The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-05-01
NOT 1 VAIN cfaIIFIclE.



nsnx wst-
United States Attorney White tes
terday checkmased N attempt 81
eFade the Chinese restriction act, II
the habeas corpus proceedings Of L.
Sing Wat. before Judge Hsnford q
chambers.
The Chinese woman, whO vas TIA
petitioner in The habezs corpus pro.
ceeiines. il the profsssed wife OF /
Chinese merchant OF San Francisco,
She arrived at Port Townsend from
Victoria on the steamer Olympian. and
presented certificate 70 Collector
Bradshaw. who. after examining them
and other proofs, refused 10 allow her
70 land
The proofs submitted were . photo
graph Of Chinese woman along with
the picture OF Chinese man, accom-
panied by certificate from the Chinese
consul AZ San Francisco, setting forth
that these were the pictures of Mrs.
Lee sing Wat. the applicant for adj
mission into the United States. and
her husband, Chinese merchant in
San Francisco, and that she was a
resident Of San Francisco; also q GER
tiiicate from the United States consul
at Victoria, Il. c., setting forth that
the woman was the wife OF Lee Sing
Wat, a merchant of San Francisco,
and that she had been visiting in
Victoria.
Collector Bradshaw. however, had
received letter from John E. Gard
ner, Chinese interpreter at Victoria.
stating that the woman WAS q we'll
known Chinese coartezan of Victoria
and had resided there for years. He
also stated that she had been sold in
Victoria to Chinese dealer in the
United States for $500. and that she
was sent TO the United States for the
purpose of prostitution.
As she had no valid certificate and
in view OF the information received
from Interpreter Gardner. Collector
Bradshaw refused TO allow the woman
TO land and placed her in charge of an
inspector of customs for transporta-
ton around the Sound on the regular
trip of the Oiympian, intending 10 de-
port her upon the return trip Of the
vessel.
Mrs. Lee Sing Wat had in the mean
time. however. petitioned for writ of
habeas corpus, which was granted by
Judge Hanford, and made returnable
on Wednesday. April 80. When the
0iympian returned to Port Townsend
the writ was served on Collector Brad
an n NJ rho thar a If<x,-o<a ~ - -
land on furnishing bond that she
would accede to deportation should
the writ OF habeas corpus not be con-
hrmed, and that she would not use
the privilege OF landing to the preiud-
ice OF the United States by setting it
up as bar TO deportation.
Collector Bradshaw then attempted
TO secure witnesses in Victoria TO come
over and testify TO the woman's life
there; but the inspectors who had ths
matter in hand reported that they
could not get the witnesses TO come
because they were afraid OF bodily
harm at the hands OF Chinese SNUG
glers in Victoria.
These facts were placed before
United States Attorney White, and he
at once set to work at gathering evil
dence concerning the woman's ante
cedents and her past life. He learned
that her whole story was fraud; that
she was got and never had been in
San Francisco nor any ether part of
the United States: that she had no
husband in San Francisco, aud that
her life in Victoria had been as re-
ported by Interpreter Gardner. Two
intelligent Chinese merchants Of Sc
attic even volunteered information of
this nature to the United States attor-
ney. and offered to 60 on the stand
and testify to it. This evidence was
not needed however, as the alleged
certificates were found to be invalid in
every respect.
Yesterday morning Mrs. Lee Sing
Wat was brought TO Seattle from Port
Townsend on the steamboat North
Pacific by Inspector Matheson in
obedience to the writ OF habeas corpus,
which was made returnable at 10
o'clock. When Judge Hanferd called
the case for hearing at III o'clock, w.
ii. White appeared for the United
States and M. b. Sachs for the Chinese
woman.
Attorney Sachs held that the
woman's certificate was in all respects
conformable TO section six of the re-
striction act.
United States Attorney White male
the point that the paper presented by
the woman was not a certificate of the
foreign government from which she
came viz, Great Britain--nor from
the Chinese government as required
by section six OF the restriction act.
This point, however, was not decided
by the court.
Mr.. White also held that the eertifi-
cate was not in proper form; that it
did not state age, height, physical pc
culiarities, nor name of the permitted
person IN her proper signature, etc AS
required by section OF the exclusion
act, and that as she had no proper
certificate she therefore could not law
fully enter the United States.
Judge Hanford. in rendering his de-
cision. said that in addition to the
mere formal defects the following es-
sentiais OF good and lawful certifi-
cate were entirely wanting in the pa
per shown as the certificate of the
Chinese government. viz:
l. IL does not show any permission from
the government TO the woman to come to
the United States.
.. IL does nos contain the name OF the
permitted person In her proper signature.
nor 1T all. nor her individual, family or
tribal name in fun.
5. II does not state her age. or height
4. II does NOS state her place OF residenee.
The certificate required by section 6 oi
the asnendatnTy restriction act of 1854 Is
the only evidence upon which Chinese
person can establish a right 10 enter the
United states.
Upon this finding Jadge HanEord
refused the writ and remanded the
petitioner To the custody of Collector
bradshaw.
| She win be taken hack to Pori
Townsend on the North Pacific ard
returned to Victoria on the next
! steaSaer-
This case has every appearance OF
an attempt 10 Smuggle in Chinese on
q new dodge. A significant point i
EoHra in the fact that the woman
certificate was dated April s.; but was
nei usssi until the new collector. who
coald net be supposed 30 be familiar
with the law had taken charge Of ths
office.
The decision Is an important one q.
il settles disputed points of Law
Carl sesa IL Dead.
PAEls. April 80, Carl Rosa. th.