The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-05-17
Snhdning Cinnamon.

Subduing Cinnamon.
The Southern Pacific Construction
Company contracted for their laborers
in California at a fixed price per head
and was under bond to return them to
the agent of the six Companies when
the road was completed. All Sin kept
his ears open and was observant. 1t
was not long before he learned that one
hundred cents for twelve hours of hard
work was not the usual price paid rail-
road laborers. He began to desert, and
the country between Ell Paso and the
Pecos River was soon full of eastward
moving pigtails.
In this emergency man arose-they
always do under such circumstance
who boldly proclaimed his ability to nip
this Chinese rebellion in the bud. The
company granted him extraordinary
powers and he entered upon his labors.
In three months after his peculiar meth
DDS of subsection were inaugurated
nothing could tempt one of his Celestial
navvies to desert his post. l formed his
acquaintance. He is man Of intelli-
gence and thoroughly informed on the
subject of Chinese character peculiar
ties. He speaks the language fuently
u .'washee-washee" bill at sight.
While we were talking the foreman
of the track-laying gang came into the
car.
''Ah, Martini" he said, 81 have been
looking for you. One of these fellows
who deserted last month has returned
and the interpreter says that he has in
duced half the men to quit and go across
he &la
He is down among my gang now.
He is, is hep" quoth Martin; and
peculiar falling down of the nose and
flying up of the lip disclosed his white
teeth. ''I'll fix him."
He picked up heavy billet of wood
as he finished speaking and invited me
to 90 along and ''see the fun" I went.
The obnoxious Chinaman was in the
center of an exciting group of his COM
patriots, volubly discoursing on the
superior inducements held out to labor
ers on the other road. We were close
upon him when one of the group caught
sight of Martins white teeth and ut
tered a warning cry. The crowd scat
tered and the chief conspirator started
to flee. Too late. The billet of wood
flew through the air, struck the deserter
l.
the dust. Martin bent over him still
smiling, and by the way of resuscitation
kicked the PROSTATE Celestial several
times. The Confucian groaned and
raised himself to sitting posture. He
was ordered to stand up, and did so
with some difficulty. The foreman pro-
duced a stout rope, and the smiling
Martin requested two of the track-layers
l. L.. L.
ted them by administering to each sun
dry kicks and cuffs, which tended to
quicken their movements considerably.
When the conspirator was securely fas-
tened he was ordered to march forward
to the car, The prisoner soon reached
the car and stood beside the step. cry
ing and sobbing. His captor kicked
him several times and he managed to
scramble to the platform, although he
had no use of his hands or arms. We
followed him into the car, and Martin
reached his hand under the prisoner $
blouse and drew therefrom large Colt
revolver.
''Now, if he had been white man he
would have shot me on sight"
He cooked the pistol, and, as though
by accident, pointed the muzzle at the
Chinaman's head. The wretch fell
upon. his knees and began to beg
piteously. Martin seemed to enjoy the
poor devils misery and smiled upon
him benignantly.
''It is hop die with you anyway,
john" was Martins consoling obser-
walton. eff shoot you here it is all
over; If carry you back up the track
you'll be hung"
| TIL - ,o~~.x e.,
mercy, and after drawing bead on his
head several times Martin put the pistol
in his pocket and we walked out on the
platform.
What will you do with him?' I ask
ed.
''Oh, I'll carry him back up the road
couple of hundred miles and drop
him. He won't come back"
There was something significant in
this latter sentence, but as the speaker y
teeth were cleaning did not demand
more explicit information.
When we got ready to move out the
Chinaman was locked in an empty box
car. That was the last 1 saw of him.
One of the train hands told me the next
morning that he was dropped alongside
the track during the night. When /
asked what they were shooting at about
midnight he replied:
''Antelope!''
Every mile or two we passed China
mans grave. They bury their dead
above ground in wooden boxes, over
which thin layer of dirt is thrown.
Each one was marked by head-board
covered with hieroglyphics. Some of
the graves were newly made and the
little piles of paper money, which the
dead mans friends had placed there to
pay his expenses in the other world, had
not yet blown away. On some Of the
graves were bowls of rice and baked
chicken. Dead Cinnamon are always sup
piled with provisions for the long jour
ney l remarked on the great num-
ber of graves to the brakeman.
Yes 7'he said; lit is sickly country
for Chinamenr'
That fellows irony was incompara-
BILE.