The morning call., 1890-08-05
HIS BACK rs UP.
Collector Phelps Wants No More
Chinese Tricks.
A Very Secret Meeting in Judge Hoffman's
Chambers ard What It Was AL About.
The Habeas Corpus Mill.

At about 3 O'Clock yesterday afternoon
Collector of the Port Phelps was seen to
enter the private office of United States
District Attorney Carey. He had formid-
able bundle of books and papers under his
arm, and his face was set with look of
firm determination. Those who are in the
habit of seeing the Collector as he went
about his business knew by that look that
he had something of great Importance upon
his mind and that he meant business from
the word "go."
The Collector tarried in the District At
torney's Office but short time, and pres
emily came out again, his face set, If posi-
BILE, with firmer look than when he went
in. Closely following at his heels was Dis
trict Attorney Carey, and it was observed
that his face was also very thoughtful. The
two went along the corridor, turned the
corner, and disappeared in Judge Hotfman's
chambers.
The Collector of the Port had gone to
make vigorous protest at the way the
chinese habeaS corpus cases are handled
by the judicial end of the Federal machine.
What transpired in that meeting will prob
ably never be known; but it is safe to pre-
sumo that Collector Phelps laid down the
law to his two associates.
CAUSE FOR HIS IRE.
There was probably cause to arouse his
ire. The screaming little farce of a judicial
proceeding in habeaS corpus cases that has
been enacted between the United States
District Court Clerks office and Commits
sioner McAllister has long been source of
suppressed comment among the Federal
officials connected with the Treasury in
stead of the judicial arm of Uncle Sans
service in this city, and 1t Is an open secret
that these two offices encourage the habeaS
corpus mill to the best of their ability.
II pays them 10 encourage it. For every
Chinese habeas corpus case the District
Court Clerk receives $14, the United States
Marshal So and Commissioner McAllister
the neat little sum of SO per case, with an
additional charge of $40 per day tor every
day that he is engaged on these cases. All
these fees come out of the Cinnamon who
seek to land, and are paid by them or the
slaye-dealer who owns them.
Every Chinaman who seeks to land has to
pay his fare from China, his lawyers fees
here, and besides, over $50 in each and
every case to the District Court Clerks Of
flee and Commissioner McAllister. If the
habeas corpus mill did not grind exceed
ingly fine in favor of the Cinnamon. they
would soon grow tired Of paying these big
fees.
OVER 100000 IN BONDS
There are now on the books of the Dis
trict Court Clerk over 100000 in Chinese
bonds in habeas corpus cases. They are,
many OF them, probably. of the very film
siest of the straw variety, and every China
man for whom these bonds were given is
now at large in Uncle Sans dominions,
calmly grinning at the simplicity Of his
officials.
1t is said that Collector Phelps has re-
peatedly sat up until far in the morning
prior to the sailing of a China steamer, ex-
aiming the bonds offered in these habeas
corpus proceedings and although he fire.
quently demonstrated to the officials on the
other side of the alley that many of the
sureties were not good, yet his objections
have often been calmly waived aside. 1t Is
supposed that the question of bonds was
one of the matters which he brought up at
yesterdays meeting.
Another matter that is supposed to rankle
in the breast of the Collector is the way in
which the evidence which he has been at
great pains to provide has been treated by
the officials who try the cases. 1t is said by
some who should know that after the Col
lector had burned the midnight oil to dis
cover weak points in the Chinese evidence,
his view of the cases would be calmly
ignored and the Chinaman allowed to go
free.