The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-22
ON THEIR BACKS.
Collector Phelps Makes a
Great Discovery.
The Portland Certificates Contain in
Chinese All the Information in
the Body of the Papers.

There was another sensation in the
Custom-house yesterday, This time 1t re-
ferred to Chinese certificates.
When the steamer China arrived, about a
week ago, she brought q large number of
Chinese passengers. Among them were $50
Chinese who were on their way to the
Worlds Fair to form village for exhibit
ton. They were landed according to an act
of Congress providing for their Abundance
to this country.
Among the Chinese were a number of
others, who claimed admittance on the
ground of prior residence. and produced
certificates 10 that effect Some of them
were landed.
About thirty, however, offered certificates
which bore evidence of fraud. The mi jority
Of them, according to their certificates
claimed 10 have resided previously in Port
land, Or.
When questioned as to how they left
Portland for China they answered that
they went direct by steamer, As no steamer
plies direct between Portland and China
the suspicious of Collector Phelps were
further aroused.
Accordingly, he made a close study of
what is now known as the Portland ceItifi-
Gates IN the CustOm-house.
The result Of his investigations ended in
the discovery that the certificates present
not only the most glazing exhibitions of
forgery, but also contain Do their lace evil
dence OF the most palpable fraud.
In The first place, in the atfidayits of the
Witnesses which are required in certificates
of prior residence and are made on printed
blanks the names of the atlantis and their
asseverItions were filed in with ink.
Ihls has never before occurred in the case
of Chinese certificates received at the
CnStOm-house for inspection, although GER
Lihcates have been received all over the
country. The conclusion was that all the
afhdayIts had been manufactured in one
place Tor the purpose OF smuggling into
the country contra band Chinese.
Again, Collector Phelps, on closely in
speeding the backs of the certificates, saw
that there was long list OF Chinese char
acters printed. This was not usually the
case. His curiosity became aroused as TO
The meaning Of the Chinese characters and
he had number Of them translated.
Then il was that he felt sensation al
feeling, for the translator informed him
that the characters on each certificate con-
tanned in Chinese the meaning and sense Of
the entire body Of the certificate, which is
always in English.
For instance, one of the certificates states
IN English that the owner is Lee Fong, re-
siding at Il Second street, Portland, Ore
gen; that he is a merchant, and that his
partner is Wah Kee.
The Chinese characters on the back, when
translated, reveal the astounding iniurma-
ton that caused the Collector to smile wear
iiy. Your name is Lee Fong," was said in
Chinese. You reside at II Second street,
Portland. Oregon. Your partner is Wah
Kee," and so forth, information for the
holder of the certificate, which would en-
able him 10 pass through the hands OF the
inspectors.
In all my experience in examining Chi
nese frauds | never saw such bold, glaring
frauds as these. Why, they could not
deceive tyro. Theinformation In Chinese
on the back Of the certificates tor the hold
ers to study is about the worst | ever saw.
They might have known that those Chinese
characters would have excited curiosity and
attention right away. The holders Of the
certificates have been remanded, and are
still on the China. If they secure wrts OF
habeas corpus, L will simply spring the evil
dence of these certificates on the courts,
and their cases will not last three minutes