Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-09-13
THE SECRET TRIBUNAL.

Our local columns this morning tel IN
old story, one often repeated in California.
Il is wholly unpleasant and hurliliating,
and suggests either absence of or lmpo-
tency in the law. It unquestionably reaf-
firms the charge that the Chinese in our
mitiss. hold our laws IN omen contempt, and
maintain within our social and govern
meztal system one of their own, wholly
independent and beyond tie present reach
of ours-one that arrests, tries, judges and
executes irrespective of the ler loci; a
Chinaman who has worked many years in
one of the homes Of the city. and has won
confidence therein, marries a wife, she
fleeing by night from the slavery of
brothel, where she was held in bondage
far more degrading and polluting than AZ
rican slavery in its worst form. The
couple claim to have been lovers in early
youth be that as it may, in encourag-
ing rnatrimony the law considers neither
romances nor the affections. The woman
alleges that she was sold out of
freedom in China into slavery to her Sacra-
mento master. No sooner is her escape
discovered than the whole Chinese popu-
lation is in a ferment. The police force is
invoked to search for her, and enters upon
the work backed by a warrant for kidnap-
ing. Almost at the marriage altar the
couple is dragged from hiding, seized and
hurried to jail, surrounded by bowling
mob OF Chinese, threatening the husband
with certain death. The marriage certiff-
cate dissipates the kidnapping charge, but
the parties plead TO be kept in prison as
protection against their infuriated country.
men. Then comes grand council of Chi
nese head men of the secret rings, COM
panies and tribunals arrive from San
francisco close.door meetings ara held
by midnight conclaves; business is almost
suspended in Chinatown for days; the law
is invoked, but writs of habeas corpus are
refused the Shareholder, and lawyers de-
cline to aid the nefarious schemes of the
slave-driver, who offers heavy reward to
Thogoever Will return the woman. Even
some OF the so.called christianized Chinese
can scarcely be brought to realize that the
woman is not the chattel of the SLAYER,
and that he has no absolute right to seize
her. A complaint is filed charging the
couple with incest, alleging that they are
brother and sister, but ON call to trial the
prosecutor fails to verify his charge. The
friends of the husband are threatened and
warned not to be seen in town the signif-
icant white posters (the Chinese skull and
cross-bones) appear on the dead walls, and
a decree of death is pronounced against
the husband. After many days, under
the protection OF several citizens, the
couple are removed to the residence OF the
husbands employer, where they now are,
trembling for their lives. Meanwhile the
Chinese declare that nothing can save the
husband his death has been decreed, and
his execution is inevitable. Now, this is
u u4lu egatSulSnI "a tbG case Out IL
Is significant. There exists in our
midst an unlawful conclave, the ex.
ecution of whose DEGREES our laws
cannot stay. Its backbone needs to
be broken, bat our officers and our laws
seem to be unequal to the emergency.
We have heretofore cited instances of the
terrible power of Chinese tribunals, and
not long ago related how witness in
Court proceeding here was cut down to
his death pursuant to decree warning
him not to testify. The other night six
Cinnamon coolly shot to death foreman
or L" boss, and, fleeing to Chinatown, are
believed to be still there, safe from police
interference. and protected by that same
influence that maintains slavery, tries men
for their lives and executes the judgment of
death.