St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-03-27
TWO TALK OF THE HEATHEN
George ID. Lawson, Indicted mt Ia
coma, on Chinese Troubles.
a Visitor From Frisco Says the Ce-
lestials Are Going Home.

George ID. Lawson, formerly editor of
the Tacoma News and one of the twenty
nine indicted for implication in the move
ment against the Chinese at Tacoma few
months ago, was found at the st. James
hotel last night confined to his bed with
nervous prostratiOn, resulting from his long
and tedious journey over the Northern Pa
eltc from the coast. Mr.. Lawson Is q gen.
ueman OF line address aud is an exceed
lngly pleasing cOnversationalist. He said
that the people IN the East do not
and never can understand perfectly
the Chinese question. During the trouble
in Tacoma, he said. reports were sent from
Portland greatly distOrtIng facts and widely
Overdrawing the matter. He claims that
the Chinese were ordered out of the town
Oct. l, 1885, and many Of them left, but so
many remained that it was deemed necessary
to eXpel them and the citizens took teams
and transferred the property of the Chinese
to town called Lakeyiew, nine miles from
Tacoma, where they were put aboard the
cars all shipped to Portland, lie says the
reports Of Cinnamon being killed and sub
Jected TO cruelty are false in every
particular. They were we'll cared
for up to the time that they
were put aboard the cars. Prior to OetO-
Der, 1885, Cinnamon in Tacoma comprised
one-tenth of the population Of the city,
which was about 1880 people. They were
employed in light labor at low wages, and
sent out of the town To their native land on
an average of $500 a week. They were
extremely filthy in their habits and manner
OF living, aud spent none OF their earnings
IN the town. The consequence was the
streets were full of idle men. merchants
laft Of etc 4
general depression. During the win
ter of 1854 and 1855 sixty seven
families were thrown upon the city
for support, and In the winter of
1885 and 1886. after the Chinese
were cleared out, there were only two ap-
plieations for help from INDECENT families
in the city. The removal of the Chinese
has given employment to 200 women and
$50 men. Every branch of
BUSINESS HAS IMPROVED.
While the Chinese.oeeupied Tacoma in
such large numbers 1t was a gateway for
illegal immigration. The Chinese would
land above there and come into the town,
mingle with their countrymen aud they
could not be Identified. Since they have
been put out this has become impossible.
The indictments were made under section
55l9. revised statutes of the United States.
known as the Ku Klux act
which act has been decided
unconstitutional, which fact Is known to
the men who found the indictments renders
them liable 10 prosecution for malfeasance
in Office. The twenty-nine men, compris-
Ing the mayor Of the city ana several alder
men, were taken to Vancouver for trial,
and took change of venue to Tacoma,
where they were TO be tried on the first
Monday In April, but they were bound
over under $4,000 bonds each, to appear
before special term of the United States
district court to be called in August.
This" said Mr.. Lawson, lis equiva-
lent to discharge. In January
last, fifteen citizens Of Seattle were
indicted and tried under the same act, and
the jury, after fifteen minutes retirement
returned with verdict Of not guilty.
MIR. Lawson proposes to lecture In the
city on the Chinese question, and his
ability as speaker should draw him full
house. His knowledge of the manners and
customs of the "Heathen Chinee" will
enable him to give his auditors a rare even
ing's entertainment.