had been heard. Here the 'Chinamen found their fellowcountryman Kum Yung prostrate on the pavement, bleeding from a wound in the head, caused by a bullet directed at him from behind. Sergeant Mackay and several of the police from the Mount Cook station were promptly on the scene. They were speedily reinforced by detectives Broberg and Quirke, and a little later by Inspector Ellison, Sub-Inspector O'Donovan, and Chief-Detective Mc- Grath.
Kutn Yung was carried into No. 37, where he lived, and not far from which he was found, and Dr Martin was summoned. He found the injured man suffering from a perforated wound about two inches behind the left ear. The doctor rendered first aid, i-emoving some of the splintered bone from the wound in the head. He then bandaged the patient, and'despatched him to the hospital in a St. John Ambulance Association's ambulance, holding, out, however, little ibope of the man's recovery. The bullet was left embedded in Kum Yung's brain, and he succumbed to his injuries at 10 o'clock. STATEMENT OF A WITNESS. The inquiries instituted by the police reveal that the deceased had gone for some peanuts to 'another Chinaman's place, and was on his way back to his lodgings. When Yung was almost beneath the electric light, about eighty yards from the end of the street, another man was observed on the same footpath, 'by a second Chinaman on the opposite side of the. road. The latter heard the 'unknown man fire the first shot, and saw the second one fired, and Kum Yung fair on to the footpath, as the report' rang out. The perpetrator of the deed immediately walked off at a smart pace towards Taranaki Street. The China-man who bad wit-. nessed the affair followed the man, and saw him turn into Taranaki Street, and out of that -thoroughfare into Ingestre i Street, "where'he wasi lost eight of. The witness of the tragedy says lie could not see the face of the mali who fired the shot, and he cWd describe him only as "a tall man wearing a 'three-quarter drab-coloured coat.',' A European who was in Taranaki Street also noticed the ■assailant (hurrying away, but did not see Yung fall. He heard the crack of the revolver shots, but did not realise what they portended until he came upon the wounded man. AN ABSENCE OF MOTIVE. So far as the police are able to ascertain, ncboby was known to harbour animosity against the deceased. He had been in the colony between.twentyfive and thirty years, but his'residence in Wellington only extended over the last six months. Yung was a semiinvalid, having broken one of his legs and suffered other 'injuries in an accident whilst mining .in Westland. Owing to this, he was unable to follow his usual occupation, and his fellow-country men recently subscribed in ordeir to furnish him 'with the means of transport 'back to his own country. This fund, which might have formed a motive for the crime liadit been in Yung's possession, had not been handed to him, his friends intending to purchase the steamer ticket in lieu, of giving him the money. The deceased .was practically penniless. He ■was not known to have any quarrel with either the Chinese in his quarter of the city or elsewhere, nor with any other person. This fact makes the mystery surrounding lvs murder the more deep. No disturbance pi^ceded the shooting. The circumsttemces seem to lend colour to the supposition that the deed was that of a madman.
The police, who were very active from the outset, are still making 'inquiries' to ascertain the identity of the man who fired the shots. They are, however, considerably, [handicapped by the fact that the unknown man was seen by so few people, Haining Street at the time having been comparatively free of traffic. Nob much, therefore, is known of the murderer, though he is believed to be a European. 03k speediness' in getting clear of the scene of the tragedy was assisted by the deserted state of the thoroughfare. The deceased was a strongly-fouHt man, apparently a little under seventy years of 'age. THE SCENE.
Haining Street is one of those streets "which members of the City Council state from time to time should be "swept away." It is redolent of the alien —crowded with yellow men. It is the Chinatown of Wellington, the Ihcane of the pak-a-poo specialist. Attached to it is suspicion of all .t;hod£yils that are east o' Suez. The houses are mostly ancient wooden 'cottages, with occasionally a two-storied dwelling. grimy and paintless. The actual scene of the murder was on the ncurth€■lll footpath, nearer to Taranaki Street than Tory Street. Thd numbers of the houses Tim from -the Taranaki Street end.
