The San Francisco call., 1896-07-30
Sergeant Price and Attorney
, Campbell Frame an Ulti.
matum.
FINAL AGREEMENT REACHED.
Millionaire Merchants Smoke and
Pledge Cooperation. in Return
for Protection.

A great meeting OF Chinese merchants
was held last night in Chinatown at 1876
Commercial street. The merchants pres
ent were See Yups. They were assem- bled
to consider the recent Chinatown troubles
and with them met representa- tives of the
Police apartment and also their attorney,
J. @. Campbell.
Into a room surrounded by costly furni-
sture with figured silk hangings. were
crowded possibly 200 Chinese merchants,
who, according to Attorney Campbell,
represented ST., 600, 900 worth of property.
There was one. Chinese merchant in the
party who is reputed to be worth $2,000,-
600. They came together about 9 o'clock.
Sergeant Price of the police force was with
them and made speech. Attorney Camp
bell also addressed the assemblage.
The proceedings were very like what
might take place at a gathering of
white men. Only just outside of the door,
at the head of fight of stairs, was joss
outfit. The merchants smoked Sea Yup
made cigars and listened with gravity
until it came their turn to talk The air
was blue with the smoke which Mongolian
:millionaires puffed out with the persist
ience and volume of young locomotives.
an understanding concerning the. preser-
walton of peace in Chinatown. Chief
Crowley Undetermined that there shall
be no more shooting or other violence in
that section without making some one re-
sponsible. His plan carried very WELL as
before the meeting was over. the assem-
:bled merchants, who represent five of the
Six Companies, and, through their socie-
ties, nineteen twentieths of the popula-
,tion of Chinatown, gave. pledges that they
would act as one person to put down dis
orders, to prevent meetings. which are
likely to lead to disturbances. to give all
information necessary, to. acquaint the
police with any threatened disturbance in
time to prevent it from coming off. and in
bfief, to cooperate at all times with Chief
Crewley in keeping Chinatown peaceful.
With the nineteen-twentieths of China
town thus pledged through their repre-.
sentatives, Chief Crowley was satisfied
that good nights work had been done.
So was Sergeant Price, whose speech edi-
fed and delighted the black-capped and
pig tailed merchants. So was Attorney
Campbell.
ChiefCrowley expected to be in at the
opening of the meeting, but was not able
to get there until 3late. Sergeant Price
told the merchants that the police are de.
termined to have peace. The Chief is re-
solved that any person guilty of violence
who is arrested shall be prosecuted to the
full extent of the law.
"The police" continued Sergeant Price
''are ready and anxious to cooperate with
othe Chinese merchants, and look to the
merchants to furnish information prompt
ly to that end. There must be no more
lawless gatherings. Should there be an
attempt 10 hold one the attendants will be
dispersed very promptly"
The merchants listened, and as most oi
them now understand English very well
there was very little need for the service:
of Chinese Interpreter, but the inter
prefer of the Police Department was there
and repeated in Chinese what Sergeant
Price said.
At this point Chief Crowley arrived an q
the merchants asked him if he indorsed
what the sergeant had said and if he ap-
proved of the sergeant's drastic methods
The Chief said that not only did he ap.
prove of all that Price had done and said
but that the police will go even to greater
extremes if necessary.
LIZ 10 Iudb IQ6 reckless
shooting and numerous murders mus,
be stopped, and if this cannot be accom-.
plished within the law he will even go out.
side of the law to preserve the peace in
the Chinese quarter.
Attorney Campbell, who is employed by
the See Yups, also gave them a wholesome
talk. "There must be peace in China
town." he said, land the See Yup mer.
chants are able to preserve peace if they
exert their influence fully and give the
police information" He seconded all
that Sergeant Price said as matter OF
public policy and as good business sense
Tor the See Yup merchants. He promised
to give information personally to the
police concerning any one who took part
in disturbing meeting or in an actual
disturbance SO feF as he was able to learn
the facts.
Then the Chinese merchants got the
floor and agreed TO meet the police fully
half way. They said they would do what