The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-04-10
M0y jim Nun Nun RUINED Inc
A San Francisco Chinaman Who
Favors the Registration Of
MA His Countrymen
His Business Entirely DESTROYED
and q Prico Put on His
Head.
Prosecuted by tho Six Companies for
Transmitting u Observation-Disclosures
Quinn on His Policy.

1T has beon moro than three months
since l left this little back room except in
company with q white man." said Moy jim
Nun. the head OF tho QuonR Yick Wah
company, at SOL Dupont street. San Fran
cisco, to a call reporter.
Strange az the statement may seem. II 10
true. and not only ia Moy jim Nun in con-
slant dread Of being murdered. but tho
business of his company has been ruined.
and for weeks tho sales from his large
store have not averaged 81 a week.
The cause of Moy jim Nuns downfall
commercially and his fear of death IL the
Chinese Six companies, who have been boy
cotting the store ever since Moy translated
from English into Chinese the circular ia
sued by Collector Quinn explaining to the
Chinese liable under the act what they
should do to comply with the law. and
warming them of the consequences in case
they failed to obey it.
Collector Quinn had hard work TO secure
q translator for his message to the Chinese,
and Moy, who for fifteen years has served
as an interpreter for the United States
courts. had to be ccaxed a long time before
he would undertake the work.
No sooner was the circular Issued and it
became known that Moy was the translator
han a system of persecution was COM
menced. Quietly but persistently the Six
companies proceeded to ruin Moy's bust
ness, and not only his customers in this
city but those living in the interior OF the
state to whom he sold goods were notified
to cease patronizing him. All obeyed and.
rs stated. Moy hasn't sold an average OF ~
worth OF goods Per week for moro than
thrae monthH-
This was not all. however. Not satisfied
with running tho mans business, the Chi
nese notified him to prepare for death; not
only sending him word by private letter.
town with p~roclnmations %denouncinR Moy
md saying that the man who killed him
would be we'll paid for his work. As high as
81. 800 was offered for his murder, and the
money would have been earned beyond
question long ago but for tho fact that Nov
with a white man, and then only when
urgent business requires his presence else
where than in his store.
The object of the Six Companies was to
prevent any Chinese giving assistance in
my wav, shape or form to the white men
in attempting to enforce the GsRry registra-
ton act. and the severity with which Moy
has been treated has certainly proved a
~salutary lesson to the others. Not a single
Chinese. until . day or two ago, would give
the slightest information to either Collector
Quinn, Gen. MoComb or any of the depu.
ties connected with the registration bureau,
nor would they even assist in ttanslating n
conversation between deputies and Chi
nese, even when the latter were their
fliends. Several days ago, however. a mem
Der OF the firm OF Qnong Fook On q Co,
undertakers. at 760 CLAY street. went with
home Chinese to the registration office and
nssisted them in registering. The next day
no less than two complaints were filed at
the health office against the establishment
of Quong Fook On. which was declared a
menace to tho health OF the Chinese living
in the neighborhood.
1t was something of a joke to the health
officers to have Il Chinese come in and COM
plain of filth in Chinatown. and At first
they could not understand it. Iuvestiga-
ton proved that the undertaking establish
ment was quite as clean AZ the majority of
the Chinese butcher shops. fish markets
and underground residences in the vicinity.
but the compliments insisted on having
the undertaking shop removed and pro-
ceeded to make good their case by affidn-
Wits. The iesuit ia that Quong Fook On
will nave to suspend business and the Chi
ness that have dared defy the Six Com
panies will be promptly punished.
"You cannot imagine how terrible has
been my punishment said Moy jim Nun,
continuing the conversation after explain
ing why he was SO bovcotted. me matter
what may be the result in the registration
business. my own private business is for
ever ruined. l tell you no Chinese can sf-
ford to run counter to the wishes OF the Six
Companies. That ! am alive to-day is only
because of the care / have taken to prevent
highbindets from reaching me. If the
Genry law is declared unconstitutional /
will be even worse off. and if the Chinese
go then my trade is gone anyhow. Lot mo
tell you this. The SIX Companies mean to
fight the registration law to the very last,
and there may be even bloodghed before
thev give ill.,"
There were only twenty-ono Chinese rsg-
istered yesterday, most OF them sent by the
Six companies. to act later on az missionar-
les. and Il few house servants who have for
wears been in the employ of certain famil-
les and are willing to b: ave the condemnn-
ton of their countrymen in order to hold
their positions.
Many secret registrations have been made
and the collector finds it advisable to en-
courage this work. White people who have
Chinese employees who want TO obey the
law and who fcnr to do so openly can ar
range for secret registration of their men if
thew 80 desire.
Il regret to sec." said Collector Quinn
yesterday, "a spirit manifested to not only
criticize our work in endonvoring to have
the Chinese comply with the law, but to
myself and deputies. The Lord knows, il
il hard enough to fight the Chinese without
having to fight white people. l must Gu
force the law. and l am held responsible
for many things the outside public know
nothing about.
ut has been asked why l do not let the
Chinese alone, let them refuse to register
and then get them out of the country.
wonder If the people who make these sug-
Gestions are aware that there are fully 90
600 in California to-day who do not know
what the Geary law is, and II whom an at
<A"pt ia rnla IN iarprk than, khay -I.oJ
ignorance of the law tho very people who
now ndvise me to let them alone would be
the first to cry out. We'll. why didn't Quinn
do his duty?' am determined tina il |
can prevent it no Chinese in my district
shall be able to say that he or she did not
know what the law required and that they
were not given every opportunity to obey 1t.
after have done all l can to get tho
Chinese to obey tho law. leaving them no
excuse for not doing 30. then tho people of
this state will find. ms we'll as the Chinese,
that / will enforce the law to the letter, and
that without fear or favo.. Let the people
also remember that it Is going to cost some.
thing to depors tho Chinese. md ! do not
propose to add to that cost one single law
suit that can be avoided.
II shall go on until May s urging Chinese
TO obev the law. and Offering them every
opportunity and every facility for so doing.
On Mny6 l will the c~nforcs-
ment of the law. and will enforce it unless
stopped by n higher power. The people
should remember that the mon holding
Office In the internal revenue service on this
conat have tn hear tho trunt OF the battle.