The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-16
USED ALIEN LABOR.
A Captain Charged With Vio-
lating the Contract Law.
CARRIED A CREW OF JAPANESE.
Master OF the Wilmington Arrested for
Violation Of q Federal Law
Cargo of Cinnamon.

Captain John Ross. of the steamer Whining
ton. was ares ted last evening on complaint OF
members Of the Long shorcTnens Union that he
was violating the United states alien labor con-
tract laws by bringing number OF Japanese
from Vancouver TO discharge the vessel.
The vessel arrived in about $50 O'Clock yes
terday morning with $50 tons OF freight for Sc
attic. The longshoremen gathered about as
usual, expecting to unload the vessel, but soon
discovered that the Japanese crew was to do
that. They crowded around aud demonstrated
with Captain Ross and the japanese, but TO
no avail. Finally matters began TO
look serious and W. H. Wilson, of Baker d Co.,
telephoned for the police number of officers
responded and cleared the wharf. The long
shoremen then went TO the custom house and
complained to Deputy Collector MckeDzie that
the japanese had been brought il from VAN
couver under contract to do 'longshore work.
7. N. Fisher, immigration commissioner at
Port Townsend, happened to be in the city and
went down to investigate.
e He 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 Ross for violating the United States
statutes relating 10 foreign contract labor.
The warrant was given to Deputy United
States Marshal Mudgest, who arrested Captain
Ross and also took two of the japanese, Frank
SLeudu duO SdclO NatiO, as Witnesses. tdptHlu
Ross was taken before Commissioner Emery
and the date for the trial was set at 10 O'Clock,
May "A, before Commissioner Emery. His bond
Was fixed &. $500 Captain J. A. Hatfield and
III. W. Baker signed the bond and
he was released. The two Japanese were
committed to jail in default of bail 10 be held
as witnesses. 1t is understood these two Jap
anese admitted that they were all hired to do
'loucshore work.
United States District Attorney Winston has
deputzed james Hamilton Lewis to assist AS
sistant District Attorney sullivan in prosecut-
ing the case when it comes up, the 'longsho.e-
men having engaged Mr.. Lewis Tor that pur-
pose. Captain Ross has retained Attorney VIII
liam II. Graham for the defense.
Captain Ross says he hired the Japanese as
sailors; that the union men in Portland got one
hall of his crew to leave the vessel aud he told
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 SUGGESTED again in getting
three OF his white crew away,
so he made his word good and employed the
twelve Japanese. He says there is no question
of wages, as he paid the white men s45 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 horernen is not
as to whether the vessel carries union or non
union crew of sailors, but they maintain the
right TO do all the work on the wharf in the dis
charging of large vessels.
Mr.. Wilson said his firm always employed
union 'iongshoremen when it had any work in
thaS 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 thirty-two Chinese ana forty Japan
csc who were passengers On board the vessel.
He says there were two Chinese women among
them, one OF whom had child. All OF the men
claimed to be merchants returning from China.
All but two were going 20 Portland and AS
toria, and Mum says he does not believe that
more than four or tive of them should be al
lowed to land. 1t appears that Chinese find it
much easier to land in the Portland district
than they do here.