19 January 1931 Tonawanda News
Chinaman Takes Own Life After Pet Canary’s Death
Chicago, Jan. 9 (U.P.) – The American folk in the neighborhood of 216 West 22d street always considered Honk Ming Lak, the Chinese grocer, as peculiar.
Some of them called him “a nut.”
Hong Ming, who was 65, lived in the rear of his store, which he kept open Sundays and nights, but didn’t always tend his business closely. Sometimes he sat for hours just looking at a flower.
His only pet and companion was a canary. In the summertime he took it for walks. Sometimes he walked slowly along, carrying the bird cage, the canary would sing. He stopped to listed until it stopped.
Last week a customer noticed that Hong Ming Lak’s canary was moulting. Then it refused food. Hong Ming Lak was seen burning joss sticks before his little Buddha. Offerings of wine and nuts were placed before the idol.
The same customer went to the grocery yesterday. He couldn’t get in. It was unusual. He called police who broke down the door.
The bird cage sat on a stand at the head of Hon Ming’s bed. The canary was dead.
Hong Ming Lak appeared to be asleep. The officers shook him. He was cold and rigid. They lifted his mandarin jacket. Hong Ming Lak was dead, a bullet wound through his heart.