Hells Canyon massacre of Chinese miners
- When
- 1887–1891
- Where
- Deep Creek Cove; Wallowa County
- Episodes
- 3
In May 1887, a gang of white horsemen ambushed and murdered up to 34 Chinese gold miners in Hells Canyon, Oregon. The victims, employees of the Sam Yup Company, were robbed and mutilated. The brutality of the Snake River atrocity was exceptional in anti-Chinese violence. Initial investigations blamed rival Chinese miners, but later confessions identified the white gang. Despite indictments, no perpetrators were held accountable.
Episodes
- Second Ambush and Body Recovery
The gang killed eight more miners who returned to camp, throwing bodies into the Snake River. Lee She's group discovered the carnage in June.
- Initial Investigation and Confessions
Initial investigations blamed rival Chinese miners. Frank Vaughn confessed in 1888, leading to indictments. Robert McMillan made a deathbed confession in 1891.
- Trial and Acquittal
Gang members were arraigned in August 1888 and acquitted in September 1888. No one was held accountable.
Background and detail
Background. Two groups of Chinese miners departed Lewiston in October 1886 to search for gold in Hells Canyon. Chea Po's group camped near Robinson Gulch. A gang led by Bruce Evans used an abandoned cabin downstream. In late May 1887, this gang robbed, murdered, and mutilated Chinese employees of the Sam Yup Company. The site was later renamed Chinese Massacre Cove in 2005.
Investigation and Confessions. Initial reports in July 1887 blamed rival Chinese miners. However, Robert McMillan made a deathbed confession in 1891. Frank Vaughn confessed in 1888, leading to the indictment of six gang members. The gang returned to the cabin, restocked ammunition, and killed additional miners who returned to the camp. Bodies washed ashore downstream.
Legal Outcome. The gang members were arraigned in August 1888 and pleaded not guilty. A jury found three men not guilty in September 1888. Only 10 bodies were identified in February 1888. No one was held accountable for the massacre. Documents relating to the trial were discovered in 1995.
People involved
- Bruce Evans · Gang leader
- Chea Po · Chinese miner group leader
- Lee She · Chinese miner group leader
- Robert McMillan · Gang member
- Frank Vaughn · Gang member
- George S. Craig · Cabin owner
Sources
- Chinese Massacre Cove Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-29
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.