Los Angeles herald., 1891-08-02
SLAVES In The CITY.
Human Chattels Found in
Los Angeles.
Chinese Women Bought and
Sold Like Animals.
What q Herald" Reporter Aided by
the Police Has Ascertained.
Results of An Inspection of Chinatown.
Women who Cost from Eight Hun
dred to Three Thousand
Dollars--Child Slaves.
The Facts In the
Matter.

There are sixty slaves in Los Angeles.
These slaves do not hoe cotton, or make
bricks, or build pyramids, or labor in
the sun and out in the field. Most of
them lead a luxurious life, living on
the choicest food, wearing the most
costly clothes. and leading most lazy
existence, but still they are slaves.
Their owners hold bills of sale of their
bodies, and transfer them as horses and
cattle afe sold.
These chattels are Chinese women.
Last night HERALD reporter under the
guidance of Police Officer Bevan, who is
an authority on, and in Chinatown,
made thorough inspection of the place,
with view to obtaining some informa.
tion about this traffic in human flesh
which is beirg conducted in a land OF
liberty.
The police officer gave an air oi
authority to the expedition which had
its effect in giving the reporter access to
places he could not otherwise have en-
tered and in inducing the inmates to
talk.
Turning around the corner of the
Pico house and diving into several mar
row Railways, the officer pulled aside O.
curtain and entered room, the reporter
close at his heels. The room was about
6x10 feet, and was decorated with great
quantities of tinsel and China orna-
ments. A woman of about 80 years of age
sat on the edge of the bed. Her name
was Hoy. Officer Bevan, who could
talk good pigeon English, talked with
her. and the statement was elected that
her name was Hoy. She had lived
here twenty years, and was a ''lillel
grip when she first came. Her first
Husband" she said, paid the woman
who owned her $500; she was not worth
that much now because she was getting
old. Her owner was out in the coun-
try. No she didn't want to run away.
@'Wha 70. No .good run away. Woman
run away she get killed" She was per-
dectly frank about the matter, and
seemed to think it natural that she
should be mans property.
The next place visited was inhabited
by woman about 40 years old. She
had cost $3.50, she ssid, ''long time ago."
AS she was talking the officer heard a
rustic in the next little room, and on
investigating found remarkably pretty
little Chinese girl. not more than IA or
i5 years old. She was frightened at
first, but with the simplicity of
q child, which she really was,
soon lost her timidity. The old
woman admitted that the girl
was 'sall same like me" and the little
thing had evidently not the slightest
conception of the horrors of the life be-
fore her. She was bright, and pathetic
ally pretty, and had not been in her
present quarters long enough to have
lost the gayety natural to children. She
had cost a thousand dollars in China.
How much was she worth now? "Oh,
leap lot She very young. Maybe worth
$4,000; maybe more"
Again the officer led the way through
iron doors, up and down little stairways,
sand making quick jump for door en-
tered just in time to prevent it being
locked in his face. Here is place."
he said, s'that white people are never
admitted to-" and pulling aside silken
curtain he entered room exquisitely
furnished in Chinese style. The decora-
tions and carvings were all beautiful.
On divan was beautiful girl, who ap-
peared to be a mestizo. Her features,
while Monaghan, had some points
which indicated mixed blood, and she
was much taller than most of her race.
She was playing cards with
her master. Her clothing was all
silk, richly embroidered. Her slippers
had fallen from her feet, which were as
pretty as a baby's. They had never been
deformed by binding, so she could not
have been high caste girl, but they
hoI txv -, oh
The toes were perfectly formed, rosy
from the edge of the voluminous silken
trousers, which ended. at the ankle, to
the tip of the toes, was fit for model.
$2500. She could read and write Chi
nese, and sing pretty love songs and
twang Chinese guitar, her master
said, and was very accomplished. No,
ne would not sell her for $2500. She
was worth much more now because it
was very hard to get girls from China.
Itwas learned from the officer that
this slave owner was ''chistian"
Chinaman that he went to Sunday
school once in while, and
was considered very good man. This
thing of turning Christian and going to
Sunday school is often done by China
men for the purpose of learning the
English language. People familiar with
them say that in no case is their conver-
sion genuine, or their professions to be
believed. This following playing cards
with his human chattel, had his opium
smoking outfit at his elbow. He made
his living entirely from the proceeds of
his slaves infamy, and at the exhibition
Of any insubordination he would beat her
and ii she attempted to escape, and he
saw she was likely to be successful, he
would kill her with no more compunc-
tion, probably not as much in fact, as
white man would have in killing dog.
The police records show two such muT-
ders within short space of time, and
they happen at frequent intervals. The
slave grows restive, or falls in love with
soune Chinaman. She tries to escape
from her master and perhaps succeeds.
Then it is only matter OF time when
she will be murdered, for it is the law
Of the race. She cannot escape her
MASTERS vengeanceA All the slaves
know this; they have had frequent
bloody examples of the law brought to
their attention and this is why they. sell
dom make an effort to gain their Tree,
dom. and when as often happens. good
white women missionaries, try to break
their bonds for them, they become 90
terrified that they resist all attempts 20