: a
id ‘
next morning and Reno Authorities, notified by the Sheriff of Mineral
County, promptly took both Gee Jon and Hughie Sing into custody. Sing
evidently thought that he would be released if he confessed and he
told the story of the assassination without any prompting. When he,
too, was charged with the murder, he recanted his confession, Both
men were tried, convicted and sentenced to be executed in the gas cham
ber which had recénsly been designated the State's means of legal of
execution. A long legal battle was fought through various courts in
which a sentral feature was whether death by asphyxiation was "cruel
and inhumane punishment" or not. After all judicial postponements
had been exhausted, appeals were made before the State Pardons Board
for both men and while they commuted Hughie Sing's sentence to life
imprisonment because of his youth and the fact that he had not fired
the fatal shot, they refused. to intervene in Gee Jonts case and he K#S
became the first person in History to-be legally executed by lethal
gas when he was asphyxiated at the Nevada State Prison on Hep, 0. 192i.
He fasted for ten days before his execution, but broke his fast on the
morning of his death when he ate breakfast. When he was seated in the
death chamber, he wept until the gaS but five seconds afterwards
a
appeared to be unconscious, A doctor from the Vers Veterans' Bureau _
-in-Reno-believed that he could be revived by an injection of camphor,
but the warden refused to allow any experiments and he was promptly
ba dy
¢ BS.
next morning and Reno Authorities, notified by the Sheriff of Mineral
County, promptly took both Gee Jon and Hughie Sing into custody. Sing
evidently thought that he would be released if he confessed and he
told the story of the assassination without any prompting. When he,
too, was charged with the murder, he recanted his confession. Both
men were tried, convicted and sentenced to be executed in the gas cham-
ber which had rectnbly been designated the State's means of iegal of
execution, A long legal battle was fought through various courts in
which a sentral feature was whether death by asphyxiation was "cruel
and inhumane punishment" or not. After all judicial postponements
had been exhausted, appeals were made before the State Pardons Board
for both men and while they commited Hughie Sing's sentence to life
imprisonment because of his youth and the fact that he had not fired
the fatal shot, they refused. to intervene in Gee Jon's case and he ¥kE
became the first person in History to-be legally executed by lethal
gas when he was asphyxiated at the Nevada State Prison on Feb, 85,1921),
He fasted for ten days before his execution, but broke his fast on the
morning of his death when he ate breakfast, When he was seated in the
death chamber, he wept until the gas but five seconds afterwards
appeared to be unconscious, A doctor from the U. S. Veterans! Bureau
}in-Reno-believed that he could be revived by a1 1 injection of camphor,
but the warden refused to allow any experiments and he was promptly
© res
ext morning and Reno Authorities, notified by the Sheriff of Mineral
County, promptly took both Gee Jon and Hughie Sing into custody. Sing
evidently thought that he would be released if he confessed and he
told the story of the assassination without any prompting. When he,
too, was charged with the mrder, he recanted his confession. Both
mon were tried, convicted and sentenced to be executed in the gas cham.
ber which had rectnbly been designated the State's means of legal of
executi A long ‘legal battle was fought through various courts in
which a gentral feature was whether death by asphyxiation was "crueb
and inhumane punisiment" or not. After all judicial postponanents
had been exhausted, appeals were made before the State Pardons Board
for both men and while they commuted Hughie Sing's sentence to life
imprisonment because of his youth and the fact that he had not fired
al
192h,.|
He fasted for ten days before his execution, but broke his fast on the
morning of his death when he ate breakfast, When he was seated in the
death chamber, he wept until the gas but five seconds afterwards
appeared to be unconscious, A doctor fron the U. S, Veterans’ Bireay
er lieved that he could be revived by an injection of camphor, |
but tho warden refused to allow any experiments and he was pronptly|
-
GHEE JON -. Continued
Without an autopsy and without the services of an undetaker,.in the
prison grave yard,
"Example for the Nation: Nevada's Execution of Gee. Jon" by Loren B,
Ch VATE TOTP ‘lbs ghenitt sa} br ts! aoe i ee ioehy of af te
oan NSVADA HISTORICAL SOCIETY QUARTERLY, XVIII, No. 2, (Summer,
1975). Page 90-106 : .
