The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-02
JOHN AND MRS. JOHN.
Importation of n Herd Of Chinese Women
scenes AT the Wbarf-A HeNoiting PrnctIce.

~
The San Francisco Bulletin OF the 23d ult has the
following agreeable narrative:-
AT o'clock A. NJ. yesterday the steamer from
China and Japan came up the harbOr As soon as
she came in sight there was a general excitement
and stampede in the Chinese quarters Men and
women piled into hacks express wagons, cars,
and all went hurrying to the landing place, corner
OF First and BranIan streets. Many special and
regular policemen and officers OF the Society Tor
the Protection of Chinese were with them, and
before the steamer had reached her mOOrlngs q
crowd of about 200 people whites and Asiatics mad
assembled in front Of the gates. Only such men as
showed passes or had some business on the wharf
We're allowed to pass the gates; but Whenever the
door was opened there was Il rush for II from all
Sides which the keepers could hardly withstand,
and TO keep the anxious ones back rosewood Gibbs
were used with great freedom and stunning effect.
On the wharf, about half way down from The gates,
rope was drawn across, and beyond that none but
officers Custom House Inspectors, and the 'clcct"
Of the Celestial crowd were allowed 10 go. AS
as the steamers planks were down, the Cinnamon
began to come OF and deposit their luggage on the
wharf,
An exciting scene opened when the Inspectors OF
Customs commenced operations on the luggage,
looking for contraband OPIUM silS etc. Each mans
property was gone through by them, ana with
rapidty and recklessness winch evidently bcwil-
dered the Cinnamon. Much OF the baggage was
broken needlessly. Valuable camphOr wood chests
were Kicked open, even while owners were reaching
for the keys. Carpe-bags were torn open, and their
contents scattered on the ground, frequently when
there was no opium III them. Some of the people
also were roughly handled, particularly where traces
of opium were discovered.
one man made his appearance ami was walking
very coolly away. An onicer thought his clothing
was too heavy, and that he had on too many coats.
He therefore stopped him, took out his knife and
sashed into the garments, much To the astonish-
ment Of the Celestial. He had five or siN coats on,
and in one of them was quilted several large pack
ages of opium. The Inspector cut away with his
knife till the fellow was nearly dsrOhel, ami he had
obtained for his labor about four pounds OF the drug
Others bored into Shoes and in many instances the
bit brought from the centre Of the sOes the flavor OF
the hidden sOporific In several instances thin pachcs
OF the stun Were found stuck on the inside soes of
shoes, at the instep one man had long, richly EN-
broid"red pillow under his arm. lie carried other
bedding, and his evident solictude for the safety OF
the pillow drew attentlon and excited suspicion. An
inspector went Tor H. Inc Cnnallan gave grlut OF
despair as the relentless knife ripped open the pill
low and revealed IL large quantity OF opium. 1t
also found III tfnk panels and false bottoms OF
boxes, i'll bits OF confectionery aud cakes. number
OF large cylindrical +focks OF granite, apparently
perfectly solid, attracted attention, aud several OF
them, after being subjected to the closest scrutiny,
were passed, and finally only five ur six Were left on
the wharf. An officer Thought he could observe u
difference i'll the quality of the granite at each end uf
| the blocks lie took a hammer aud pounded on the
end OF a block, but without effect He turned it over
and struck the other end several heavy blows, when,
to tile surprise of every one present. the false granite
crumbled, and it was found that several pounds Of
| opium We're packed in square hole or chamber in
! the centre. This had been closed with granite ce-
| ment SO closely resembling the main part that a
casual observer would fail TO discover the difference
between them The officers ofthe Society To Protect
Chinese were on hand, and their presence ana
sonal rebukes operated as wholesome checks on the
useless and illegal destruction OF property.
| A remarkable spectacle was the landing OF the
| women and girls of whom there were 240 on board.
IL was like landing drove Of sheep or cows. AZ all
| points of the compass were men 10 drive them, and
they came of the boat in squads OF fifteen or twenty
at a time. The policemen and Chinese "bosses" kept
each squad together, and drove the entire crowd
into corner under the shed and there they STOOD
watched as closely as ever was guarded gang Oi
| slaves in the South. II a China-wOman resident
here approached too near the prizes, she seized
and pushed away and II any of the newcomers left
the crowd she was driven back or seized by the back
| Of the neck and showed TO her place again.
Near this multitude is an office in which white
woman il stationed, and whose busines is To search
the females for opium The door is shut and the
window shades Kept dowr close, 80 she examination
is conducted secretly. Police officers ut the door
| mark on, with motions of their clubs, sis OF the
women at n time. These were let In, Searched, sent
up, driven into another corner and another squad
| would go in This continued TILL every woman was
| searched. 1t IL seldom any opium Is found In the
| possession Of these poor Wretcles Most Of those
| who come are young girls many OF them not over
twelve or thirteen years of age ana niBe-lenths al
| least are for purposes Of prostitution.
| This business Of importing Chinese women has
| been reduced TO system. Seven or eight ears
(extras) OF the Omnibus line reserved for the
| transportation OF the women 10 the Chinese quar-
ters Into these the creatures driven by squads
| under the guardianship OF policemen and hauled 70
| point on jackson street above Dupont There was
| another immense multitude OF Chinamen all evi-
IDENTIFY laboring under much mental excitement. The
women then ran the gauntlet again. The alley,
| whichis one OF the narowest and nthy IN the city
| was lined with Cinnamon and women. The stran.
gers were driven through it and up some rckety old
steps leading TO the Dupont Street Theatre and into
the pit OF that wretched place they were again
herded Here, TOO, was guard OF officers obliged tC
protect the Infamous tralfickers in humanity
obliged to stand by aud keep the peace and tha
bad Cinnamon do not kidnap women. on the stag
were eight or ten men1tne meanesI,iooking fellow
woman who Kept Jabbering away at the women
| Here these slayes-sayes TO the most unprnciped
immoral, and cruel OF owners-are assorted, marked
over and sent to the ''siX companes TO which the!
are consigned. This operation had not Been com
menced when We left the place.
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