The Washington herald., 1913-09-20
Chinese TRAFFIC
SYSTEMATIzED
Celestials Struggled Into This
Country Are Under Con-
slant ''Check."
LIKE REGISTERED MAIL
Distribution Of Subjects from Hong
kong Mysterious, but Effective.
Eject of Incompetency.

OF the existence of an underground rail-
road" used to conceal and spirit away
Chinese fugitives from justice smuggled
into this country, IL is now common gos-
| sip in some of the cities on the Canadian
brder, according to Federal officials con-
cerned with enforcement of the immigra-
tion lands. that the Chinese traffic is
systematized.
A MOngolian is kept track of from the
time he leaves Hongkong until he is de-
| livered to the destination for which he
starts by those who originally ship him
TO Canada TO be smuggled into the Unit
ed States.
If a Chinese is apprehended while be-
ing smuggled across the border line be-
tween the countries the information is
sent back to China and a demerit mark
registered against the operator of the
station from which he left before being
caught. For some time the immigration
authorities were very successful IN catch
ing the smugglers attempting to cross
the Detroit River, while one Chinese who
was being brought over from Windsor on
the Canadian Pacific car ferry Ontario
fell into the river and was drowned.
Other Orientals were either sand-bagged
and robbed in the railroad yards and left
TO their fate or placed in cars by the
smugglers, after they had been robbed
by them, and sent on their way.
Chicago Agencies Rebukcd.
So many of the Chinese sent TO
Windsor. across the boundary from De-
troit, to be smuggled were disposed of
in such a manner that the Chinese
agencies in the border city were severely
Teprimanded and az one time it was no
uncommon talk in that town, that a
Windsor Chinese, who is charged by i'm
migration officers here with being the
operator of smuggling in Windsor. was to
be called back to China. in which event
he would be assassinsted.
Chinese smugglers who have reformed
are seldom reticent about telling OF the
operations of the Chinese and the system
used by them, and il was one of the re-
formed Chinese smugglers who still re-
sides in Windsor that made this state
ment:
There is a better check kept on Chi
nese from the time they leave China un-
til they reach their destination than there
is on gold said he. why, the Chinese
are handled on the same plan that a reg
istered letter is. For instance. when one
Of them or a batch. as they are gener-
ally sent to Canada from their native
land. leaves, their next stopping place
is Vancouver. There they are received
and housed for few days. and a full
report made by the Chinese agent there
to the original agent in Hongkong.
Then they are sent further East. Some
times they stop at Winnipeg. but more
often are shipped direct TO Toronto.
which is another clearing house for
them. Each agent as he receives them
sends his report to China.
"BIack Marks" for Errors.
From Toronto they are sent all along
the border. to Niagara Falls and to
Windsor and Sarnia- The check is kept
on them, and when they leave one agent,
If they are not received by the next
gent or station, the one who handled
them last has black mark added to his
list. and if he is found lacking in his
handling of them too often loses too
many, he is called back to China and
slain. When a Chinese is called back
to his country by the agents there. he
goes, even though it may mean certain
death.
From Detroit they are taken across
the river in every sort of contrivance,
box cars, cabs, automobiles. and boats.
Then they are handled from various sta
tions. The stations are changed regular
ly, so that it is seldom that they are
handled from the same place more than
a month or so at a time. In Windsor.
however, il is different, and If you were
to keep watch on certain Chinse laun-
dries here you would find that the in
mates of the laundries changed very
often during the course OF a month";
That there is an underground" system
in Windsor is the belief of Federal au-
thorities in Detroit. Not long ago Clyde
l. Webster. District Attorney at Detroit,
told of a Chinese that had been followed
by United States government officers
from British Columbia and was seen
when taken into a laundry in Windsor.
That laundry was kept under the most
severe surveillance day and night. and
while the government officers were still |
watching the place. the Chinaman was
arrested in Detroit said Mr.. Webster. |
Now, how did that man get out and /
get to Detroit without being seem"