Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-23
MORE GUILE IN All SIN.
His Bones May Go Home, but He Comes
Back in the Flesh.

A'oSA III TIC HicsHs
From the Portland Oregonian.
The certificate presented to the customs in
spectors at San Francisco by recently arrived
Chinese passenger stated in English that its
holder was Lee Fong. a merchant residing at
IA I'd street. Portland. Ore, and that his
partner was Wah Kee. Collector Phelps Curl
osity was excited by some Chinese characters
written on the back of the document, aud a
translation of them showed that they were
there to coach" the holder as to who he was
not They told him that his name was Lee
Foug, Wah Kee's partner in business at IA
I'd street, Portland, and conveyed some other
information which would enable him to land
through the custom house. When IA I'd
street was visited night before last, il was
found to be occupied by an American plumber,
and a search of Chinatown failed TO discover
Wah kee. Yesterday, however the firm of
Wah kee Co., general Chinese merchandise
was located at 100 I'd street, between Wash
ington and Alder.
Wah Kee knew Lee Fong very well was his
business associate, in fact for several years
prior to his death. which occurred three years
and two months ago. Lee was genuine mer-
chant and a very good Chinaman. His death
occurred IN this city. and his remains were
inferred with all pomp and ceremony due his
station in life. His bones were subsequently
exhumed and shipped to China. The China
man who represented himself to Collector
Phelps as Lee Fong. partner of Wah Lee. was
fraud, because that particular Lee Fong is too
dead to travel. Wah kee knew that Chinese
passengers are constantly sneaking into this
country under false pretense, aud he also knew
that many of them falsely represented them
selves TO be his partners in business But what
could he do to prevent it, even if he desired
to do so
A very intelligent young Chinaman who had
listened to Wah KEGS explanation then told
the story of the late Chin Wah Lee and the
shameless way in which his honored name is
piifered by coolies seeking first landing on
these shores. Chm was a merchant OF high
standing in this city. About eighteen months
ago a snail. dark speck appeared on one of his
eyebaiis. II did not cause any physical pain.
but Its appearance was suspicious. and Chiu's
sensitive soul was much troubled. He visited
an eminent Chinese oculist and received the
discomfortiug assurance that the speck would
kill him within year. After paying the emf
nent one princely fee for his information. he
picked UP his traps and took the next steamer
for China TO die In the bosom of his family.
Six months later he was corpse. Worriment
over the speck and the oculist's prediction
developed into gailoping decline, which car
ried him off. He was duly buried amid his
forefathers. but since his interment he has re-
turned in the flesh to this city many times
None of his old cronies here have seen him
since he babe them goodbye and started with
his eve speck and his burden of worriment for
the celestial empire. but they are convinced by
the testimony of duly signed certificates that
he has frequently arrived among them since
then. According to the statement of the bright
young compatriot who told the pathetic tale.
there is a Chin Wah Lee, merchant. among
every cargo of Cinnamon dumped in Portland.