Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-05-07
TO THE SUPREME COURT.
Three Chinese Found to be Disqualified
Under the Geary Law.

II lAAG 08-
Under the Geary Law.
New YORK, May 6.-Three meek
looking Cinnamon, who have failed to
| register as required by law, walked into
| Marshal Jacobus' Office this morning
and were Immediately placed under ar
rest. Their names are Wong Ian, a la
borer, who lives at No. 4 Mott street;
Lee Goe, a Chinese costumer, OF ZOE
| Third avenue and Fon Yue Ling, Of
No. 1 Mott street. They had voluntar-
| lily surrendered themselves by advice Of
eminent lawyers in order to test the
stability of the Chinese exclusion act.
At 0 o'clock they were taken
into the United States District
Court, where Judge Brown was
sitting prepared to hear two OF the
cases. The case of Fong Hu Ling was
brought before U. S. Circuit Judge La
combe. The case OF Wong Guam was
first called. The chief lawyer for the
Cinnamon was Joseph Fl. Choate, and
with him was Thomas d. Riordan, coun-
sci for the powerful Chinese Six Com
panies of San Francirco, which are de-
fraying all the expenses OF the test
cases. Mr.. Riordan came here from
San Francisco two weeks ago. U. s.
District Attorney Mitchell appeared to
prosecute. Through an interpreter
Wong Quan admitted that he was a
laborer; that he was q resident Of the
! United States on May 5, 1892, when the
Geary act became q law, and that he
had net applied for a certificate Of resi-
| dence as required by law, nor had he
troubled himself at all about it, and he
had no excuse to offer for not doing so.
His lawyers appeared as anxious as Mr..
Mitchell to have him adjudged guilty
of violating the law, and Judge Brown
demanded him to the custody Of the
u. S. Marshal to be deported to China.
Lee Goes case was then cal ed. 1t
differed from Wing Quan's inasmuch as
his lawyers said he was without the
necessary certificate through 'unavoid-
able cause" out was not able to prove so
by any white person, nor was he able to
show by any white person that he was
10 the country May 5, 1892, as the law
requires.
According to the Geary law, when a
Chinaman applies for registration the
collector OF internal revenue may refuse
to register him unless he shows by rep
utable witnesses that he is entitled to
| the protection that registration guaran-
tees. II, at the end Of the year, the
Chinaman still remains unregistered,
he is liable to arrest, when he then
must prove by at least one reputable
white" citizen that he resided in this
country prior to the passage Of the Chi
nese exclusion act.
Lee Goe had applied to the internal
revenue collector on April II, but was
refused registration on the ground that
Gay Memie, a Chinese interpreter, whom
Mr.. Choate had officially designated as
a "Chinese gentleman" was not, In the
opinion OF the collector, q reputable wit
ness because he was q Chinaman. Judge
Brown signed the papers for the expul-
sion Of Lee Goe.
The third case, that of Fong Yue
Sing, an A~mericaniZed Chinaman, who
wears neither blouse nor cue, was not
taken before Judge Brown but before
Lacomb, who also ordered the prisoner
deported to China. In all three cases
counsel applied to Judge Lacomb for a
writ OF habeas corpus, which was de-
| MED In accordance with the pre-ar-
ranged plan of counsel on both sides,
| and then counsel gave notice OF appeal
to the Supreme Court Of the United
States.
The three Cinnamon were admitted
to bail in $500 each, which was procured
by representatives Of the Six Companies.
The cose, as the District Attorney said,
will be heard by the Supreme Court In
Washington next Wednesday, The pro-
| ceedings were closely watched by Yung
Kui, a member of the Chinese Legation
at Washington, and by Vice Consul
Wing, Of this city.