The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-06-13
FOILED CHINESE.
How the Coolies Were DOgged
Through Mexico.
The Special Agent Sent to Follow the In
Transits Relates His Experience Through
the Wilds Of soncra.

| In the interview with Collector OF the Port
| Phelps. published yesterday allusiou is made to
| man who accompanied Special Agent Irving
| on his trip TO Mexico after the transit Chinese.
The Collector in his talk alluded to him as IAN
| other man. Since then THE CALL representa-
| tive has been on still hunt for the man, and
| yesterday afternoon succeeded in finding him.
In alludlng to him as he did Collector Phelps
had no intention of bettling his share of the
work; but he did not mention his name because
| the gentleman In question is one OF those mys-
teri0us personages who are employed by the
| United States Secret Service and who are never,
| il possible. allowed TO become publicly known as
identified with thence The Collectors reason
| for not mentioning his name.
This young man (for lie Is a young man. may
| be designated as Memo" for want OF a better
| name Memo is one of those men to whom any
one would instinctiyely unbosom himself II he
| were in trouble. He is a fne-looklng athletic
| young fellow, with clear. sympathetic eye anu
| frank, open countenance-a man that one
| would swear by and rely upon.
| Memo tells graphic story OF his adventures
| on the trip. lie it was who incurred the hard
ships and the perils of the enterprise. for while
| Special Agent Irving directed the affair Memo
| did the WORK.
DISGUISED AS MINER
al disguised myself In a rough miners COS
| Newbern on The 25th OF April. The Chinese
| were down IN the steerage, and | went down
| there with Them, spread out my blankets ana
| prepared To make myself one Of them. 1t was a
| disagreeabe job The smell ana the dirt OF
| those sixty Cinnamon were something TO turn
| the stomach OF any Christian, but could not
| show any disgust. had to live and sleep Win
| them during The whole voyage OF Twelve days,
and did it without grumbng.
| My first move was TO pick out some OF the
coolies who could speak English and who would
be likely 10 talk pretty fairly, and worm some ~
| formation out Of them as TO their plans. For
| two days l abOred unsuceessfully. AT length
| they seemed to get used to me. | did them many
KIND offices and made myself generally useful.
| and il seemed TO break down their reserve.
| picked upon one young fellow in particular, who
| seemed 10 be somewhat superior TO the rest, aud
| who. discovered, could speak English
| 81 got talking with him about the country ana
| took a map from my pocket ana explained II 10
| him. He became very much Interested Ihe
| next day l tried the same thing and kept II up,
until at length, little by little lie told inc the
| whole scheme, revealing all their plans. He
wanted to pay me SIS to take his clothing across
| the border and leave IL for HIM at Nogales. L
| told him that / would think about II, and give
him an answer when we reached Guaymas.
| BOUND BY OBLIGATION.
ale seemed to be anxious to separate from the
rest aud go IL alone, Dut was AFRAID 10 10 So De
| ing bound by some oath or other obligation 10
| stick to them. All at once he grew suspicious OF
| me, and could get no more out OF him. But
had learned enough, and the information enabled
us TO Illustrate all their plans. On the way down
| the coolies inspected the shore through opera
|
moment. II was the most powerful glass ever
| looked through.
when We reached Ensenada fifteen OF the
| coolies left US, as the young Chinese said they
| would. went to telegraph office and dis
| patched to Collector Phelps the whole plan that
| had been revealed TO me. AT Guaymas L sepa-
! rated from the Chinese and afterward kept out
| OF their sight as much as possible.
" The day next after landing lwentyslx OF the
| coolies took the train nOrtbward. L followed on
| the very next train. The road runs straight TO
| the north through the State OF Sonora. On each
side OF the track grow gigantic cactus The
| country is the hottest OF any L have ever seen,
and L have been IN India and other very hot
| Countries My sufferngs on that Journey were
| something indescrlbable. AT the town OF Mag
| dalena | LETT the train. The coolies left the
| train there also Magdalena is small town not
| far from the boundary line, and due south OF
the small town OF lmuris, and about ten miles TO
the southwest is another small town-Altar.
FOLLOWED THE FIRST GANG.
