men playing pool, hit one of them agency in the area. with a cue stick, and was promptly In the meantime the shot at by the other pool player. He riot became worse, missed, but word quickly spread as one of the Chinese that a Chinaman had killed a white was lynched. Cook man. A large crowd gathered with gathered 15 of his own the intent to destroy the Chinese, men, and ten others along with all their possessions. that he knew were tough The eight policemen on duty were gunfighters. By this time unable to control the crowd, even there were 2000 rioters, “The Anti-Chinese riot in with the help of fire hoses. The destroying the Chinese November of 1880 is quite a riot continued into the night. At laundries. Cook and his men story. Denver had a secthe time, the police were without arrested nine men trying to tion of town, populated by a Chief. The City Council held an torch one of the buildings. Chinese laborers, known emergency meeting and appoint- When the crowd attempted as “Hop Alley”. The name ed Dave Cook as Acting Chief. to free them, Cook instructed was in reference to the Cook had previously been City his men to fire into the ground, widespread use of opium Marshal and was widely known then aim the smoking muzzles of amongst the “Celestials” for his bravery and intelligence. their guns into the rioters faces. as some people referred to He was currently the head of That ploy worked well as the mob the Chinese at that time. A the Rocky Mountain Detective backed off. Between Cook’s men, group of railroad laborers Association, which was widely the police and sheriff’s departments, entered a bar in the area respected throughout the and 125 special officers, the city was and confronted two Chinese west as the premier detective quiet by morning.”
There is a plaque that describes this event in a bit more accuracy which currently hung in Lower Downtown Denver. The following text is from the plaque and is taken from A Brief History of the Denver Police:
The Riot
picture: Denver’s current landmark plaque in Lower Downtown part of a historical walking tour.
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