The evening times., 1900-04-11
4 CELESTIAL CATILlNE
Charlie Lee, Released From Jail,
Returns TO His Bailiwick.
The Former Mayor of PhiIadelphia's
Chinatown Welcomed Back by His
Warm for His Enemies-Weu
Treated While in Durance Vile.

PHILADELPHIA. April 11.-Some Of the
choicest spirits of the Chinese colony eel
ebrated last night the release from Moy-
amensing prison of Charlie Lee, formerly
Mayor OF Chinatown and one of its wealth
lest merchants. Prior to the advent OF
Lee Toy, Charlie Lee was the ruling pow
er among the Race Street Celestials. He
owned tea shops, merchandise shops, and
laundries. His word went among his
countrymen as second only TO the dictum
of the Chinese Union, the august tribunal
that sits as court Of arbitration 10 ad-
just the disputes of the local descendants
of Confucius. But according to Charlie s
own story, he ran up against an influential
coterie of the Rev. Frederick Poole's Chi
nese Mission and the contact resulted in
his undoing
In March OF last year all Chinatown was
thrown into CONSERVATION by the arrest of
their leader at his own headquarters. at
s20 Race Street. He was charged with
conducting a gambling joint. Before Judge
Sulzberger he was convicted and sentenced
TO imprisonment for one year. 1t was the
first conviction for gambling in Chinatown
in period Of ten years
Charlie Lee was released yesterday
morning, having received communication
OF one month for good behavior. He went
Immediately to the City Hall, where he
called first upon Superintendent Of Police
Quirk and then upon Captain of Detectives
Miller. His object was to assure them Of
his innocence and his future good inten-
tions. and to talk with them concerning
the alleged w.ckedness Of his enemies.
His return to the Race Street colony
was in the nature Of a triumph His i'm
prisonment had evidently elevated him in
the consideration Of his people. Hereafter
II viii be nip and tuck between Charlie
Lee and Lee Toy. for there cannot be Two
mayors in the same block.
The COHEN, or reception, given in hon
or OF the prosecuted leader was started
early in the evening. in the merchandise
shop Of QuOng Yuen Hong at 922 Race
Street There many OF the leading Chi
nese merchants and laundry owners of the
dty gathered about the released prisoner.
smoking and drinking tea and offering
protestaJiOns of renewed fealty. From the
shop the party went 10 the restaurant of
Me Hong Low. a cousin of Lees. at No
%3 The plebeian dishes of yock- min
and chop-suee would not do for this occa-
sion. Li-wo-opp and yOw-wo- gung at a
dollar a throw. genuine importations from
China. We're the features Of the menu.
In talking of his case Charlie Lee
claimed that the whole trouble arose over
the question Of proprietorship of a house
on Race Street where he wished to open a
merchandise shop. The Chinese Union de-
cided in his favor, but the other contest
ants were not satisfied. One of them
Charlie claimed, was member of the mis-
sion, and so the influence of that body
was enlisted against him. Rev. Mr.. Poole
himself appeared for the prosecution at
his trial. and his evidence apparently con-
WINGED the judge.
But | was innocent" protested Charlie.
who speaks excellent English and Mr.
Poole never met me until he saw me in
court i met him on the street this aft
ernoon and he did not recognize me /
have been in business here in Race Street
for twenty years, and before | have been
here much longer my enemies viii be Sor-
Ty for what they have done
Charlie Lee liked his treatment in pris-
on. He even spoke well of the American
soup and the American coffee upon which
he was regaled. The keepers. he said
treated him with marked consideration.
Otherwise he did not think he could have
survived the ignOminious ordeal He has
now taken up his abode al g3S Race Street
which bids fair to be the centre Of inter
est in the internecine affairs of Chinatown
for some time to come.