Crimes of passion are not something new, and they happened in the early Goldfields days just as they do today, but the town of Kanowna seems to have had more than its fair share in its short history.
The following three stories. Sadly there are no photographs of any of the people in these dramas.
Sketch of Japanese girl by Mariusz Szmerdt
Sono Sakamoto – Sono was a young woman aged 25yrs. Her short life was made sadder by the death of her little girl just over two years before her own death.
Sono’s child – CHOMATS Mesayo (female) — 3 ½ mths, d 2 Sep 1900, died at Isabella St, South, Kanowna, Cause: Gastro Enteritis and Convulsions, Father: Joseph CHOMATS AKA Chamatsu Yabu (Tobacconist), Mother: Osono CHOMATS, Registered by father, Reg North East Coolgardie 37/1900, JAP, Buried Kanowna Cemetery.
It was said that the man who was named as the father of her child on the death certificate, Chamatsu Yabu, was actually her pimp and he was using her for the purposes of prostitution in Kalgoorlie. He said that he was her husband and he married her in Kanowna but by Japanese custom so there is no record. He may not have been the childs father but her birth and death were registered in his name. Sono’s friend or possible relative, an older man Jintiro ‘Joseph’ Yano (49yrs), lived in Kanowna and it was at his house in Isabella Street that Sono’s baby girl died which is probably why she is buried at Kanowna. In December of 1902 things in Kalgoorlie became intolerable for Sono as Yabu was said to have a violent temper and she fled to the house in Kanowna.
Temora Star NSW 13 December 1902, page 3
Tragedy at Kanowna.
A shocking tragedy took place in Kanowna WA on Wednesday evening. Shortly after 6 p.m. on Wednesday, a Japanese man Yabu arrived at the house occupied by another Japanese man named Yano, and a woman, Sono, and shot both of them dead. Yabu then made off on foot in the direction of Kalgoorlie. He was arrested early the following morning after exchanging several revolver shots with the police. Two of the shots fired by the latter, struck Yabu in the shoulder and back of the head, inflicting injuries of such a serious nature as to necessitate his removal to the hospital.
Joseph Choamts (Yabu) ordered Sono to return to Kalgoorlie and to carry on working for him. When she refused, he came to Kanowna to bring her back and proceeded to the house of Yano, he shot them both to death in cold blood, first Yano and then Sono. After the murders, Joseph escaped into the bush in the direction of Kalgoorlie. The police had been informed by wire and were looking out for him.
Evening Star 11 December 1902, page 3
THE MURDERER STILL ALIVE
Recovers Consciousness and
Asks Whether Victims are Dead.
The tragedy at Kanowna yesterday in which Yabu was the chief actor, seems to have had its origin grounded in jealousy. After Yabu had killed Yano and the woman Sono, he fled to the bush and the local police failed to trace him, as also did the four constables who left Kalgoorlie in search of him. The fears of the Japanese people of Kalgoorlie that he would return, and do some fell mischief appeared to be well grounded.
At about 1. o’clock this morning, Constable J.P. Brown saw Yabu running along Cassidy street. Brown challenged him, and several shots were exchanged, with the result that, Yabu fell. He was wounded in the shoulder and the back of the head which made a nasty scalp wound. Dr Hill was not long in answering the summons from the police, and after a hasty examination, Yabu was removed to the Government Hospital, where he is kept under watch.
About 20 revolver cartridges were found in his pocket, and the revolver with which he fired at the constable was found lying near him. When the murderer and the woman Sano had appeared in court the previous week, it was shown clearly that the former was possessed of an ungovernable temper. Many of the Japanese community greatly feared him and a goodly number cherished a deadly hatred towards him.
On the following morning, he was quite rational and in conversation with a policeman, who has him under surveillance, he asked if Yano and Sono were alive or dead. Yabu was charged with double murder and his case was heard in court in Kalgoorlie, he was found guilty of wilful murder and sentenced to death. The sentence was eventually commuted to life with hard labour. The accused said he would rather hang.
Grave of Sono Sakamoto, Kanowna Cemetery Japanese section – Photo Moya Sharp
The headstone and grave surrounding for Sono, Yano and Sonos’s child are quite ornate, so someone must have paid for these to be erected after their deaths. A cousin of Jintiro ‘Joseph’ Yano, Yosiro Yano, who also knew Sono, gave evidence against Chamatsu Yabu at his trial, he also identified the two dead bodies, so it is possible he could have been the one to have to provide the memorials and the elaborate inscriptions in Japanese. It is hoped that once these headstones are restored it will be possible to translate the inscriptions.
