Omaha daily bee., 1874-06-05
CHINESE MARRIAGES.
Quong-Won and Long-Yok.
A Wedding Tour Interrupted by
An Arrest.
The Celestial Bride Tried and
Acquitted.
Interesting Developments in Re-
gard to the Chinese Sys-
tenn of Slavery.
Denver morIa, June IL

III Tie lOlN DOIltS Vi
first and second Chinese couples
ever so united i'm this territory, the
contracting parties being named
respectively Loe QuOng and Gin
Won, Fong Long and Kin IOk.
The Justice was equal to the occas-
ion, and he ratified off the marriage
service as glibly As could a parsOn
of twenty Years standing. After the
ceremony was completed, the JUS
tice informed the small but select
audience present that the newly
welded pairs were open for congra-
tulatiOns and magnanimOusly waiv-
ed his acknowledged prerogative, OF
first saluting the blushing brides, in
favor of any one then present who
might consider it an object. None
seeming disposed to avail them
selves of the opportunity offered the
happy couples were conducted to a
carriage i'm waiting, and drove OIL
on their bridal tours, amid the con-
CALCULATIONS of a small but select
circle of friends.
But alas, their new found happi-
ness was destined to be short lived.
While they were in Perry & Bohm's
photograph gallery, preparing to
have their photographs taken, their
serenity was disturbed, and their
happiness marred by the sudden
appearance of a guardian of the
peace, who held i'm his hand a war
rant for the arrest of Gin Won, on a
charge of felonOusly abstracting
some $500, from beneath the pill
low of one All Tee, the reputed
owner of that interesting dImsel.
The weeping bride was ruthlessly
torn from the arms of her distracted
husband, and consigned to one Of
the dark and dreary cells of the
county Jail, until such a time as the
charge preferred against her could
be legally investigated. The friends
of the disconsolate husband imme-
diately secured legal talent, and
though very late in the afternoon,
Judge Walker, moved by a gener-
Gus spirit of compassion, feelingly
approaching as he did the peculiar
of the case, con-
sented to try the case at once.
The court room soon became lite.
ally packed with Celestials, deeply
interested i'm the issue. The parties
to the suit being unable to speak the
English language intelligibly, an
interpreter was, of course, neces-
sary. 1t was here discovered that
the contending parties had each a
disinterested friend who would an
the purpose. Each attorney
wanted his clients friend appointed
to fill the position, and there being
no prospect of their coming to an
agreement, the defendants counsel
proposed to draw lots for a choice,
but the plaintiffs counsel objected,
and Justice Walker then put an end
to the discussion by appointing the
friend of the prosecuting party in
terpreter, at the same time instruct
ing the other aspirant for the posi-
ton to observe closely the interpre-
made, and report any at
at deceit.
The interpreter being sworn, the
counsel for the defense asked him if
he understood what the Justice had
said, referring to the oath admins
al don't know" was the reply.
the suggestion of a friend, he
Immediately added, "nO tell he,"
was considered satisfactory.
Witnesses for the prosecution We're
at some length, but it was
from the start that they had
been thoroughly drilled by their
master, and that no theft had been
by the defendant, and
that the suit had been instituted by
the "Ross Chinaman" to prevent
the woman being carried out of
After a short consultation
between the Justice and the two
counsel, the complaint was dismiss
sed, and the once more happy Celes-
tails left the court room, but even
here their troubles were not to end.
They returned in a short time and
asked protection from the threaten
ed murderous attacks of the defea-
ted party, who had oongregated at
the foot of the stairs. For a time
the widest excitement existed and
general fight between the two con-
tending parties seemed imminent,
but the appearance of a few police
men upon the scence caused a gen.
eral scattering of the Celestials, and
the prosecuted bridegrooms and
were allowed to depart i'm
peace, though it is not all probable
that their persecution is at an end.
The marriage of these Chinese i'm
Colorado is of much more import
ance than is generally supposed.
Pwo wealthy Chinese companies,
headquarters in San Francisco,
and branches here, do an extensive
and profitable business i'm what is
the slaveholding line. They
passage to men and women
from China, and retain absolute
control over them, compelling the
poor creatures to work under agents
who collect their wages, until such
time as they shall have paid back to
the company the amount of money
for passage and for board,
clothes, and incidental expenses,
interest, during the time of
servitude. And such marriages as
those of Saturday operate directly
against the interest of the two
branch companies here, and greatly
weaken their power to exercise their
despOtic control over the Chinese
women and slaves. The men can
ransom themselves in o few years.
They being able to adapt them
selves to any kind of labor, and are
out of employment, and be-
also able to live on compar-
nothing, they are soon
enabled to lay by the money
necessary to liberate themselves.
But with the women the case is far
different. The expense of keeping
them being so great they r rarely
ever enabled to get out of bondage
by being able to repay the amounts
assessed against them, and virtually
for life, and are so regarded
by the companies bring them from
China. The companies bring them
here for the express purpose of max
ing prostitutes of them, and do re-
alize from them a large revenue.
Great care is taken to keep these
women in a state of contented SER
yitude. and also keen them In ort;ro