Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-03-23
Excitement among the Chinese in san
Ernnciann-T Tarrs hIn Cara m Ia Snr Nuiuaa

Excitement among the Chinese in Ban
Francisco-Terrible Scramble for Wives.
A San Francisco correspondent OF
February 23d says it has been well under.
stood among Chinese circles for week
or two past that the China steamer which
arrived yesterday would bring large
shipment of Chinese women, and in con-
sequence great excitement existed among
that Interesting portion of our commu-
nifty. Every Chinamsn considered him.
| self entitled to wife, and determined to
| obtain her ct whatever cost. Word was
brought to Chief Crowley that parties
were arming themselves and threatening
to enforce their rights by the arbi.rament
of cleavers, iron. bars and revolvers
With his usual energy he at once detailed
a large force and sent them to the dock
of the Mail Company TO prevent riot
When the steamer was coming up the
harbor the news spread like wild fire
through the Chinese quarter, and at once
crowds of their people started for the
landing. Every possible means of con-
veyance was in demand. The high.toned
merchants and head men, who were de-
termined to prevent their copntrywomen
from falling into the hands of their breth-
rem of a lower caste, provided themselves
with passes to the dock, and went in hacks
and on the street cars, while hundreds of
women with umbrellas spread over their
heads crowded into express and baggage
wagons, and the regular pirates or
ssnpans, as they are called in China, har
ried to the place on foot. AT least fifteen
L.. ~ 4 lal kof
the steamer came in sight Beyond their
internal promiscuous jsbber, the crowd
was quiet until the steamer came to her
dock. As none but the merchants and
the head men who had passes were
allowed inside the gates, the rest crowded
up to the gates or dispersed along the
wharves, lining them away down to Main
street. As soon as the officers commenced
landing the women from the steerage the
excitement became intense, and it re-
quired large force to prevent them from
breaking down the gates. One China
man made an assault upon au officer,
giving him blow in the face that brought
him to the ground. All the boats in the
vicinity were engaged at high prices by
the parties to be rowed TO the side of the
steamer, hoping by that means to get
access to the women, and it required
strong measures TO prevent their board
ing the vessel After the boats were
engaged, terrible fight commenced as
to who should occupy them, and many
who had paid their passage were threst
back into the crowd and their place taken
by one who did not scruple to take a
sail at another's expense. While
this confusion on the outside was
going on, the women were landed, to the
number of 800, placed in half dozen
rows. The examination by the Custom
House officers (most of them young meD)
was exceedingly interesting. Large
quantities of opium were discovered on
their persons, slowed away in different |
places. When the search was completed,
they were slowed away in large express
wagons, and conveyed to such places as
the merchants and head men directed.
An officer was placed in front, two on
each side and one behind on each wagon,
each armed with a heavy club, to beat
off any love-smitten Oriental who might
try to board it. 1t was an amusing
sight to see these wagons going up the
hill from the dock at full speed, the
officers swinging their clubs at the hun
dreds of men who followed, jabbering
their disappointment at the top of their
lungs. By five o'clock the women were
safely slowed away, and under the strong
protection of the merchants and head
men, who will probably re-ship them to
China by the next steamer, or send them
over as servants in American families.