in No. 5, when visited by a reporter, sat a roomful of jabberinc Chinamen, who seemed—all but one —angrossed in chattering over the downfall of their brother. The exception was engaged in emptying a bawl of rice with deftlywielded chop-sticks. Questions were asked them, and they all talked at onoe in good Cantonese. Eventually available intelligence "was extracted from a fashionably-dressed young Chinaman and another —Joe Toy,- alleged to I>B a cousin of the deceased. The latter was in a rather flippant n.iQod, patted the reporter on the cheek, "and seemed rather*bored —in a merry y&y —with the whole business. His opinion was that hia cousin could not. in any case, have expected to live very long. Yung was an old man,~and limped badly on his injured leg. He had gone to Palmensfcon North, and had attempted vegetableraising there, hut his leg had bothered him, and he returned to Wellington. So poor and unfit was his cousin, indeed, that a subscription had been going the
rounds to send him back to China. The fashionably-attired one, who spoke English fairly, led the way to the scene of the murder. It was only about twenty yards off. The night was dark, but he stopped directly under an electric light at the gateway of No. 13— ominious number —and pointed to a dark pool of blood between the gate-less gateposts. The man's head^had fallen there, and close beside the life^biood of the coward's victim were some of the peanuts 'which the old man had been eating. A few ghoulish idlers stood round closely inspecting the 'blood-spats. Opposite No. 13 4 whence the Chinamen who saw the second shot fired had emerged, more questions were asked. Here was a conglomerate lot of celestials, -and amongst them a very handsome 'half-breed woman, with even teaturesi and a glowing complexion, bno understood everything, and gave considerable assistance in gaining answers from the men. All were very .ready to eive information about the aftair, but to Siem-Avell, life, is held very cheaply by their race, and it really did not matter much! Why worry? Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12610, 26 September 1905, Page 2
A MANIA AGAINST CHINESE.
WELLINGTON, September 25. A Chinaman was murdered last nighi under what appears at present very wanton
circumstances. The old fellow, Joe Kum Yung, living in Haining street, had gone to another house for some peanuts. On his way back some man fired two shots at him. Yung was found with the bullet in the back of his head, and though medical aid was procured he died in the hospital at 10 o'clock.
There were few persons in the street afc the time of the tragedy, and apparently only* two saw the assailant. One was a Chinaman, who, from the other side of the street, saw shots fired, and followed the man (whom he describes as a tall man. wearing a threequarter drab-ooloured coat), till he lost him in the main thoroughfare. The other was a European, who was in Taranaki street, aad saw a man hurrying away. The man ia supposed to be a European The police know of no cause of animosity against the deceased.
Yung was nearly 70 years of age, and had) been in the colony from 25 to 30 years, hut in Wellington only six months. He was a semi-invalid, having a broken leg, anct suffered other Usuries while mining in Westland. His fellow-countrymen were subfcribing to send him back to China. He was nractically penniless and not known to have a cause of quarrel with anyone. A man, who gave the name of Lionel
Terry, gave himself up at the police station.
at 9.30 this morning as the murderer of Joe Kum Yung. Terry is a stranger to the
colony, and is said to hold strong views on the subject of aliens.
Terry has been a wide traveller, and during his stay in Wellington impressed all he met with by his wide acquaintance with men and things. His opinion on aliens was
very strong, and he recently issued a. pamphlet of protest. On the Yellow Peril he is particularly vehement. Nothing unusual was noted about Terry last night or this
morning at the Club Hotel, where he has been staying. After partaking*of breakfast this morning he wrore letters, went out, and handed himself over to the police, giving them a revolver with two chambers discharged, and also a copy of his pamphlet, which he- said would explain things. He is a man of superior education, about 36 years of age, of splendid ptrysique. and was on a walking tour through the colony. He was brought he« fore the court this morning' and remanded. j Terry wos iv the Horse Guards, but sold) j cut and joined the Bulawayo police. He afterwards went through the Matabele war, and spent some time in America ancl Canada, ancl lived for some time by literary and artistic work. His pamphlet, The Shadow," is a violent appeal to the Empire to rise and throw off the Yellow JPeril and aliens generally. It also contains an appeal to the King to save the Empire. He first came to the colony about two years ago. He is quite unconcerned at the crime. Ha wrote to Lord Pluniket before giving himself up to the police. Otago Witness , Issue 2689, 27 September 1905, Page 48
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