Transcription Page

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*Please note that archival source materials are original historical documents that have not been censored, reviewed or otherwise altered by the Royal BC Museum.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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box of cigarettes

Q: Did you find anything else on that day? A: Some matches I found in a vest pocket; either a vest or a Jacket pocket that was hanging on the same road.

Q: To whom did the coat belong? A: To the party to whom the watch belonged.

Q: Did it appear to be the coat of a miner working? A: The coat of one of the fellows who worked in that place.

Q: Was that anywhere near the scene of the explosion? A: It was within two stall lengths of the explosion. Nearly 100 feet.

Q: Did you find any other portion of the lamp "B"? A: Not at that time. I think the day following we found the other portion of the lamp, a little down the roadway, opposite some rock work

Q: Was it broken? A: No, it was all right.

Q: Is it in court? A: It has disappeared someway.

Q: What condition was it in? A: It was all right; it had evidently been separated for a purpose

Q: From your examination. Mr. Falds[?], where in your opinion do you think the explosion occurred? A: In examining carefully, and tracing the evidence of the force, and the non-caking dust and caking dust deposits, I am of opinion, without any hesitation in saying that it occurred between the end of the branch road off No 6 roadway, and the branch road off No 7; the end of these two branches, between the two, in the neighbourhood of where the last Chinaman was working

Q: Did you see the bodies of the Chinaman taken out? A: Yes. I found the body first. It was burnt all over the exposed, the fleshy parts

Q: That was the last one taken out? A: The last I think his name was Mah Lee. I examined him carefully while the undertaker was putting him in the box.

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

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