The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-04-15
WASSON DENIES IT ALL.
He Did Not Permit Chinese to
Enter Unlawfully.
INSPECTOR MOVES CHARGES.
A San Francisco Papers Expose Of
Alleged Smuggling Rings.

Predigal Sons Death In Poverty se
Taeoma-Alasks Boundary Survey
ors Arrive at Port Townsend.
PoRr TOWNSEND. April 14.-fSpecial +
Collector Wasson said this evening with
reference to the charges in the San Fran
cisco Chronicle of last Tuesday duplicating
him and his officers with the Portland
smuggling rings that he had never ad-
mitted . single Chinese in this district
without first advising with the depart
ment and personally investigating the
merits Of the application himself. He has
kept special record of the arrivals and
departures Of all the Chinese in this dis
trict and all that have been permitted to
enter from foreign territory. OF this num-
Der more than four-fifths comprise bona
tide Chinese merchants legitimately en-
gagged in mercantile business in the vari-
Gus cities Of the Northwest. The same
record shows that more than 400 Chinese
merchants left this district during the
same period and that large number of
the arrivals are the same Chinese who left
temporarily. In addition the collector re-
fused landing to about $50 Chinese and
he has deported over 100 to China
Special Inspector Noyes has never con-
ferred or advised with him, Wasson says,
about Chinese smuggling. He also says
that, in accordance with instructions from
the department to ignore Chinese certifi-
Gates and in such instances to personally
investigate the merits or Endorsements of
each applicant, he declined to accept the
certificates of thirty-two Chinese who ar
rived from China. His record shows that
he disregarded the alleged certificates and
compelled the applicants to produce proof
Of warrant for their landing IN the United
States. Another noteworthy incident in
this alleged expose is that Noyes is a DEM
ocrat who has held over since Cleveland's
first administration. The article In the
Chronicle is regarded here ~ having been
gotten up for political effect. Several days
ago Wasson wired the treasury depart
ment asking for q complete investigation
of his administration.
On Tuesday. April II, the San Francisco
CAronicle published long article based evil
IDENTITY on an interview with Special Chinese In.
spector Noyes, sent from Washington City 70
investigate charges Of smuggling in Of Chinese
and opium on Puget sound and the Columbia
river The article makes In part these sense
tional allegations:
The inspector lNoyesl arrived home from his
northern trip on sunday, and his full report
we. ssns to ws;n,IsssS City x mail
telegraphic report sent by Noyes from Portland
last Friday. His mail report will undoubtedly
result in the dismissal OF United States District
Attorney Mays and Collector Of the Port Lotan
OF Portland. and Collector Of the Port Wasson,
OF Port Townsend, besides the Indictment upon
criminal charges OF all these ofhcials and
the steamer Haytien Republic These men with
half dozen smaller fry, composed the largest
smuggling ring that ever engaged in the In
~ ON n' ws
TO San Francisco, and their profits ran high into
six figures. They dealt exclusively in Chinese
and opium. The hrst inkling the government
tanned in charges preferred at Washington City
by an enemy of the ring. It was stated that cor.
rup: government oficials in the North were -
not common inspectors of customs. the charges
stated, but men Of the highest standing, one OF
them, Cardinell. being brother-in-lsw Of United
states Senator poiph, Of OREGON. Evsrybody
the birda Their pockets were lined with gold.
Thousands Of Chinese had been permitted TO
land Illegally and the customs officials received
$40 for each Chinese 90 landed. while their per.
centags on smuggled opium was s2 . pound.
Opium wa. .musglsd into the country in Iots
valued at $l5,W0
formation that the removal Of WATSON, Iotsn
and Mays would be recommended Noyss ad-
mittsd that these men had been guilty of grave
government would probably dispense with their sar
services. He declined TO say anything more for
publication.
smussied into the United State. has bssn s =
matter Of common notoriety for months past.
Besides dozens OF sloops and other sailing craft
there have been three steamers constantly ply
ing between Vancouver, Port Townsend and
Portland engaged IN the trafhc The steamers
are the Haytien Republic, Wellington and King
st0n. So common was the notoriety of the
the people Of British Coinmoia ON having :
dumping ground for Chinese 30 close by.
The article then quotes from she Victoria
Cotonist, which alleged that from 500 to $40 .
head was paid for forged certifcsteA The
Chrontcle then continues:
The proof that government oficisls are men,
oers OF the ring is ~ ciear 10 day. chinese have
country, and in cases where the O'gesy could
be easily shown the documents have disap-
peared from the custom house. The modus
The certificate showing that the applicant
for admission into the United states was q
merchant and former resident would be written
and the signatures of two white men forged a.
witnesses. Men ready 20 take oath before q
notary that they were the men whose names
were signed TO the certificates could bc pro-
duced for q couple Of dollars. Then the photo
graph taken in Vancouver OF the Chinese who
desired TO enter would be posted on the certifi-
Gates. which would then be sent to the
Chinese would then be taken a. pas
sengers on the steamers and boldly
passed into the country by the custom house
people 1T Port Townsend and Portland. No at
tempt was ever made TO veri y the statements
contained In the certificate The holders simply
The steamer people received &li0 for each Chi
neAe brought in and the custom house on
cias $40.
Three weeks ago the Wellington landed fifty.
six Chinese illegally, and the Hay.isn Republic
performed the same service for forty seven
81, I'D for the officials 70 divide the result OF
one days WORK.
On March 2s the Hsyrian Republic entered
Portland hsrbor with liz Chinese on board OF
these sixty y-nine we're landed during the night
Next day Soyes landed in Portland, and ac-
cordiBg 10 the accounts received from that city
quite al interesting scene occurred between the
inspector and CArdiueiL When Noyes asked
for the certificates he vas informed by one OF
the deputy collectors that Cardinell had them
In his pocket Noyes almost tainted. s.By " hat
right, ssked he, 'does this man carry ;ne rec
ords OK tne custom house around town with
him'" He Is examining into the cases." was
are those csrtifcates." he ssxed- 81 have been
examining them" replied Cardinal. "sud witt
Ing nay report on the backa" The report was
very brief. "All right" II nave seen Lun Hop
and tais man 10 O. K % "Tnis man should land"
etc sach was the general run Of the IeportA
In no case had Cardinsl reported that he
lad interviewed the white men whose
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