The San Francisco call., 1897-07-20
The Unfortunate Creatures Say
Their Lives Are in Grave
Danger,
An UNNATURAL MOTHERS STRATEGY.
She Makes Unavailing Efforts to
Condemn Her Daughter to
Life of IgnOminy.

The Chinese slavery question bids fair
to solve itself without the intervention of
Government officials, who still insist that
there is no such thing in San Francisco.
The word seems to be well circulated
among the unfortunate creatures that If
they can get away they will be protected,
and not a day passes that notes DO not
reach some of the Christian missions,
asking for aid to escape. Some OF these
notes are pathetic in the extreme, and all
of them beg that the writers be saved
without it being made known that they
asked it, for they say their lives would pay
the penalty if it were known that they
sent for help.
Yesterday three girls made their esca pc
and ran to the Presbyterian mission,
where they are now cared for. The own
ers have made efforts to recover them,
but they will be held and educated. The
leader IN the escape, Suey Lin, is about II
years old and seems very bright. She
made her way to the Baptist church in
Chinatown, and was there found by Mrs.
Lake OF the Methodist mission, and told
that she would be protected. The girl
could speak no English, but the Chinese
minis ter from the Presby terian mission
talked 10 her and told her she would be
safe at that place. She was taken to the
mission ouse and made welcome, but
soon departed, and the mission officials
supposed that she had gone back.
In a very short time she returned, bring
ing with her two other girls, All Young
and All Lon, each about IA years old.
They all said they were slaves and were
badly treated and asked to be taken in.
Suey Lin said that she had been sold by
the IN whom Ia
belonged beat her cruelty and otherwise
abused her and was making preparations
to sell her to another man to be used for
immoral purposes. She knew she could
not resist and protect herself, SO she de-
termined to make a break for liberty, and
went to the church, thinking she could
find help there.
Yesterday the girls mother went to the
mission house and demanded her daugh-
ter, claiming that she was not slave, but
the girl refused to return with Eer, and
then it transpired that the master OF the
girl had threatened the mother with
touch of Chinese Justice if she did not get
the girl back for him. The mother finally
admitted that she mad sold the girl, and
expected her to be used for immoral pur-
poses.
All Young and All Lon said that they,
too, had been sold for the same object,
and their master and mistress had beaten
ana OJQeEWlS6 dDuS6u lAcul 81
that they could no longer endure 1t, and
when they learned that Suey Lin was 60
ing to escape they announced their deter
mination TO accompany her.
A case similar to that of Suey Lin is at
the Methodist Mission House. All Chun,
a 16-year-old girl, was sold by her mother
to Mrs. Wong, the wife of merchant in
Chinatown. Wong died and left his widow
with almost nothing in the way of chattels
except the slave girl. The woman nego-
keeper for $780, and with this money ex-
could live comfortably. The girl learned
of the contemplated sale and ran away,
going to the mission house, where she
begged for protection.
The escape developed several peculiar
features, and the Chinese Consul took a
hand in the matter, trying to get the girl
back. The woman enlisted the efforts of
the Chinese merchants, who said that tho
slave girl was ali the property the widow
had, and il was necessary that she get
possession or they (the merchants) would
have to provide for the widow. The mis-
tress of the girl told many conflicting
stories, claiming the slave as her own
daughter but she finally admitted that
sue was slave and that if she did not get
her back so she could sell her she would
be in extreme poverty.
The girl begged teously to be kept at
the mission house, and showed how she
had been abugei and told of the horrible
fate that awaited her if she were sold
again. The officials OF the home persisted
in their retention of the girl, and finally
she was eft nm m leSJed.