MADERA   MERCURY Madera, Madera County, California Saturday, April 26, 1902 Reprinted in Madera Mercury weekly on May 3, 1902. DIED OF ALCOHOLISM. _________ Yee Chung, a Well-Known Chinese, Died Rather Suddenly _________    Yee Chung, a well-known Chinese who has lived in this county for many years, died yesterday afternoon between the hours of 3 and 4 o'clock.  He had been sick since the night before only and his death was rather sudden, as Thursday he was down town and appeared to be in his usual good spirits.  Death was due to excessive drinking, for the Chinese has been on a still drunk for the last two years, as the evidence of witnesses at the inquest went to show.     Dr. Byars was summoned yesterday afternoon to wait on Yee Chung, but when he got to the Dorn orchard, which the Chinaman was rented for several years, he found Chung unconscious.  Shortly after the doctor arrived the Chinaman died.     Coroner Jay went to the ranch today to hold an inquest.  He found the body laid out on the floor dressed for burial, and on a mat beside it was the stricken wife and seven children, the oldest only thirteen years of age.  They were shrieking and moaning, and the appearance of the coroner caused them to shriek louder, for they feared he would dissect the body.     A jury was sworn in and the testimony of several white men and Chinese taken.  Mrs Chung stated that her husband came back from Fresno last Thursday and went to the ranch.  He was then under the influence of liquor, and after remaining at the house for a short time went back to town, returning at about 6 o'clock.  He was pretty drunk, and a few hours later when getting into bed he fell to the floor.  His wife became alarmed, and he told her not to fear, that he was not going to die.  These were the last words he spoke, for he never regained consciousness.     W. Weakley, Joe Osborn and Clarence Osborn testified that the deceased had been drinking heavily for the past two years.     The jury returned a verdict of death from excessive drinking.    Yee Chung was 58 years old.  For many years he kept a store at Borden, but of late years he has been in the fruit business.  He was regarded as one of the "whitest" Chinaman that ever lived and had the respect of all those who knew him.  His funeral will take place on Sunday and the internment will be at Borden.  The funeral will leave the ranch house at 9:30 a.m. _________ Yee Chung's Funeral From Monday's Daily,     The funeral of Yee Chung, the well-known Chinese fruit raiser, took place yesterday morning from the residence at 9:30 0'clock and was attended by a large number of Chinese from the local Chinatown and several who came from Fresno to pay their last respects to the dead man.  There was the usual tom-tom music.  A number of white people who held Yee Chung in high esteem attended the funeral.  The internment was at Borden.  The usual offerings of chicken was in evidence. _________