The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-01
Railroad News
SLAVE GIRLS SOLD
TO RICH CHINESE
Mystery of Disappearance of
125 Sing Tong Women at
Omaha Cleared

Half a dozen years ago a big fair
was held in Omaha. It was called the
Trans Mississippi exposition, and it
was widely billed as a worlds fair.
There were exhibits from many for
eign countries and among the most in
tereSting of these was the Chinese Sec
ton of the show.
One of the features of the Chinese
section was the large restaurant and
theater, and to the wonderment of
many Of the visitors from the Pacific
coast and the Orient the management
of the show allowed women to take
part in the production of the plays at
the theater.
AS anyone can tell who has ever
lived on the Pacific coast, tits a car
dinal principle of the Chinese that no
women of their race shall have any
thing to do with show house except
occasionally as spectators from one Of
the secluded balconies of the show
houses.
The women are not supposed to sit
in the same part of the house with the
men, and according to Oriental lights,
are kept isolated as much as possible.
No Womer in Cast
What was the establishment of the
patrons of the theater to find that the
female parts in the shows were actu-
ally taken by females instead of thin
voiced, mincing female impersona tors.
They puzzled for awhile over the prob
lem and left the show mystified with
what they had seen.
The matter, however, was not mys-
terry to the astute Chinese. While he
was tr1fie surprised at what he saw,
ne was certain in his own mind that
tnere was something doing and that in
good time he would know. all about it.
Later on the wise Chinese discov-
ered that the women We're being grad
ually withdrawn and at the end of the
fair the company playing at the expo
sltlon theater was as orthodox as re-
CARDS sex as could be desired by the
most eXacting audience
There was a deal of puzzling over
the affair in an unofficial way by Off
Gals of the government, but nothing
could be done and all inquiries made
by them resulted where they began.
An official of one of the Western
railroads who was connected with a
road running out of Omaha during the
fair was visitor in ST. Paul yester-
day and told just how the trick was
dove.
Willy Chinese Trick
The women, according to his story,
We're nothing more nor less than slaves
belonging to the Suey Sing Tong, a
powerful highlander organization.
which extends from Canton, it's home,
all over this country and Mexico, and,
in fact, as far as the Chinese have pen
etrated in their migrations throughout
the world.
These slave girls to the number of
l25 We're imported from Canton to this
country under the pr&tense that they
were members of a theatrical troupe
that had been engaged to play during
the fair
They all did play for a few days,
and after the performances there was
usually very interesting happening
in the quiet of the Chinese quarter of
the exposition
The railroad man says that the girls
were sold like cattle to wealthy Chi
neSe of San Francisco and other points
on the Pacific coast. They retailed at
anywhere from $500 to $4,000 a head
according to age, beauty and accom-
plishment, and those who were left
over after the show went in a bunch
to the headquarters of the Suey Sing
Tong at MarySville, Cal.
The methods used in getting them
out of Omaha and away from the
Watchful eye of the authorities was
simple in the extreme.
The willy Chinese. in charge of the
theater found that he could charter a