The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-09-18
INDICT ALLEGED
SLAVE TRADER
Federal Grand Jurors Say
Lee Toy Illegally Import
ed Four Chinese Women
is ARRESTED IN CITY
Warrant May Be Out for Da
Silva, Agent for st. Louis
Fair Concession Company

The probing by the Federal Grand
slave women by members of the COM
pany which holds the Chinese con-
cession at the st. Louis Exposition re-
suited in the return Of an indictment
yesterday against Lee Toy, president
of that concern. Toy was taken into
custody by Secret Service Agents Ha-
zen, Foster and Moffett at 727 Sac
ramento street, where he has been
living since his arrival a few weeks
ago with 207 Chinese, twelve Of them
women, whom he brought over, as he
explains. to place in the village. which
he aimed to make one Of the chief
attractions Of the fair.
Bail was fixed at $4,000, but Toy
was unable to obtain the aid he ex-
lpected from the surety company be-
cause its offices were closed for the
Saturday half holiday. He will there
fore have to remain at the Broadway
Jail until tomorrow, at least.
INDICTMENT OF DA SILVA.
1t is believed that an indictment
was found against H. L. A. Eca da
Silva, who was associated with Toy
in the importation of the steerage
crowd that came on the steamer Dor
ic. Da Silva is in st. Louis, however,
and until the arrest Is made on the
telegraphic order that was sent yes
terday no information as to the
charge will be given out.
Da Silva was formerly an interpre-
ter in the office of Immigration Com
missioner Hart North, but being dis
missed some months ago entered the
employ of the concession concern to
help bring over the Chinese. Lee Toy
is said to be connected with a large
Oriental goods firm of Philadelphia,
known as the Chong Wah Company.
In the female contingent of the i'm
portation were four women who, upon
their arrival in this port, declared
that they had been purchased in Chi
ma and were intended for immoral
purposes at the exposition and as long
as they should remain in this country.
Commissioner North detained these
women, sending them to the Occiden-
tai Mission Home for safe keeping I'M
til the matter could be investigated
and arrangements made for deporta-
ton. But mysterious feature of the
case is that the eight other women,
who were in the same party and had
been induced by the same men to
leave their native land, were allowed
to proceed to ST. Louis. In their an
swers before the immigration bureau,
however, they gave no intimation be-
yond the mere statement that they
had come to enter the employ OF the
concession company.
BOUGHT WOMEN IN CANTON.
The story told the Grand Jury was
that Da Silva bought the women in
Canton at prices ranging from $500
to $500, and that contracts were for
mally entered into for the engage
ment at st. Louis. The four women
did not learn until they were upon
the ocean what was in store for them
in the United States and they saved
themselves from the horrible fate by
appealing to the Immigration Com
missioner. In China they had been
employed as household servants.
Lee Toy declared yesterday that the
four women gave false testimony
when they alleged that his purpose
was to introduce them to a life of
shame. 1--WE had planned very at
tractive village" he said. land want
ed native Chinese to make a scene of
realistic industrial activity. did not
see any of the women until they were
brought to the steamship the morn
ing of our departure, Da Silva having
picked them up. There is absolutely
nothing in the allegations that our
scheme was criminal in its nature"