The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-04
AWAITING ARREST.
The Six Companies Head
Men Defiant.
GEARY LAYS SOME RUMORs
Quinn Declares That He Receives
Nothing for Registering Chin
ese-NU New Circulars.

The presidents of the Chinese Six Com
panies expected TO be arrested yesterday on
the charge Of cOnspiring TO delay the exc
cution Of the Geary registration law. In
fact, it has been strongly limited for several
DAYS that such would be the action Of
Collector Quinn and Congressman Geary
upon the latter's return to this city. When
Congressman Geary arrived here from
Washington a few days ago and heard of
the circulars issued by the Six Companies,
advising the Chinese to refuse to register,
he was exceedingly wrath, and swore a
mighty oath that this was the United
States and that il was high time that the
Chinese were taught that they could not
violate Its laws with impunity." Hence it
Was that the rumOr OF the coming arrest of
the presidents OF the Six Companies gained
currency.
So firmly did the presidents of the Six
Companies believe they would be arrested
that they not only arranged for the giving
Of bonds, but also had written a circular
setting forth the probability of their arrest,
the causes therefor, and assuring the Chi
nese that no alarm need be felt as TO their
safety or their ultimate acquittal; also that
they were ont on bonds and still at the old
stand looking after the interests Of their
CUuul uleu.
The chances are the circular will not be
needed and that the presidents of the Six
Companies Will not be arrested. During
Mr.. Geary's absence in Santa Rosa both lie
and Collector Quinn kept the wires hot be-
tween this coast and Washington, giving
details of the situation here and asking
instructions.
AS to the exact nature of the replies
nothing could be learned, but much can be
conjectured from the brief Interview had
with Mr.. Geary upon his return to this city
yesterday morning. In substance that gen.
tleman said that he did not believe il
advisable to arrest the presidents of the SIX
Companies until after May ., as it was very
doubtful whether or not they could be con-
victed uGtil after the expiration Of the last
day OF the limit given the Chinese IN which
TO obey the law. In other words, he init
mated that while he would like to arrest the
Six Companies man ayers the consensus Of
legal opinion was against it.
Then Mr.. Geary went on to show why his
bill was constitutional, advancing the eX-
cellent arguments with which he convinced
the member OF Con gTess. When asked
what he thought of Collector Quinn's plan
of enforcing the law after May Congress-
man Geary said he did not care to criticize
1t, and then hastily added that with that be
bad nothing TO do, but he was confident the
Government would ind way il which to
enforce the law.
What il the United States Supreme
Court saws It is unconstitutional"
but they won t, said Mr.. Geary. at is
only what other nations do in the matter of
passports aud only what we have a right to
And then dozen friends came MP and
began applying for positions as deputies to
euforco the Geary act, and the father of the
registration law turned away. In other
words Mr.. Geary has nothing new to offer
on the registration question just now and
has evidently abandoned the idea of Great
ing sensation before May 3.
Less than a dozen Chinese registered in
this city yesterday and those VINO Obeyed
the law were house servants who had long
been employed in the families of some of
San Francisco's best-knOwn business men,
and who registered only after permission
from the SIX Companies, for they all had
their little red slip of paper covered with
Chinese characters, winch they took good
care TO display at some time during the act
OF registration, in order that the watchers
OF the SIX Companies, who are always
present either as witnesses OF princl pals
at the registration office, might see them.
Tie falling of in registration is beyond
question due 10 the authentic circular Issued
by the Six Companies day or two ago, n
translation of which was published eX-
elusyely in The CALL. Since that time a
number of cTculaTs have been pasted up
Oh the dead walls in Chinatown, but with
ont the magical signature of the SIX Com
panies attached, and for advice other than
that directly from the Chinese Congress at
rs Commercial street, the average China
man cares nothing, but the pink circular
he Obeys.
Not alone is it shown by the falling off in
the Tegistratio in this city that the Six
Companies orders are being obeyed. but ali
the adyl"es received by Collector Quinn
from the in terror Of the State show that the
mandate has reached the Chinese outside of
San Francisco, and that they propose to
obey IT, Some waeks ago Collector Quinn
appointed In various sections of his district
deputy registration officers, who at once
issued circulars Of which tie following is a
sample, which they posted in all the princi-
pal towns and villages IN their districts.
Excepting the change in the names Of owns
all the circulars read alike: