Wong Kong Ying et al
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.
*Please note that archival source materials are original historical documents that have not been censored, reviewed or otherwise altered by the Royal BC Museum.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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A. Colquohn.
Q. 328 Had you seen him down at the camp at all?
A. Yes.
Q. 329 Do you remember when?
A. I seen him two times down at the camp. He was up there about a month after I came up.
Q. 330 When was he down there last before you left? How long before you left?
A. I think a month and a half anyway.
Q. 331 Was anything ever said to him about food supplies that you know of by you or any of the other men? Any complaint made as to shortage of food?
A. I told him. I phoned him up. I phoned him from Sechart. I didn't phone him. I phoned the fellow in his office.
Q. 332 Do you know the name of the party you spoke to?
A. I cannot think of his name now.
Q. 333 You paid for a long distance call?
A. No, I didn't pay for it.
Q. 334 Well Colquohn was supposed to have paid for it. There will be a record on that date in the office. What did you tell that man?
A. I told him we didn't have anything to eat in the Camp and he would have to send some grub; the fellow in the office said all we had to do was to go ahead and work, we had plenty of food. I said there was nothing in camp and I want some money to get out. The fellow in the office got kind of excited, so we was talking about a scow of supplies; he send a scow of supplies the next day; send grub and some more Chinamen; so I said I guess it is all b s (?); that scow should have been up here three months ago. He said there is a fellow in there; he said you can talk to the skipper, he is in the office now; that was the skipper coming up from Vancouver with his scow and two more Chinamen. So I figured it was all b s (?); said that a good many times; so I told him if we didn't get any grub now we would get out of the camp somehow or other; he said he couldn't do anything; all we had to do was to go ahead and work.
Q.335 After that phone message did some food arrive?
BC Archives GR-0431 BRITISH COLUMBIA. ATTORNEY GENERAL.
Box 13 File 6 Inquisitions/inquests conducted by coroners in British Columbia.