The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-08-20
PASSENGER
is KNITTED.
Jap Runs Amuck
on Hongkong
Maru.
FIREMAN CUTS
A SPANIARD
Objection to haIf.Nude Japs in
the Euronean Steeraoe eads
Objection to Haif-Nude Japs in
the European Storage Leads
TO Serious Trouble.

Two days before the Hongkong Maru
reached Honolulu members of the Jap
anese crew of firemen created a reign
of terror among the passengers. AS a
result of one of the Japanese running
amuck on the fine vessel, the pride OF
the Togo Kisen Kaisha fleet, Euro
pean steerage passenger was assaulted,
and is now lying in one of the first
class staterooms, suffering from six
knife wounds in his back and thighs.
Owing to a lack of regulations gov
erning the firemen when off duty the
latter have taken it upon themselves
to invade the quarters assigned to the
European steerage passengers, who are
for the most part, white people. The
firemen during their off shifts have
been in the habit of garbing them
selves in the kimOnos and making use
of the European steerage space as a
place of rest and amusement.
In the European steerage are several
Southern Europeans, Roumanians, and
three or four women. The Japanese
show little or no modesty in the pres
ence of the women, going about the
place in a half nude condition.
Last Saturday evening when the fire
men made their appearance and threw
back their kimonOS, OStenSibly TO cool
off, Spanish passenger protested.
He reported to a Japanese officer the
condition of affairs. One of the jap
anese, in particular, made himself OBJ
noxious to the women, and the Span
lard asked the fireman to respect
them. For answer he received a blow
on the side of the head which felled
him to the deck. This seemed to be a
signal to the rest of the Japs congre-
gated around the Steerage, for one and
all made a rush at the fallen man. He
| arose, defended himself, and then beat
a hasty retreat. He implored the aid
of the Japanese officers, but little heed
was given his request.
Shortly before o'clock another man
Frenchman, while seated in a
chair was attacked by the still infu-
rated Japs. AS he was quite innocent
| of the previous affair, he was unpre-
pared for the assault, and ran through
| the passageways toward the quarters
reserved for the first-class passengers
| While he was reporting TO two or three
| of the officers the Jap who seemed to
be at the bottom of the trouble. and
the most persistent of the lot came to-
ward the group on run. In his hand
he held a long Japanese dagger. Be
kfore the officers were fully aware OF
! his intentions, he came up behind the
| steerage passenger and made lunge
| at his back, but missed. The officers
who were white men, protected the
man the best way they could and hur-
ried with him down below. He was
advised to keep away from the steer
age.
The chief officer made request
| through the japanese officers that the
| firemen be not permitted entry to tbs
steerage space, but they still went
there Following the earlier affair the
frenzied Jap caught sight of the Span
/ ish passenger, Garcia by name, anc
ran after him again. The latter
ran upstairs along the upper deck
with the fireman in full pursuit
| brandishing his knife. Just as
the main entrance to the cabin sa-
| loon was reached the Jap caught VI
with his victim The latter stumbled
| over the threshold. The Jap slashet
! several times at the mans back, cut
ting his clothes and penetrating the
| flesh in six different places, a wound
| on the thigh being the worst. The
white officers came to the rescue ant
took the passenger down to a first
class cabin, where he was attended b.
the surgeon. He was locked up in thu
room and is there guarded to proven
the Japs from making further attempt
on his life.
/ There is a feeling that the compan.
operating the boats is too lax with IT
crews. Instead of preventing then
from mingling with the passengers, tn
crews have free access to the quar-
ters Of the passengers. On most of tn
| Japanese steamships the white ant
! Oriental officers are not on the bes
of terms, and it is an open secret tina
the Japanese officers would prefer t
have the white officers off the ship
entirely An instance of this hostiht,
was shown at Yokohama last montl
on the Nippon Maru, when the chic
engineer. a white officer, was set upol
by the Japanese, beaten and maltreat
ed SO that he was sent to the hospita
for treatment.