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Chung Chi

As part of the Chinese Historical Wrongs Legacy Initiative, we’ve digitized a small selection of inquests and inquiries from 1872 to 1934, found in series GR-0431. These were chosen to reflect the experiences of early Chinese immigrants to B.C. – their living and working conditions, and their unfortunate accidental or unusual deaths.   They range from a woman working in a brothel in Barkerville who died of natural causes to three sawmill workers who died from malnutrition. Learn more.

*All transcriptions are provided by volunteers, and the accuracy of the transcriptions is not guaranteed. Please be sure to verify the information by viewing the image record, or visiting the BC Archives in person. 

BC Archives GR-0431

*Please note that archival source materials are original historical documents that have not been censored, reviewed or otherwise altered by the Royal BC Museum. Some materials may contain content that is racist, sexist or otherwise offensive. The Royal BC Museum is only the custodian of archival materials; the content does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Royal BC Museum.

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is a likelihood that it would cause it. It is possible that that glass might have been lifted to one side, and the head of the light broke the glass

J: There would be something to cause the flame? A: There would be the light inside to cause the flame. You light that lamp and tilt it to one side and leave it there the glass will break.

J: Then about the other lamp "B"? A: This lamp M Matthews and I found at No 5 stall

J: Could you find any other portion of it?

A: No, sir.

J: Then about the other lamp, "C"? A: This lamp belongs to the man we last found, that was on the 22nd. I have seen this lamp in town today. There is nothing the matter with the gauge, and I don't think it had anything to do with the explosion

J: Was this last lamp found where the cave in was? A: Yes.

J: When did you find these other lamps, "a" & "B"? A: The first day we went in to clean up the cave, cleaning the [back?] to get the cave in, and we [got?] that lamp "a" [just?] into where the man was found, at No 6. This lamp "B" we found in No 5 stall, about seven an 8 yards from the [face?]. I don't think this had the first thing to do with the explosion at al, for this reason: had it been possible for that lamp to have caused the explosion it would have been more violent than it was, because the other lamp would have been [?] by that time, and the explosion would have been more [terrific?] than it was.

J: Did you see the Chinaman that was taken from under the cave? A: Yes, sir.

J: Was he burnt? A: That I couldn't say. He was so dirty and so black that I couldn't see whether he was burnt.

BC Archives GR-0431 / BRITISH COLUMBIA. ATTORNEY GENERAL. / Box 6 File 3 / Inquisitions/inquests conducted by coroners in British Columbia.

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