The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-18
MEREDITH WAS WARNED
OF FONG SUEYS PLANS
EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT HE
PAID NO HEED.
Damaging Facts Told by the Man
Who Notified the Chinese
Bureau.

The special agents investigating COM
mission did a big days work yesterday,
having examined about half a dozen wit
nesses in the matter of the corrupt prac-
tees alleged against the management of
the Chinese Bureau. Interpreter Ricketts,,
called doc" by those who love him, was
asked as to the routine duties of the
bureau and the manner of conducting the
examinations of Chinese immigrants on
board the steamers at the Mail dock. His
testimony did not reveal anything new.
Arthur H. Lotto, newspaper reporter,
was the most important witness of the
day. His testimony threw light upon the
shifty and evasive methods of Meredith
and his supporters, and brought out the
fact that Meredith had allowed the
Chinese procuress, Fong Suey Wan to
escape with his eyes open and with the
knowledge that her friends were plan
ming for her escape. He told how he had
called Meredith's attention to the neces-
sity for making complaint against the
woman for the crime of importing female
slaves into this country, since Fong Suey
was being held only because she had not
produced her papers at the time of the
raid and therefore would be released by
Commissioner Heacock as soon as her
lawyers should produce her papers in
court, which they were then preparing to
do. He said that in reply to his warning
Meredith winked one eye very cunningly
and said, We are getting up great case
against her.
On the next day the woman was taken
by her attorney, who is daily companion
of Meredith in the bureau, before United
States Commissioner Heacock, and her
motion to discharge her from the only
charge made or pending, namely being
unlawfully in the United States. She
was accordingly at half-past 9 o clock in
the morning discharged so far as lay in
the power of the Commissioner, that is,
he agreed to report to United States Dis
dot Ider0 do II e.,
lease. The woman was then taken to the
rooms of the United States Marshal on
the floor below the Office of the Chinese
Bureau and kept there in the prisoners
room in full view of all visitors until 2
o'clock in the afternoon, when she was
taken before Judge de Haven and dis
charged.
The witness testified further that he
had been Informed by members of the
press that Collector Jackson had in
formed them that Meredith had denied
warned by Lotto" The witness there
upon called on Meredith and wanted to
know what he meant by making him
Lotto a liar Meredith denied the story
to go with the witness to the Collector
and straighten the matter. When the
witness informed Collector Jackson of
what Meredith had said, the Collector
declined to discuss the subject.
Lotto also testified to offensive lau-
guage used by Meredith toward a re-
heard the reporter asking Assistant
United States Attorney Schlesinger
whether Meredith had informed him that
he (Meredith) or any one else had in
tended to place an additional charge
against Fong Suey Wan to hold her. He
added that fight between the reporter
and the bureau chief was averted by the
interference of Jack Sherrard. chief clerk
of the District Attorney Mr.. Siberia I'd
catching hold of Meredith and hustling
him into the corridor.
Mrs Sallie c. Pickens, who filed serious
charges against Major Moore, will be ex-
amined to-day.