The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-03
STAMPING OUT
THE APANESE
SLAVE TRAFFIC
The Trial of oda, the
PrOCurer.
BOTHER WITH INTERPRETERS
SOME REMARKABLE ANTICS OF
THE DEFENSE.
a Despicable Business That Is Car
ried on Openly Under the Eyes
of the Federal Port
Officials.
BOTHER WITH INTERPRETERS
SOME REMARKABLE ANTICS OF
THE DEFENSE.

Toda, the Japanese charged with keep
ing a minor girl in a house of i'll repute
gave his testimony in Judge Groezinger's
court yesterday afternoon. AS statement
maker Toda is peculiar. He began by in
sisttng in excellent English that he could
not speak that tongue and demanded an
Interpreter. The court had been taxed to
the limit of its patience by Japanese in
terpreterS, and the demand was not re-
ceived with good grace.
Toda a few months ago was the prose-
cutting witness in a suit against two Of
his countrymen, and his knowledge of the
English tongue was at that time clear
enough 10 win his case, but after some
skirmishing among the large audience OF
Japs an interpreter was caught and
sworn. Then Tcda started in TO ruin the
cause of the State. The girl Chiyo had
stated on the stand that Toda had given
her about SO and her mother or some
relative the same sum in Japan when he
engaged her TO come to this country for
employment in his handkerchief store,
and that when she arrived in San Fran
cisco. an ignorant immigrant girl, 10 years
old she learned for the first time her
hideous fate In the hands of the ruthless
slave dealer. Toda, she was helpless, and
when she. failed TO earn reasonable
her condition more piuable, she was
forced to entertain his Chinese friends
and TO hand her owner every cent gwen
her.
The japanese slave dealers In this city
charge their chattels $500 for bringing
them over from Japan, and under the pre-
tense Of letting the girls work themselves
out of debt allow them a SmaH percent
age Of their earnings. But they manage
TO keep that $500 standing. against their
bondswomen by inflicting fines whenever
Toda swore that he never saw the girl
in Japan and never offered her employ
II, cYn q ny EW0Ta
that the place at Brooklyn place
did not belong 10 him. and that he was
only the cook there. He could not read
The rent and grocery bills Of Brooklyn
place are all made out in his name, yet he
denied the ownership He also denied
that the woman with whom he lives anC
who IS evidently the mistress OF his eS-
tablishment is his wife, though he has
called her such since his arrest.
Attorney DonaYon. for the defense. ap-
reared to be trying TO get the case over
into Japan. He claimed If the girl Chlyo
was inVefeIed into a San Francisco house
the inveigling was done in japan. ana the
State of California was usurplng a iunc-
ton of the Mikado in prosecuting Toda.
Court Interpreter Geffeney. though not
on duty, was present as sort OF assist
pers with Donavon. His action drew
forth a strong protest from Attorney
Reardon of the prosecution.
At the close of Toda testimony the
trial was continued until next Monday az
It is the intention of the Society for the
Suppression of Vice to stamp out If pos
sible the importation of japanese girls
for immoral purposes. Ihere are eight
or ten notorious slave owners in Brooklyn
place who are engaged in the traffic IN
der the eyes Of the Federal port ott1cials,
the chief of whom is said TO be l. 1arna-
The recent exposure of this disreputa-
HE business in The Call has caused Jap
anese Consul General Mutsu 10 place ms
Kane of the society. The Consul tenders
his assistance and cooperation in the
work of stopping the slave traffic.