The Thief Who Stopped for a Drink

Last Thursday, Wun Lung, a Chinese worker who had been sick at the mess house in Cosmopolis and was being cared for by others, announced his intention of going to Hoquiam, as he thought he was well enough to travel. Wun Lung had been looked after by Chin Pock, who for years has been in charge of the mess house of the Commercial Company. After Lung left, Chin Pock went into the room where he had been sick and, seeing a 25-cent piece on the floor, had his suspicions aroused. He instituted a search and found about $40 worth of clothes and eleven twenty-dollar gold pieces gone, as well as some silver. Chin notified Mr. White to telephone ahead to Hoquiam. Constable Billy Pearson got on Lung's track and captured him in South Aberdeen, where the man was waiting for the train to back down from Cosmopolis. Pearson was joined by Constable C. C. Cooper of Cosmopolis, and the two started back with the prisoner. On the way, the prisoner jumped off the sidewalk and began lapping water from a pool. The officers suspected a trick and prodded the pool, but found nothing. Upon reaching Cosmopolis, they searched the prisoner and found only clothes, two revolvers, and about $35. Local Chinese men then gathered and pressured the prisoner to return to the location; he eventually led them back to the pool, where he had hidden $220 in cash. Lung was held in default of bail to be tried at the next term of court in Montesano.