Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-02-06
STORY OF QUE NAN.
A PITiFuL ROMANCE OUT or SAN
FRANC!sCo'S CHINATOWN.
Ii Heroine Once q Hse'1e tn Ear Away Cam
ton-s'e Was Kidnapped and Sold into
Slave Life in this Free Land of Ours
Rescue and Marriage.

ton-she Was Kidnapped and Sold into
Slave Life in this Free Land of Ours
Rescue and Marriage.
$50 this is n free country" said 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 it,
but l can s~ubstantiate it.
"a few years ago there was a young
woman in Canton named, VIZ 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 no~n-essentials, the girl was finally
intrusted to the woman's 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 the girl
aboard an American-bound vessel. The
woman was a professional kidnapper,
Il after receiving her pay she hand
ed over the victim to an agent, who
was delegated to carry the girl, with
others, to America.
A the ship left port and finally
passed Japan the girl became suspici-
Gus and threatened to create a great
cutlery, 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-
actls what to say when she passed the
Custom House officers to make them
think that b was a natiye-born
citizen of America. She was informed
that If the Americans thought she was
not they would sell her as a slave and
condemn her to I lie Of horror, not to
speak Of the devils which might carry
her off. The sirl VS. 50 terrified that
she obeyed implicitly. and when ex-
amined by the officers was readily
passed and permitted to so ashore.
Here Que Nan still expected to find her
husband. Instead. she was taken to a
room, when she vas visited by vari-
Il men and women. who. she was
told. were her husbands friends. The
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.
Her new owner announced himself
as her husband. but he soon threw her
into the hands OF an INSCRIPTIONS
gang of criminals, and the girl finally
discovered that she had been kidnaD-
ped in China. sold to a man who had
imported her to lead the life of 4 slave.
put up at public auction, SO TO speak,
and knocked down to The highest bid
der, or old fer $500 in gold. This
is a low price added the Englishman.
Il can quote you instances where the
market price has touched the three
tllousand-dollar mark.
The average girl, at this stage of so
cunnlngly devised a game would have
given up. But this one was made Of
sterner stuff. She made a vigorous
"hS>' Sft SiAOtSiI lAloNu INTO q GEL
lai ana imprisoned, she finally size
cecded in making her escape. and one
day rushed into the street and into the
arms of an American policeman.
screaming and crying.
"EighbiIders who belonged TO the
society which deals in slave women
rushed after her and endeayored to
carry her off. but the policeman car
ried the girl to a haven OF rest, in one
of the missions, where she was we'll
treated L found a good home.
The mission people desire to see all
such women married, and they finally
saw Que Nan happily married. to a
Chlnaman who was a very Dopular
steward on an American
HE wedding was celebrated with mrch
circumstance, and venture TO saw that
tieIe was rot an officer in the navy
yard Il did not take a personal in
terest in the couple.
Being a sailor, the husband. whom
we VIII call All Gong. was Obliged to
go on a cruise, and the ship sailed far
San Diego. Que Nan being left in San
Francisco. For some time all went
we'll. Que Nan had a good home. her
husband had a large salary, and the
match was supposed to be the happiest
possible.
One day a man went to Que Nan
and said that he was her husbands
brother, and that All Gong had sent
some money to him for his wife. and
that if she would go with him she
could obtain it. She went, received
he money, and or her way home was
arrested for stealing the amoun an
other ChinaInan making the charge.
She was taken to the police station. the
money found on her having private
marks, which the Chinaman identified.
Now, continued the EnglishE,an.
t the woman had consented to 20 with
he Chinanlan the charges would have
cen withdrawn, but she refused
inally the mission people interfered.
nd with the testimony OF American