The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-15
USED ALIEN LABOR.
A Captain Charged With VIC
lating the Contract Law.
CARRIED A CREW OF JAPANESE.
Master of the Wilmington Arrested for
Violation of a Federal Law
Cargo of Cinnamon.

Captain John Ross. OF the steamer Whining
ton, was arrested last evening Oh complaint OF
members of the Longshoremens Union that he
was violating the United states alien labor con-
tract laws by bringing numper OF japanese
from Vancouver 10 discharge the vessel.
The vessel arrived in about $50 O'Clock yes
terday morning with lo0 tons OF freight for Sc
attic The 'longshoreEen gathered about as
Usual, expecting TO unload the vessel, but soon
discovered that the Japanese crew was to do
that. They crowded around and demonstrated
with Captain Ross and the japanese, but to
no avail Finally matters began TO
look serious and W. II. Wilson, OF Baker & Co.,
telephoned fo- the police. number OF officers
responded and cleared the wharf. The long
shoremen then went 10 the custom house and
COM planned TO Deputy Collector Mckenzie that
the Japanese had been brought in from Van
couver under contract TO do 'longshore work.
7. NJ Fisher, immigration commissioner at
Port Townsend, happened TO be in the city and
went down TO investigate.
H interviewed the officers OF the vessel and
each OF the Japanese, and then reported the
facts to United states District Attorney Patrick
Henry Winston. Mr.. Winston swore out war
rant before Commissioner Emery Tor The arrest
OF Captain Ros, for violating the United states
statutes relating to foreign contract labor.
The warrant was given to Deputy United
States Marshal Midget, who arrested Captain
kOeS anu also wv q OF the JSpsue>e, TEduA
Shehan and Sacio MaCio as witnesses. Captain
Ross was taken before Commissioner Emery
and the date for the trial was set az ID o'clock,
May "a, before Commissioner Emery. His bond
was liked at 5000. Captain J. A. Hatfield ami
II. ". Baker signed the bond and
he was released. TIE two Japanese were
committed TO jail in default OF bail TO be held
as witnesses. /, is understood these two Jap
anese admitted that they were all hired 10 do
'longshore work.
United States District Attorney Winston has
deputized james Hamilton Lewis to assist As
sstant District Attorney sullivan in prosecut-
ing the case when it comes up. the 'longshore-
men having engaged Mr. Lewis for that pur-
pose. Captain Ross has retained Attorney VIII
liam II. Graham for the defense.
Captain Ross says ne hired the Japanese as
sailors; that the union men in Portland got one
half of his crew TO leave the vessel aud he tod
them then that for every white man they took
away from him he would employ four Japanese
until they got tired OF fighting him. AT Van
couyer the union succeeded again in getting
three OF his white away,
so be made his word good and employed the
twelve Japanese. He says there is no question
of wages, as he paid the white men Si5 per
month, but the question was whom he should
employ. He is paying the Japanese s25 per
month. He says he proposes to fight the case.
The question with the long horemen is not
as to whether the vessel carries union or nom
union crew of sailors, but they maintain the
right to do ali the work on the wharf in the dis
charging of large vessels.
Mr.. Wilson said his firm always employed
union 'ongshoremen when it had any work in
thai line, but ne could not permit them to take
possession OF the wharf and interfere with their
business. Hence he called the police to clear
the wharf.
Inspector Mum also did little investigating
among the thirtytwo Chinese and forty Japan
csc who were passengers on board the vessel
He says there were two Chinese women among
them, one OF whom had a child. All Of the men
cl4imed 10 be merchants returning from China
All but two were going 10 Portland and As
toria. and Mum says he does not believe that
more than four or i've OF them should be al
lowed 20 iaud. II appears that Chinese ind it
much easier to land in the Portland district
than they do here.