The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-09-22
OPENS DOOR
TO FEMALES
important Ruling as to Chinese
Made by United States Com.
missioner SIaden.
MAY CAUSE GREAT INFLUX
In Substance Court Holds That
Chinese Woman Has Right
TO Remain Upon Mar.
rying.


Portland kilograms What may be a
wide-open door for Chinese women Of
high and low degree to come into the
United States developed in the decision
rendered In favor Of Doe Gam Zip.
who appeared before United States
Commissioner sladen yesterday after
noon and who was released. The stand
of the commissioner was that since she
came into the United States she had
married Chinese merchant, Wong I'll
Fook, and that this gave her the status
of her husband.
Doe Gum Zip was arrested some
time ago, but shortly after the arrest
was married to Wong To Fook. who
. short time before had been tried and
acquitted Of the charge Of being ille-
gally in the United States The mar
riage was according to the laws of the
United States, otherwise 1t would not
have been binding.
In giving his decision, Commissioner
Sladen stated that he thought the mar
rfage took place for the sole purpose of
enabling the woman to remain in the
United States. He realized that his de-
cision would probably mean that it
would be possible for any Chinese wo-
man to come into the United States,
and even after being arrested, if she
were married to a Chinese merchant,
entitled to residence. she would not be
liable to deportation.
Whether the Chinese regard Ameri-
can marriages as binding is not known.
II the ceremony means nothing to them
they would probably offer no objection
to being principals in weddings which
would enable women of their race to
enter this country. II this proves the
case, so long as there are unmarried
Chinese merchants In the United
States, so long can Chinese women en-
ter this country without fear of deport-
alton.
The government claimed, in the Doe
Gum Zip case, that, according to the
decision of the United States circuit
court Of appeals in the case of the
United States VS.. Esoi Sam, appealed
from the northern district of Califor-
mia, that marriage subsequent to ar
rest did not grant Chinese woman
the status of her husband. This con-
tention was based on that part of the
decision which states that Tsoi Sam
did not get married to evade deporta-
ton" The case in question was where
Chinese woman entered this coun-
try and was married before being ar
rested. The government claimed that
the sentence, "She did not get mar
ried to evade deportation" implied that
if she had she would be liable to de-
portation.
Marriage subsequent to arrest IS an
unsettled question in Chinese cases, as
it is not known whether the ceremony
would enable woman to remain in
the United States. Commissioner Sal
den decided in favor of the woman, al
though in giving his decision be stated
that IT probably was loophole through
which any Chinese woman who could
find merchant to marry her would
be entitled to remain in this country. |
Leong Ding, Chinese youth IS years
old, was this morning released from
custody by consent of the government,
as it was shown almost conclusively |
before the trial that he was entitled TO
remain in the United States. This aft
ernoon Dong Sam appeared before a
United States commissioner to answer
to the charge of being Illegally in the
United States.