The San Francisco call., 1896-08-11

Sim to commit suicide. The Chinese end
ed his life Sunday afternoon on the steamer
Umatilla by tying a silk sash about his
neck, fastening the other end to beam
and then jumping off into space.
From the best evidence at present OBJ
tainable it seems that the Chinese was
illegally detained on board the vessel,
though there seems to be no reason to
question the fact that the fellow was a
party to unlawful practices. When
searched at the Morgue there were
found on his person two certificates -
one bearing the name of All Sin and sec
ond that of Ong Sing. The documents
bear the d ftes OF 1898 and 1894 respectively
and appeEr to be genuine.
The anxiety of the Collector to investi-
gate, however, does not arise from this
overplus of certificates. 1t is due to dis
tinct charge made by William n. Thornley,,
a customs broker, to the effect that if the
inspectors attached to the Chinese Bureau
had attended strictly 10 6Lty the suicide
would not have occurred. Mr.. Thornley,
even goes farther than this. He says the
INSPECTORS do everything in their power
to delay the landing of Chinese who come
bv steamer while those who travel by rail
are left unmolested.
When the Umatilla reached this port,
on Saturday last, there were three Chi
nese on board. The master OF the vessel
reported this fact, saying f1rther that the
CeIestiaIs had come aboard at Port Town
send. and that their certificates were in
proper form. Collector Wise, through the
DEPUTY Collector of Customs, ordered the
Chinese landed, the matter Deing placed
directly in the hands of Inspector Lynch.
The latter visited the vessel, with the re-
HI.s, hor- lo1,r -
certificates were allowed to lose them
selves in Chinatown. The third man, he
who committed suicide, was possessed OF
a merchants certificate, but he was not
allowed to land. The master of the UNA
tilla was instructed to keep him, at the
company's expense, until Monday, when
the case would be further investigated.
OF course it is problematical as to what
caused the Chinese to com nit suicide. 1t
NAV be that he was frightened into the
act and the two certificates found on his
nerson would indicate some such thing.
On the other hand the secretary OF the Six
Companies yesterday 1dentlned the sui
eide as Ong Shom OF Chicago, a man
whom he had known for several years and
Who was entitled to be IN this country.
From papers found on his body 1T would
seem that he had at different times been q
Iaborer laundryman and COOK, ana MS al
dress was given as 317 South Clark street.
Chicago.
many however. as expressed by their
agent. Mr.. Thornley,, is not whether this
psrtlcuIar Chinese is a fraud, but rather
the dilatory tactics alleged to be followed
by the inspector in the cases OF nearly all
Chinese coming by steamer, particularly
if the CelestiaIs seem possessed OF any
wealth.
s'There is no reason why Chinese COM
I =, .Or&e hnfJ
landed within an hour after. reaching
here" said Mr.. Thornley, yesterday. 1.-THE
great difficulty is the dilatory tactics
adopted by the Chinese bureau. inns is
particularly true if a steamer happens to
reach here on Saturday. As matter OF
fact there is no law requiring Inspection
of Chinese going from domestic to a do
mestic port. The evidence IN TINS partlc-
mar case showed plainly that the suicide
came from Port Townsend. The master
of the vessel swore to that.
at is quite often the case that Chinese