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*Please note that archival source materials are original historical documents that have not been censored, reviewed or otherwise altered by the Royal BC Museum.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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Q. 24 When you say on Thursday of last week one of the boys, one of the China boys came over, which one was it?
A. I believe it was Peter came down and told me.
Q. 25 Was there anything said to you when about anyone else being sick?
A. He said another fellow sick and probably wouldn't last out the day. I was going to bring four of the boys up on the following day is Mr. Condon hadn't made arrangements to bring them along. We have a kind of small gas-boat; cannot rely on getting out of there ever at rough weather. We have a gas-boat now - just lately.
Q. 26 You were informed on Thursday that another man was very sick?
A. Yes.
Q. 27 And wouldn't you have rather had the idea that this man had been pretty sick and you had better bring a doctor?
A. I figured on the Police being down there a little sooner than they were. Couldn't do much about it. I received a message from Alberni that they were coming down in the afternoon and it would have been a good idea for a doctor, but I had the idea of having them out of there.
Q. 28 Getting back to the food supplies for these particular boys, did you have anything to do with the ordering?
A. Not with the ordering.
Q. 29 Do you know how that was arranged?
A. The way? This King Faun was the boss of the Chinese up there. He used to send down to Hop Sang or Omar in Vancouver to take care of their grocery needs.
Q. 30 Did they always have food?
A. Never really out, although sometimes pretty low.
Q. 31 What did they generally have on their grocery list?
A. Rice.
Q. 32 What kind of rice?
A. Jap rice, very shiny, long; pork, cabbage, turnips, potatoes and other Chinese foods.
Q. 33 During the last four, five or six weeks had they had lots?
A. They haven't had the last two or three weeks
BC Archives GR-043 BRITISH COLUMBIA ATTORNEY GENERAL. Box 13 File 6 Inquisitions/inquests conducted by coroners in British Columbia.