Sat Magdalena 1 met a number Of men sent
| down from Nogales TO aid me. The Cinnamon
| who had stopped OF at Magdalena moved up 10
| ImuTis. Leaving some OF the men at Magdalena
| 10 watch for those who were coming, followed
| the ifst gang. l Travelled on horseback, and the
| heat of the journey was something terrible. At
| lmuris l found Tie coolies encamped on the
| land OF couhtryman OF theirs l left some men
| 10 watch them and went back to Magdalena.
| Meanwhile another batch of Cinnamon hdd come
up and moved over TO Altar, TO the southwest. 1
| followed them there aud set watch upon them
" From that time the Cinnamon Kept coming
| from tile south until the whole $50 were en-
out OF our sight moment l Kept my head.
| quarters at Magdelena and moved from one oil
the three places to the other giving orders TO the
men.
"All at once movement began among them
and the Chinese at lmurs moved back to Mag
| daleDa. 1t is needless 10 say that our men fol-
| lowed on their trail. AT Magdalena they took
| up the main body and all moved over 10 Altar
| joining their counrymen there. we followed
| and, 10 avoid creating comment, sent one man
! only to Altar 10 watch them while the rest en-
| camped at the little town OF Oquitoa, few miles
| to the northwest.
Here we Isy for some time. We had to set
| guard at night over the horses to prevent their
being stolen and suffered the worst personal in-
| conyenences. The food was simply vile, aud
| neither tea nor coffee was TO be had. The China
men showed no intention of moving. About this
| time we intercepted a letter which showed that
| they knew me and my mission.
AN ADVISED WITHDRAWAL.
cit was deemed advisable that | should with
| draw from the scene, so and tue men who had
| been seen most 10 my company withdrew, and
| Marshal Paul OF Arizona, were sent to take our
| places Good results followed from this move.
| for shortly after twenty-eight of the Cinnamon
| left Altar with a six-mule team and struck north
| through the painless desert.
| "McCoy and Paul followed hot on their trail
| After they had crossed the border the Two men
| closed up on them and at tile point OF the re-
| yolVer they compelled the whole OF them 10 sur
render, or at least what was left Of them, for
| they only captured twenty-fOur. Where the
| other four had gotten to was never discovered.
1t is thought that they perIshed on the desert.
| "Meanwhle again had gone bae to Magda-
| lena, and from there proceeded 10 Nogaes.
| expected to get rest after my severe fatgues,
| but was mistaken. Special Agen, Irving came
| to me at night and told me to look after seven
| Cinnamon who were reported as leading for
| Santa CruZ-a pass about twelve miles TO the east
OF Nogales which runs through the mountains
| across the border.
Unto the saddle climbed and started out into
| the night. l was alone ana did not know the
road; The result was that got lost in the noun
tans. ] found myself in an inelosed ravne and
| could discover no way out of II. l camped there
| without bed or food until daylight came TO my
| aid. got out the next day aud continued my
| journey. l found that the Cinnamon had gone
on 10 The town OF San Pedro. still further to the
| East, ththcr / followed and found them camped
ON the rented land OF countryman.
| MEXICAN GENTLEMAN.
"At San Pedro / met the Mexican Customs
| Officer, Senior BarTigito, who had force OF
tWenty-iOur men under Ills command The Senior
treated me with the greatest kindness and placed
bis men at my disposal. Through his aid was
enabled TO send message to The Arizona town
beyond the border, ana maSe arrangements 10
Intercept the Cinnamon If they attempted to
cross. But they did not try It.. They could find
no one willing 10 run The risk OF plotting them
over, ana after awhile they leased some land and,
TO all appearances, settled down there
ALTER making all arrangements 10 have them
| watched returned 10 Nogales, and from there
| came home. tell you what / don't want 10 20
through another experience Ike that one. OF
all the r9ugbiDg trips l ever took that beats
them all. Most OF the time slept on the ground.
i was In constant fear OF snakes tarantulas and
scorpions, which are exceedingly thick in that
country.
The heat was simply sitting and my food
consisted OF t0TllaS and beans But the trip
was great success. Ii will discourage the
Cinnamon from attempting the Mexican route
for a long time TO come. Collector Phelps sa-
eaeiy In planning the trip cannot be too h iRhy