The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-06-29
THREW HIM OUT.
Lotan Too Friendly to the
Chinese.
HE LET THEM ALL COME IN.
The ScaIiest Sort of a CooIie Could
Get Past the Portland Gus
tom-HouSe.
Special to THE MORNING CALL.

WASHINGTON, June 21.-The President
this morning summarily removed Lotan,
Collector of Customs at Portland. Or.
This unusual action was taken on the re-
ceipt this morning of a telegram from
special agents of the Treasury Depart
ment who have been engaged for some
time in investigating fraudulent practices
prevailing in the Puget Sound and Port
land districts. The telegram stated they
had inform alton of the intended landing
at Portland of large mum Der of Chinese
coolies. Lotan's deputy was placed in
charge. and will continue to act until
Black, the new Collector. qualities.
On June 10 Collector Lotan, in disregard
of official instructions from the Treasury
Department. landed about 80 Chinese
from the steamer Danube, claiming to be
merchants, but who were described in the
official report to the department as scaly
and uneouth appearing lot of coolies
Another lot of Chinese coolies are on
board the steamer Haytian Republic en-
route to Portland, and it is believed by the
Treasury Department that if Collector
Lotan had been left in office he wo uld have
landed them without regard to law, as he
bad done in the case of those who came on
the Danube.
AS far back as March Collector Lotan
was instructed by Assistant Secretary
tanned that Chinese enter the United
States upon fraudulent papers certifying
them to be returning merchants. You will
hereafter disregard such papers and refuse
entry until it shall be proved to your salts
faction that the persons presenting them
have the right to land"
Since that time many hundreds of Chi
nese have been landed at Portland upon
bogus affidavits and certificates in seeming
disregard of explicit instructions.
PORTLAND. Or, June 2S.-The news
from Washington this afternoon that the
President had summariIy dismissed Col
lector of Customs James Lotan and
placed Deputy Collector Pike in charge OF
the Office was a genuine surprise, inasmuch
as Lotan's successor has been named and
will probably qualify on Saturday next.
When seen this afternoon regarding his
removal Collector Lotan said:
II received a dispatch from the depa TT
ment at Washington shortly before noon
instructiug me to turn over the Coliec tors
Office TO Deputy Pike. have done so and
he is now in charge. I think this was
done at the instigation of the special agent
OF the treasury who was sent to this coast
to work up trouble for this Office Mr..
Cleveland has stated that be would re-
move no Republicans except for cause.
The fact of the matter is that he had no
cause, con sequently they had to find cause.
In view Of the fact that July / will step
out, 1t seems as if l might have been
allowed to retire in proper form"
Private information from Washington
states that warrants will soon be issued
for the arrest of a number of customs off,
GERS and certain individuals WHO have
been connected with the smuggling ring.
II is stated that Secretary Carlisle has an
nounced bis intention Of making vigor-
Gus prosecution and will be actively
seconded by Acknowledgement Olney.
The steamship Haytian Republic was
again seized to-day, presumably by order
of Special Treasury Agent Wood. Moth
ing is known of the seizure at the United
States MarshaPs office. but complaint
will probably be filed with the clerk of tn g
United States court to- night or tome orrow.
The ground for the seizure is not known,
but it is said TO be the old charge of snug
Cling opium and Chinese.