The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-02-08

to know have secuted the story, and
even go so far as to deny it, municipal,
county and federal officers are of the
belief that Walla Walla, together with
other important cities of the west, is
in the grip of the ring which con-
trolls the Oriental slave trade" Deal
ings of this alleged combine extend to
practically every city of any import
ance on the Pacific slope, with agen-
cies across the Pacific ocean into Japan
and China, from where the supply of
human slaves is procured and brought
to this country to promote the traffic.
While this illegal traffic in oriental
slaves has existed for years, local off,
GERS say it was believed to have been
almose checked until recent discover
les have shown the alarmingly secret
manner in which the traffic has in
creased. Developments have come to
light within the past two months
which cause immigration officials in
the northwestern cities to include that
another ring of these slave traders
headed by a cunning master of crime
has sprung into existence and that the
result has been a climax of ruined lives
and the desolation of thousands of
innocent young women.
In the arrest of Horsti Zurza and
Kondo Mushuro, two Japanese taken
into custody a few weeks ago at the
instigation, of, local immigration I'm
spector Wells and their subsequent
conviction of living from the earnings
of japanese women, it is believed have
been found two of the members of just
such q ring which investigation has
given officials cause to believe exists.
The arrest of Zurza and Mushuro are
not the first made in Walla Walla
of the same character and immigration
and police officials in Seattle, Taco
ma, Portland and Spokane are like
wise probing into the alleged illegal
traffic in the oriental slaves with the
result that many arrests have been
made.
Prey Upon Rural Districts.
According to information brought
to light as result of days and nights
OF hard work on the part of govern
ment officials, it is said these ruthless
japanese prey upon the rural districts
of their own country, obtaining by
money and an offer of marriage, simple
maidens who live on farms and who
know nothing of the evils of the great
cities.
1t is the custom of those on the Gin
side" to send regularly employed
agents out into the farming districts
and there they place in the hands of
the father of some little maid. a GER
tain sum of money. He then receives
a letter Of credit which signifies that
the child is to come to this country
to marry, after which she is taken in
charge by the "agent" and sent here
on the trans-Pacific liners, where 9TH
er agents" take her in charge.
One oriental law which makes
crimes such as have been perpetra-
ted upon these women possible, is the
proxy marriage ceremony. This form
of marriage means that with her flu
ture husband in this country and thu
woman in Japan, the couple are mar
rled and are firmly linked together
by law as those who here make their
marriage vows before the altar Or an
ecclesiastical denomination
immigration Laws Intellectual.
According to Inspector Wells of the
immigration service, this law is being
taken advantage of to ruin the lives
Of mere children, who are thus pro-