The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-11-23
SEEKS HIS FATHER
IN UNITED STATES
Lung Fong, a Chinese Lad,
Takes Wrong Boat and
Lands in Mexico.
is CAST INTO PRISON
After Many Hardships, He Is
Allowed to Join Parent
at Boise, Idaho.
SDecial to The Tribune

Special 10 The Tribune,
BOISE, idaho. Nov. 22.-Sold into
slavery in Mexico after being captured
by Mexican soldiers when he entered thaJ
country believing IT was the United
States. held for ransom and when freed
barred from entrance 10 this country.
Louie Lung Fong, a Chinese lad 10 years
OF age. son of Louie Fong one OF the
prominent and wealthy Chinese OF this
city. is at last to be permitted 10 scale
the barrier thrown UP against Chinese
and make his home With his father In
this city. The story OF the experiences
OF this almond-eyed youth is one OF the
most thrilling and celeStials here arc
jubllant over his escape from death.
Louie Fong. senior member Of the Fong
family, and the wealthy Boise Chinese
merchant, left his family in China. like
TO America to make a fortune which they
can return to China with and live In
peace ana happiness in their older days
and Louie Fons. Jr.. was babe when
his father left his native shores for the
great unknown country.
The longing 10 see his father and 10
also carve his fortune in America seized
Louie Fong, Jr.. when he grew into
Chinese manhood and he awaited the
opportunity thai would afford him pas
sage over the Pacific, This came wher
his father sent his mother several hum
dred dollars in American money. The
boy managed to Law his hand on 500 OF
| II and ne Immediately embarked for the
United States
Took Wrong Boat.
inexperienced in the manner Of taking
wrong boat, one going TO Mexico instead
of San Francisco, The stormy passage
ended the youth, believing tina, he was
in the United States. proceeded TO strike
for the interior 10 find his father. Ac-
companied ny other Chinese whom he
met, the party travelled inland, but had
not gone far before they We're seized,
bound and cast into jail by Mexican SOL
diers. Later they were sold into slavery,
taken far back into the mountain fast
neSseS and there forced TO perform the
! hardest kind OF work on big plantations,
| and when they complained they were
whipped and beaten.
II was only after great suffering chat
Young Fons managed to find n friendly
his father here in Boise. To him he
poured forth his story. Louie Fong Sr..
lost no time in comforting with the 1ed-
ersl officials: setting in operation the
machinery OF the government. especially
the immigration department. But here
father and SON both working TO come
together. stumbled across snags that
threatened to result in sending the youth
back to China. The boy was located on
the Mexican plantation, and after meet
ing the demands of the officials there,
released from slavery and taken 10 the
boundary of the United States Young
FoDg managed 20 get through the pre-
liminary part of The examination for adj
mittance. but when cross-queStioned be-
came confused. This resulted In the Off
cials at San Francisco refusing him ad
mission 10 this country.
Ruled Against the Boy.
The case was then taken before United
states Commissioner Halveston OF this
city by the father Of the boy and
after a showing Commissioner Ualveston
decided that the youth was entitled TO
enter the United States, He so ruled.
But the commission at San Francisco did
not axe the same view OF the case and
ruled against the boy.
Determined to save his son from re-
turning TO China. ii possible. Louie Fong,
the father, carried the case to the proper
officials at Washington There the cli-
sibility OF the boy 10 come into the
United States from Mexico via san Fran
cisco was thrcshed out at length, the
matter raising number OF important is
sues in connection with the admission OF
Chinese, especially in relation to their
coming into tho states from some other
North American country, as appeared 10
he the case OF young Louie F'ong The
department of immigration finally ruled
In favor of the decision OF Commission
er Halveston, sustaining him and over
ruling the San Francisco officials This
permitted the passage of the youth into
tho United states and father ana son will
soon be joined after one of the most re-
markabe fights ever carried on I'm the
immigration courts OF the west