The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1898-02-11
STORY or QUE NAN,
A PITlFUL ROMANCE OUT OF SAN
FRANcIsco,S CHINATOWN.

so this Is a Tree country, saiu an
English resident of San Francisco,
sententiously, to an American visitor
who had been dilating upon the beau
ties OF the American idea. But let
me tell you the history of one woman
in free America. You may doubt 1t,
but l can substantiate 1t.
"a few years ago there was young
woman in Canton named, we will say,
Que Nan. She was especially attrac-
tive, even from the American stand
point One day she was approached
by a Chinese woman, who said she had
a rich husband for her, and, to pass
by on-essentials, the girl was finally
intrusted to the womans care, who
volunteered to take her to the rich
husband. When the destination was
reached the prospective bridegroom
was not to be found. but he had left
word for his bride-elect to follow him.
This was sufficient to place tho girl
aboard an American-bound vessel. The
woman was a professional kidnapperf
and after receiving her pay she hand.
ed over the victim to an agent, who
was delegated to. carry the girl, With
others, to America
"As the ship left port and finally
passed Japan the girl became suspici-
Gus and threatened to create a great
outcry, but she was silenced by the
agent, who convinced her that it was
all right and that her husband was in
San Francisco. He then told her eX.
actly what to say when she passed the
Custom House. officers to make them
citizen of America, She was informed
that II the Americans thought she was
not they would sell her as a slave and
condemn her to life of horror, not to
speak of the devils which might carry
her off. The girl was so terrified that
she obeyed implicitly, and when ex-
amined by the officers was readily
passed and permitted to go ashore,
Here Que Nan still expected to find heI
husband. Instead she was taken to a
room, when she was visited by vari.
Gus men and women, who, she was
told, were her husbands friends. Ths
apartment was the famous Queens
Room, or the public slave mart, which
was broken up by the police during
the past few years. One of the Wis.
itors finally bid in the girl for 81 500.
All this, mind you" said the speaker
knocking the ashes from his cigar, 'in
free America. 70"
.'Her new owner annotAced himself
as her husband, but he sspn threw her
into the hands @in an unscrupulous
discovered that she had been kidnap.
ped in China, sold to man who 1lad
imported her to let d the life of slave
put up at public auction. so to speak
and knocked down to the highest bid.
der, or sold for S1,500 in gold This
is low price added the Englishman
Il can quote you instances where the
market price has touched the three.
thousand=dellar mark,
"The average girl, at this stage of sc
cunningly devised game would have
given up. But this one was made oi
olCl lCi oluil. ClC luiu6 d VIGOROUS
outcry, and, though thrown into a eel.
lai and imprisoned, she finally sue.
ceeded ih'making her escape, and one
day rushed into'the otreet and into tn,
arms of an American policeman
screaming and crying.
"Highbinders who belonged to thu
society which deals in slave womer
rushed after. her and endeavored tc
carry her off. rbrt the policeman car
riGd the girl to-a haven of rest, in on,
OF the missions, where she was vel
treated and found good home.
"The mission people desire to see al
such women married, and they finally
saw Que Nan hap9ily married, to {
'Chinaman who was avery popular
steward on an American man-ofzwar
The wedding was celebrated Eith mucl
eircumstantet ard venture to say tha
there was not an officer in the nav,
yard eho did not cake a personal in
terest in. the couple, -
''Re.ng a Hailor,. the husband, whom
We will call All ng, was obliged t.
go Oh a cruise. ant the ship sailed foI
San Diego, Que Nan being left in Sal
Francisco. For some time all wen
well. Que Nan had good home, he
husband had large salary, and tn,
match was supposed to be the happies
| possible. e s-." f3fHs
"One day man went to Que Nal
and said. that he. was her husband
brother, and that All Gong had sen
some money to him for his wife, an,
that If she would go with him sh
could obtain 1t. She went, receive,
the money, and on her way home wa
arrested for stealing, the amount, an
other Chlnaman making the charge
She was taken to,the police station. tn
money Aqrnd on her having privat
marks, which the Chinaman identified
Now, continued the Engllshman
If the woman had consented to go will
the Chinamaisthe charges would hay
been withdrawn, but she refused
Finally the mission people interfdred
! ard with the testimony. OF American
officers her release was procured. it be
ing evident that ishe was the victim
OF conspiracy. During the excite
ment the supposed brother-in-law, VIII
! II ttrned out was man who had real
ly bought her in the first place, ap
peared, affecting much concern, an,
succeeded in inducing her to go viii
aim. The mission authorities urge,
her to return with them and remail
until her husband came back, but sh
vas 80 confident that the man was he
9rctter-inrlaw that she insisted on ae