The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-21
CHALLENGED BY A CHINAMAN.


Against Denis Kearney's, or He Will Fight
Duel with Him.
New York World.
AT late hour last night report was cur
rent that Mr.. Wong Chin Foo the bright
and energetic editor of the Chinese Ameri-
can, had descended in his might upon Mr.
Denis Kearney at the Astor House. and then
and there smitten him as the Children of
Israel smote the Amenities. A reporter was
at once put upon the track of each of the dis
tnguished parties to the quarrel. Mr.
Kearney, however, was not to be found
Mr.. Wong Chin Foo, on the other hand, re-
spouded cheerfully to the inevitable inter
view:
''The rumor is partially true" said the ed
itor of the Chinese American. 81 have not
made fool Of myself and attempted to do
violence to this anti-Chinese man, Kearney
l have however challenged him in more
ways than one to make good his assertions
at the expense of my people"
I'm what manner" inquired the reporter
81 heard to-day" said Mr. Wong, "that
this Kearney man was in New York trying
to get up meeting to denounce the Chinese
here as he did in San Francisco. So wrote
him very meaning letter, in which l ex-
pressed my opinion of him, and challenged
him to give me what you call fair show in
discussion with him."
"What was the drift of your letterP'
81 reminded him that he really owed his
reputation to the cry, The Chinese must CO.
and said 1 was here to stay, and so are
many of my countrymen. L told him that
while be was asking to be considered MEM
Der of nation and was complaining of the
tyranny of England, the empire to which
belonged was the oldest on the globe. Be-
sides that suggested to him that in national
| dignity could look down upon him. The
| flag of China waves over the third greatest
navy In the world Our ambassadors rank
/ -
| England and France. l also said that my
countrymen were entitled to the same adj
vantages as his, and | challenged him to dis
pute my statements"
Anything else?'
YES. assured him that no Chinaman
he pleased about our people. All | wanted
was equal freedom of speech. | gave him
also some pretty tough rubs."
'In what way?"
"Oh! l said that my people paid their own
passage to this country and made an honest
! living by practicing professionally the art of
cleanliness, to which demagogues like him.
self were usually strangers. And told him
that if he refused to give me manly chance
| should post him as a fraud and humbug,
who was only honest in trying to get rid of
Cinnamon because he did not dare to meet
them OH equal terms"
ibid you deliver your letter."
"'Yes, by Mr. All Koon. He will tell yon
what happened when he gave it to this
Kearney."
Into the full blaze OF the lamp-light came
Mr.. All Koon, well-built, weli-teethed.
peasant-faced Cant0nes in regular American
costume, who looks vastly more like an
Italian than Chinaman. But, whereas Mr..
Whong speaks English as well as most
| Americans All Koon speaks it like
Spaniard or a Frenchman, without any trace
OF the absurd dialect attributed to his COM
patriots by the humorists of the Pacific
| coast
.When went to the Astor House" said
Mr. All Koon, ''they showed me to Mr. Kear-
ney's bedroom. 1t is on the top floor. Il is
small room, with very low ceiling. Mr..
| Kearney is fat man, very short. He sat on
his bed in his shirt sleeves. 1t is a small bed
"a cot. There were three other men in the
room, communicating men, like am" and
Mr.. All Rooms white teeth cleaned in
pleasant smile.
"What happened nextp"
81 said had letter for Mr.. Kearney. He
got up and asked me, when he looked at the
envelope, if was the editor of the Chinese
American. l said no. He said then perhaps
was the reporter. 1 said yes. Then he said
he would read the letter First he laughed
Then he grew grave. Then the other men
wanted him to read it to them. He read it
once to himself, once to them. They laughed
and afterwards grew silent Mr.. Kearney
| this or English like this | said Mr.. Wong
writes English like you do. MIR Keaney
said: Well, l have no quarrel with China
men who wear American clothes and
become Americans l said: When You go
in my country you do not wear Chinese
clothes, nor do you become Cinnamon Then
Mr.. Kearney said This is another attempt
of the Six Companies to get me into trouble
They send men from China to America and
they send men in America to trouble me-
| said: Will you write to Mr.. Wong an an
swer? Mr.. Kearney thought some time.
Then he said: I shall not recognize Mr.
Wong. He writes like blackguard When
he writes like gentleman l shall answer
him like gentleman. But he cannot write
English anyhow Then | left and brought
word to Mr.. Wong"
WHAT did you do then?' inquired the
reporter of Mr. Wong, whose face wore O
malicious smile.
Il was mad when heard he doubted the
genuineness of my letter." said Mr.. Wong
land was doubly mad because had Just
had quarrel for the police to settle between
some Irish people who live in this house and
myself The idea that | cannot write made
mo furious, so l sat down and wrote Mr.
Kearney a letter. of which this is a COPY,
and / spelled his name as You see to make
him angry.
SIR Carney:
Sir write this letter 10 you entirely in my
own handwriting-.so as to give your cowardiy
evasiveness no fuller opportunity.
The other letJer was copied by my clerk, il be-
iug a notorious fact that man like you
hardly read even the plainest hand writing, and
uine, though excellent for ChInaman, is not
quite as legible as print
have no chance to decide whether you can
write at all fer your canlion prevents you from
putting your pcnmanship and your spelling upon
record.
the law against chaliengngto a duel protects
YOU from being called TO an account elsewhere
Tor Yunr insuiLs to NV people, but ahOuld II be