San Quentin Prisoner Chun Sing
By Brian K. Crawford
Little is known about Chun Sing’s origins or motives. He was probably born in China sometime around 1857. In 1895 he was living in the small town of Lundy in Mono County. Lundy, at the west end of Lundy Lake, no longer exists, but at that time supplied wood for the nearby town of Bodie, now a ghost town. There was a small Chinese community in Lundy. There was apparently conflict between rival tongs, or companies, for control of gambling and prostitution revenues. It is most likely that Chun Sing was a highbinder, or enforcer, for one of these tongs. He was described as a large and powerful man.
Whatever his motive, on October 2nd, 1895 he arrived at his house armed with an axe and immediately attacked another man who lived at the house, Ah Fook. There was no prior discussion or argument, but Chun Sing’s assault was brutal and bloody. Ah Fook was hacked many times and collapsed to the floor. Ah Fook’s wife was present and she ran screaming from the house. Chun Sing pursued her, caught her, and hacked her to death, nearly beheading her. Her screams brought two other Chinese running to the scene: Charlie Tai and a woman who was never identified. Chun Sing killed them both, beheading the woman. The four attacks had taken no more than five minutes.
Amazingly, Ah Fook survived the brutal attack and could identify the killer. When the officers came for him, Chun Sing calmly washed the blood off his hands, then surrendered without resistance. He was taken to the Mono County jail in Bridgeport.
While in jail, he attacked his cellmate, a man named John Earl, but was restrained before he could kill him. On another occasion he attacked his jailer and nearly killed him. He was tried and on December 15, 1896, was found guilty of three counts of first degree murder. He was transported to San Quentin to be hanged.
In prison, he was taciturn and morose. He spoke to no one and never discussed the motive for his crimes.
William E. Hale had formerly been sheriff of Alameda County. In those days, the county sheriffs were required to attend all hangings in their county. Hale found the duty so distasteful that he championed a state law that required all executions be carried out at San Quentin. The law was passed, but Hale was appointed the Warden at San Quentin, with the responsibility of witnessing every hanging in California. Perhaps he was still averse to the duty, because he scheduled the hanging for a Wednesday when he would be out of town instead of the customary Friday for executions.
The San Francisco Call described the hanging:
Very few persons felt interest enough to attend the hanging, numbering not more than thirty, and they mostly sheriffs or connected officially with criminal law.
The condemned has been an Ishmael in the prison. He was sullen and morose. He would not talk, and was as quiet and indifferent to his surroundings as a man without environment. He would have nothing to do with priests or clergy, nothing to say to visitors or to his guards. Chinese had asked him who his friends at home were, that they might be informed of his fate, but he would not answer.
Warden Hale being absent from the prison, the execution was conducted by Captain Edgar, who read the death warrant to the condemned man in his cell at 9 o’clock this morning. He was then dressed for the scaffold and marched to it at 10:30 o’clock. On arriving at the trap, though his step was firm, he, after placing one foot on it, stopped. The guard behind him placed the other foot on for him, the noose was instantly adjusted, the trap fell and that was all. Just as he reached the scaffold he made an ejaculation, indistinct, but he appeared to be thanking the guards for their kindness to him. He died without a struggle, his neck having been broken. He fell at 10:31 and at 10:47 was pronounced dead and the body was removed.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Historian Brian K. Crawford’s profile of Chun Sing is part of a series inspired by an album of San Quentin State Prison mug shots from the collection of Daniel Sullivan. This album and other materials documenting San Quentin State Prison from circa 1880–1919, were donated by Daniel Sullivan’s grandson Wolly Middleton through the good graces of local philanthropist Jeff Craemer. Daniel Sullivan served for 40 years at San Quentin State Prison in the capacity of Guard, Captain of the Night Watch, Lieutenant of the Yard and ultimately Turn-key. On Sullivan’s retirement in 1919, The Daily News (San Francisco) published a series of articles profiling his career. Sullivan was highly respected not only by fellow prison staff but also by the prisoners under his care. More than once, Sullivan diffused a volatile situation because he had the trust of the prisoners. Notably, Sullivan came to staunchly oppose the death penalty having witnessed the humanity of prisoners, even among a population which included very violent offenders. The photograph album of mugshots is part of the California Room’s Digital Archive.
