Can You Solve a 120-Year-Old Murder in Billings’ Chinatown?

I've been on a bit of a Montana history kick lately. Last weekend, I got to check out Havre Beneath the Streets (photo gallery at the end of this article), and I recently read a fantastic book about the wild outlaw shenanigans that occurred in Eastern Montana. Read my review on the link below.

Read More: Eastern Montana Had the Wildest Outlaws

Now, I'm hoping to attend Histories Mysteries: A Murder in Chinatown, hosted by the Yellowstone Historical Society. It's October 10th from 10 am to 2 pm, and it's a self-guided car tour.

Attendees will visit five historical Chinese locations around Billings. There will be two knowledgeable historians at each stop, revealing fascinating details about Billings' Chinese immigrants and their roles in the community.

The tour will explore 50+ years of Chinese history in Billings, from roughly 1882 to 1940, including stops at the Chinese cemetery, a historic Chinese garden in Billings, the history of Billings' opium dens, and more.

One highlight of the tour includes the unsolved murder of Dong Quay. Her husband, Leung Tung, discovered her strangled body in his cabin on the Southside on the morning of February 25, 1904.

Naturally, Tung was questioned by authorities.

According to this archived Billings Gazette article, he cooperated fully with the inquiry, which the paper said "proved to be a tiresome affair" because three principal witnesses required translators. At the conclusion of Tung's testimony, "all who heard it were convinced of his innocence, and he was released."

Questions remained, however.

Blood on a doorknob and a fresh cut on Tung's finger raised eyebrows. A $300 reward for information regarding the death of Dong Quay was printed in the Midland Empire News shortly after the murder. $300 in 1904 is nearly $11,000 today.

The killer was never found, and the crime remains unsolved 120 years later. Guests at Histories Mysteries: A Murder in Chinatown are invited to help solve the crime.

You'll hear stories you've never heard before.

Experts in Montana Chinese history will be a part of the experience, including the keynote historian Mark Johnson, an associate professor with the University of Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education.

Born and raised in Great Falls, Johnson had an opportunity to teach in China for eight years, and during this time, he spent summers back in Montana, exploring the early connections between China and Big Sky Country. He's a treasure trove of Montana Chinese history.

You can get tickets for Histories Mysteries: A Murder in Chinatown at any 3G's convenience store for $20 per carload. Your ticket will reveal the starting location and all of the stops on the tour. Each stop will take approximately 20 minutes. Bring a lawn chair if you'd like.