The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1893-12-13
.THE SMUGGLING CASES
The Defendants on Trial in the
U. s. District Court.
OBJECT TO BLuMs EVIDENCE
The Testimony Admitted Subject to
Objectionable Govern
ment's Case.
Associated Press.

Portland, Dec. 12.-Onc Of the most
interesting trials in the history of Or
cgon, both on account of the political
prominence of some of the defendants
and their number, began in the United
states district court this morning. OF
twenty-sevcn indicted, twelve of them,
Chinese merchants, are placed on trial
on charge of consplring to unlaw-
lully land Chinese. The names are as
follows James Lotan, ex-Collector of
customs; c, j. Mulkey, eX-special agent
OF the treasury; Thomas Jordan, OK
captain ofcu stoms Inspectors; John
Ross, former captain Of the steamer
Haytian Republic; William Dunbar and
E. T. Thompson, owners of the Haytian
Republic; Glenn o. Holman, attorney
and notary, p. j. Bannon, attorney and
notary j. 4. Marks, law student;
seid Back, Ching Chong Quie, Chez
How, Mon Oak, Too Suet, May Ham,
Lee Wing, Lee Moon, Ding Wing,
Wing John, Twin Wo Charley, and
Charley Young. The room was crowd
ed when the court convened. The i'm
paneling of a jury was begun at once.
The defendants were allowed ten per-
emptory challenges, and the govern
ment three. The jury was completed
nd hA
till 80 this afternoon.
AT the opening of court this afternoon
John M. Gearin stated the case for the
government. He said a conspiracy had
been entered into by the defendants,
Dunbar Blum, and lacking, partners
in the Merchants Steamship company,
to facilitate the bringing of Chinese
laborers into this country from British
Columbia, He said the evidence would
show the part each defendant played
in the conspiracy.
The defense claimed 1t was con-
splracy on the part of Blum and Jack
ling, who pleaded guilty. to drag down
the other defendants.
Nathan Blum was called as a witness
by the government, but before he was
sworn the defense objected to him
as a witness on the ground that he
Rad been convicted of an infamous
crime, namely smuggling opium and
Chinese. The court took the matter
under advisement If the Judge sus-
tans the objection 1t will be a virtual
abandonment of the case, as the gov
elnment based its case almost entirely
on Blum's testimony. The court al
lowed Blum to he sworn and give his
testimony, subject TO objection. Blum
testified that Dunbar, Jackling Thomp-
son, and himself, comprising the Mer-
chants Steamship Co., decided about
March, 1892, TO enter into the business
Of bringing Chinese laborers into this
country by means Of fraudulent ceIti-
ficates. They had a contract with the
Canadian Pacific Steamship Co. to car
ry from Vancouver, B. c., all Chinese
bound for Portland for Sc apiece. Bus
mess prospered, and they saw they
could get a higher price, so they raised
the fare for Cinnamon to $50. p. j.
Bannon, an attorney and notary of
this city, made out large number of
blank certificates for which he received
s2 each. Ching Chong Qui secured pho
tographs and Blum took them to Van
together with Bannons nota-
rlal seal, and there put the seal on the
certificates over the photographs. Be
fore Blum concluded, other objections
we're raised by the defense, and the
remainder Of the afternoon was taken
up in presenting the law on the sub
ject
Hon. C. w. Fulton, Of Astoria, con.
lucted the defense, assisted by Messrs.
Thayer, Mallory, Williams, Wood and
others.