Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-08-01
JOHN REBELS.
Chinese LabOrers fn Louisiana
Seize Curn-Wing. Contractor.

| NmtneSe IlWDOEefS LOuH$lHnn
Seize Cun-wing. Contractor.
From the New Orleans Times. Goth.
About half-past seven o'clock Sunday
evening, while Cum%ing, a Chinese mer-
chant and contractor doing business in
San Francisco, was seated on the gallery
of the overseer's house, at Mr.. Merrell' S
plantation, in the parish of Jefferson,
right bank, he was seized by crowd of
infuriated Chinese laborers, and borne
as a hostage to their quarters.
They refused to release him until q
large squad of metropolitan police were
sent to the spot and had arrested the
ringleaders. We learned, on visiting the
place, that a gang of one hundred and
forty-six, contracted for by Cum-wing in
San Francisco, and brought here by Mr..
Gardner went to work on Mr.. Merrelps
place-the old Millaudon plantation-on
the 4th of July. They were to receive
fourteen dollars in gold for twenty-six
working days, and two pounds of meat,
two pounds Of rice and quarter Of an
ounce of tea per day.
They had barely commenced when
jealousy was excited from the fact that
the colored laborers employed on the
place stopped work at IL clock on Sat
urdays. The proprietor was applied to
through their foreman, and the same
privilege demanded He declined to
grant it, saying that if they chose to call
five days and a half five days each alter
nate week, he would consider it six the
remainder of the time. This seems to
have been the first misunderstanding
Shortly afterward planter, living near,
presented bill of something over thirty
dollars for vegetables furnished on the !
order of the Chinese foreman. Mr..
Merrell paid the amount, not because it |
was justly a debt against him, but to
prevent his neighbor from losing the
money, and at the same time notified the
foreman that meal, rice and tea were all |
he had agreed to furnish them.
They subsequently demanded patch
of ground to raise cabbages, not for their
own consumption but to sell. While these
questions were pending, Cum-wing, ac-
cepting an invitation to dine with Mr..
Merrell, Sunday, went over to the place.
About the time specified the Chinese
commenced surrounding the overseers
house, and, makinga sudden rush, seized
Cum-wing, threw him first on his back,
and then in among crowd of their COM
rades. They at once bore him off to |
their quarters. Mr.. Merrell, fearing
that some violence would be used on
him, at once notified Superintendent
Badger, and large squad of policemen
were sent for.
They Immediately went to the Chinese |
quarters and rescued Cum-wing, at the
same time arresting sixteen of the ring |
leaders. These were confined in house |
formerly used as a servants quarters,
just in rear of the residence.
During the night an attempt was made
by their comrades to rescue them, and
scuffle ensued between them and the po-
lice, but there was no blood she'd
Yesterday morning parley was held
and they agreed to go to work Tuesday
under new contract.
1t is thought that, being the pioneers
of Chinese laborers in this portion of
the country, more inducements were
held out to them than was justified by
the contract During the excitement,
there was no trouble among the colored
laborers whatever
We are informed by Mr. Gardner that
no attempt at violence was made on any
of the white and colored persons on the
place, and that the Chinese, their ex-
over, expressed the greatest
contrition. They go to work to-day.
Yesterday, when the time came for
signing the new contract, the Chinese
concluded to 90 to work under their old