The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23
WILLIAMS HAD
MONEY IN BANK.
The Passbook Of the Ex-
Inspector to Be In
troduced.
LARGE DEPOSITS MADE
The Accused Man Said to Have
Accepted a Diamond From
Little Pete.
NUMBER OF CHINESE LANDED
Nearly Sixteen Hundred Sought Ad.
mission Here During the Last
Fiscal Year.

The landing of Chinese at the port of
San Francisco during the fiscal year end
ing June 80 will probably cut an import
ant figure in the trial of Dick Williams,
now in progress in the United States Dis
trict Court.
While it is generally adm tilted that more
natives of the FIowery Kingdom have
come into this country than are legally
entitled to such privilege, the magnitude
of the business has never been fully lap-
preciated. While there are none who are
willing to say that Collector Wise is even
remotely responsible for this condition of
affairs, there are many who believe that
he has relied too much on the honesty of
those under him.
During the twelve months ending June
80 no less than 2445 Celestials arrived at
the port OF San Francisco from foreign
countries. Of this number 861 simply
passed through the United States en- route
to other countries. OF the re mainder, 1887
males and 105 females were admitted,
leaving fraction over per cent, or, to be
exact, 102, VINO were refused landing.
During this same period Commissioner
Heacock heard only thirty-two habeas
corpus cases, as against many times that
mum Der in years past. Since July 1, how
ever, the Commissioners business has
shown a marked appreciation, seven cases
being heard in July alone.
Some weeks ago Collector Wise refused
to give for publication the number of
Chinese landed at this port for the period
quoted above or for the year ceas-
ing January L, 1896. From unofficial
sources the last was learned to be i1S,
and now from Washington comes the
figures already named
1t is understood that the Government
proposes to introduce this evidence if such
8 thing is possible. Not that they hope
to impiicate Williams in all the illegal
business that has been done, but simply
to show that during his term in office
more Chinese landed at this port than
ever before.
As kind OF clincher to this argument
the prosecution will attempt to prove that
within sixty days of Williams going into
Office he opened a bank account which
finally sweIled well into the thousands.
1t is contended that when the ex-inspector
received his appointment he was a
financial wreck and found it necessary to
borrow $50, which sum he Immediately
placed on his back in the shape of a suit
of clothes.
Some weeks later Williams astonished
and somewhat amazed his friends by ap-
pearing on duty bedecked with diamond
stud, the rays of which out-gIittered any
thing before displayed in Federal circles.
This gem of nature, polished and re-
splendent, was generally supposed to be
gift from that famous Chinese character
known as Little Pete"-a fact which
Williams never denied.
Be that as it may, Williams had hardly
gotten comfortably ensconced In Office be
fore he opened bank account. His first
deposit was $500, and this was followed
regularly by other sums of money VARYING
from the amount named to $500. The ac-
count, however was in the name of " Mrs.
r. S. Williams" and when it became
necessary to draw any funds from the
bank the wife acted as the o-between.
Mrs. Williams made all deposits and
signed all checks that is until the recent
suit for divorce was entered.
In all something like $500 was placed in
the bank by Williams during bis official
existence. The prosecution claims to be
able to prove that the ex-in:erpreter has
also purchased property on the outside to
the extent of probably $4,000. The Erin-
cipal contention of the Government is that
this amount OF property and money could
not, have been legitimately obtained
during the short time Williams was in
Office. This position is strongly empha-
sized when IL is known that the ex-in-
spector received only $3.50 per month.
There is one man, however, who does
not take any stock in the claims set up by
the prosecution. This is no less person
than Collector. Wise. He declared a few
days ago that all such talk was nonsense.
civilians told me himself" said the
Collector, ''that when he went into office
he was worth $11, 900. This had come to
him through either his father or his grand
parents, am not sure just which. have
no reason to doubt this statement, because
l always found Williams capable and
honest man. If he has done wrong then
he should be punished, but l am inclined
to think he is being prosecuted"
In the meantime the Government is
pushing its case for all there is in it. One
of the strongest cards remains to be
played. 1t is nothing less than the bank
book OF Williams, showing that the de-
posits followed close on the arrival of each
steamer from the Orient. This may mean
much or nothing, but the prosecution has
an abiding faith in its effectiveness.