A Japanese man, Mukai SEYOKICHI, aged 21yrs murdered Matsuwe OTANO aged 21yrs on the 1st of September 1898 at a house of ill fame in Moore Street, Kanowna. The murdered woman shared the house with another Japanese woman called Osuge Enowna. She said that Matsuwe was Mukai’s ‘Lady Love’. Mukai was employed as a cook in a Kalgoorlie at his parents restaurant and visited Matsuwe about once a week. On this evening he arrived in Kanowna on the last train and stayed the night. The next morning he tried to persuade Matsuwe to return to Kalgoorlie and live with him. Osuge went next door to allow them to talk the matter over, she had only been gone a few minutes when she heard shots fired.
The Esperance Chronicle 3 September 1898, page 3
Maitland Weekly Mercury 3 September 1898, page 3
Murder and Suicide at Kanowna.
A fearful tragedy occurred at Kanowna, W.A., on Wednesday in a house occupied by a Japanese. Shortly after midday shots were heard emanating from the place, and on the bearers going to investigate it was found that the front and back doors were locked. The latter was burst in, and on entering the bedroom in the house a terrible sight was disclosed. Huddled up between the bed and on a box was the dead body of a Japanese woman, and lying near the foot of the bed was a Japanese man with blood pouring from wounds on either side of the head and with blood oozing from his mouth. He was alive but unconscious. The doctor said he could not possibly live. The man was removed to the hospital and died half an hour after admission.
OTANO Matsuwe — 21yrs, d 31 Aug 1898, at Golconda St, Kanowna, Occ: Tobacconist/Laundress, Cause: Willfully murdered by Mukai SEYOKICHI, Father: KUITARO, Mother OTANU, Born: Shimabara, Nagasaki, Japan, in WA 1 ½ yrs, Single, Registered by Hosokana (Friend), Reg North East Coolgardie 51/1898, WES, Buried Kanowna Cemetery.
SEYOKICHI Mukai — 21yrs, (male) d 31 Aug 1898, at Golconda St, Kanowna, Occ: Cook, Cause: Suicide from revolver shot, Verdict of the Coroner, Father: Sachibai SEYOKICHI (Merchant), Mother: FUSANO (first name not known), Born: Taigi, Wakayama, Japan, In WA about 3yrs, Single, Reg North East Coolgardie 50/1898, JAP, Buried Kanowna Cemetery.
LANZI Henry A Most Determined Suicide – Henri Lanzi, a Frenchman from Marseille, shot Josephine Leloup at Kanowna in 1900. He thought he had killed her so he slashed his arm and throat with a knife. When this was proving too slow a death for him he shot himself three times in the head before he finally died. However, Josephine was not dead and eventually survived the attack.
Murchison Times and Day Dawn Gazette 27 September 1900, page 2
Western Mail 29 September 1900, page 43
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY AT KANOWNA.
Another tragedy at Kanowna, occurred yesterday afternoon, when a Frenchman named Henri Lanzi cut the throat of a French girl called Josephine Leloup, and afterwards committed suicide by gashing his own throat, nearly severing the windpipe, with a razor. It appears that Lance, who was a prominent figure in the French immoral house prosecutions at Kalgoorlie some time since, and for whom the police have been searching, was arrested for vagrancy, and liberated on bail yesterday.
He had apparently conceived the idea that the girl Leloup had given information to the police of his whereabouts. On being released from custody he proceeded by train to Kanowna and accused the woman of doing so. An altercation followed, and Lance drawing a razor inflicted two large gashes on the woman’s throat and arm. Evidently, under the impression that he had taken her life, he drew the razor across his own throat. Some neighbours, who were attracted by the disturbance, entered the house and found Lance lying on the floor dead. The woman, who was unconscious, and was bleeding profusely, was removed to the hospital and is now lying in a dangerous condition.
LANZI or LANZE Henri — c 51yrs, d 25 Sep 1900, at Lot 40 Wills St, Kanowna, Occ: Baker, Cause: Suicide, the effects of wounds self-inflicted, Verdict of the Coroner, Parents Unknown, Born: Marseille, Single, France, Reg North East Coolgardie 41/1900, Buried Kanowna Cemetery. He has no headstone.
NOTE: Josephine was to marry Quintin C A THOMAS in Perth WA in 1906.
Moya Sharp
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So much tragedy in Kanowna…..enjoyed reading.
Your work is much appreciated. Historically, I have no personal connection to Eastern goldfields, save for living and working there for a few years in ’70’s and early 2000’s. I do however have a keen interest in history and the many old cemeteries in the region, and have carried out some small-scale research in other parts of Australia. Now well in my 70’s and living overseas, I just recently discovered your pages and look forward to the opportunity to learn much from the work you undertake.
Hi Olli glad you find the stories interesting.