Lhe
GEE JON - Continued
Without an autopsy and without the services of an undetaker,.
prison grave yard,
dats Execu tion of Gee. Jon" by Loren B,
Y QUARTERLY, XVIII, No. 2, (Sumner,
"ixample for the Nation: Neva
Chan, NEVADA HISTORICAL SOCIE
1975). Page 90-106
Li EVe ae a.
3H JON - Con!
Without an autopsy and with
prison grave
tion of Gee Jon"
XVIII, N
wn PEI ae
ee Jo ere eae:
See Safakis' ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN CRIME (My library) p 377.
Gee Jon, @ 29-year-old native of Canton, China, emigrated to the
United States around 1907 or 1908 ana settled at San Francisco where
he lived in the China Town section and confined his activites there
to such an extent that he never learned to Speak Unglish, When the
Tong War broke out ih 1921 between the Hip Sing Tong and the Suey
Sing and Bing Kung Tongs, Gee Jon, an active Hip Singer, became one
of the active Tong assassins for his groupe In August, 1921, he was
dispatched to Reno, Nev., to kill 7h=year-old Tom Quong Kee, a XFKX
Th=pear~old laundryman and member of the Bing Kung Tong who lived at
Mina, Mineral Co. Gee Jon and 19-year-old Hughie Sing, a native of
Reno who had, at one time, lived with Tom Quong Kee but was then 2
new member of the Hip Sing Tong went to Mina and were there for .
Several days. On one occasions, another Chinaman pointed them out to
a Deputy Sheriff and told him that they were there to kill Bom Quong
Kee.. The sheriff questioned them and they said.that they were in
Mine seeking work and, as they had committed no crime, there was
nothing that the officer could do. late on the evening of Aug. 27;
1921, they went to their victim's cabin and knocked on the rear
door. When Tom Quong Kee who had been Sleeping opened the ge oe
Jon whot him twice through the heart, ‘The body was discovered the
Cora PE aw hg koa
See Safakis' ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN CRIME (My library) p 377.
Gee Jon, a 29-year-old native of Canton, China, emigrated to the
United States around 1907 or 1908 and settled at San Francisco where
he lived in the China Town section and confined his activithes there
to such ‘an extent that he never learned to speak English, When the
Tong War broke out ih 1921 between the Hip Sing Tong and the Suey
Sing and Bing Kung Tongs 9 Gee Jon, an active Hip Singer, became one
of the active Tong assassins for his groupe In August, 1921, he was
dispatched to Reno, Nev., to kill 7h-year-old Ton Quong Kee, a XXKK
Th-pear~old laundryman and member of the Bing Kung Tong who lived at
Mina, Mineral Co. Gee Jon and 19-year-old Hughie Sing, a native of
Reno who had, at one time, lived with Tom Quong Kee but was then a
new member of the Hip Sing Tong went to Mina and were there for
several days, On one occasions, another Chinaman pointed them out to
a Deputy Sheriff and told him that they were there to kill Bom Quong
Kee.. The sheriff questioned them and they said.that they were in
Mine seeking work and » 48 they had committed no crime y there was
nothing that the officer céuld do. late on the evening of Aug. 27,
1921, they went to their victim's cabin and knocked on the rear
door. When Tom Quong Kee who had been sleeping opened the pote Gee
Jon whot him twice through the heart. ‘The body was discovered the
Gee JON es Pe sas
See Safakis' ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ae ce Ooi ae P 377.
Gee Jon, 2 29 year-old mative 0
irtaes es
fe ae English, when the
ip Sing Tong and the Suey
‘ang Tongs, Gee Jon, an active Hip Singer, became one
ot ene active Tong assassins for his group, In August, 1921, he was
Gispatched to Rono, Nev., to kill 7h. ee Tom Quong Kee
Ths oe ar-old laundryman and member of thi Bing Kung Tong tho lived at
eral Cos Gee Jon and Deer aed Sing, a native of
eon had, at one time, lived with Tom Quong Kee but was then a
new menber of the Hip Sing jong went to Mina “and were there for
Several days. On one occasions, another Chinaman pointed them out
8 Deputy Sheriff and told him that they were Pinsits Kil] Bon
loned them and ‘thoy said that they were in
Mina secking work may as they had comnitted no crime, there was
nothing that the officer céuld do. late on the evening of Auge 274
1921, they yawent to their victim's cabin and Imocked on the
door. Tom Cuong Kee who had been sleeping opened the doo ry Gee
mice through the heart," The Cody was discovered
2
ong
Tar” RUS Pah anes”
