Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 February 1886 — EVICTING THE CHINESE. [ARTICLE]

EVICTING THE CHINESE.

RlcCeus Scenes at Seattle, Wash. TV*.— SLJjuunen Driven Aboard- m Steamer.. They- Atb ! Shipped for San Tranc'sco, with Steerape Passage Prepaid. [Seattle-(Wiehlngton Territory) telegram.) At last the long-drawn-out anti-Chinese agitation has reached a culminating points® far as Seattle is concerned. It was thought by many when the United States troops were withdrawn from here that the agitation was dead, and as weeks went by without the commission of any overt act, this opiniom was strengthened As the event shows, however, the feeling was not very dormant, and the agitators have been quielljtlaying plans all the while. An effort was made to put these plans into execution to-day, though with what success can not be said. An anti-Chinese meeting was held last night* at which a committee was appointed for the ostensible purpose of visiting Chinatown and ascertaining whether the city sanitary regulations wure properly observed by Chinamen. This - committee commenced its work at 7 o’clock this morning, headed by Acting Chief of Police Murphy, and, accompanied by an enormous crowd which hail apparently come together by previous understanding, it.pro* ceeded to Chinatown. The mode of procedure was simple. The committee wouldapproach a Chinese house and knock at the door. When the occupants appeared they were asked questions concerning tlm observance of the cubic air and other city ordinances. While the conversation was in progress a crowd would enter the house and begin packing the contents upon i*. wagon which would appear at that juncture. It was useless sor 1 the Chinamen to resist, and they generally acquiesced with as good a grace as possible.. When their movable goods were loaded in the wngon they were also placed, on board anddriven to the ocean dock, where the Queen of the Pacific was lying ready to sail for San Francisco. Not the slightest warning of this movement had been given, and the authorities were totally unprepared for it. The police force generally sided with the crowd, and made no effort to stop the work of removal. Sheriff McGraw was soon oq the scene, and commanded the crowd ■ to disperse, but it paid no attention to him. When he would collect a> few citizens and attempt to interfere, the crowd would oeasq operations at that point, but carry them oq without cessation in other quarters, Thi# continued for several hours. Sheriff Mo* Graw, Judge Green, and. Mayor Yesler made such efforts as they could in behalf of the law, but without avail:

The Governor issued tv proclamation “warning all persons to desist from breach of the peace, and that peacefully disposod persons shall retire to their homes, except such persons who are disposed) to assistthe Sheriff and the duly constituted civil authorities in maintaining law and order, and I request all persons who are disposed,toassist in maintaining order to enroll themselves under the Sheriff immediately for that purpose. Furthermore, I order) the military of this city to immediately place themselves under arms, and that the commanding officers of such companies report fort with to the Sheriff of King County.” This was read to the orowd, and was received with a howl of defiance. It had absolutely no pacifying effect. An attempt was then made to ring the fire-bolls, but they were soon silenced. Two local cotnEanies of militia and three companies of ome-guards, organized at the time the United States troops were withdrawn,, however, responded as quiokly as possible, but by the time they were ready for action there seemed nothing for them, to do. About four hundred Chinamen were huddled together in a warehouse on the ocean dock, and an immense crowd Erevented them from returning to their omes. Indeed, the majority of them showed much inclination to remain, as they were thoroughly cowed, and eager to get away. Officers of the steamship, however, refused to receive Chinamen without tickets. They prepared hot-water hose, and took every precaution to defend the vessel from any attempt to force the Chinamen on board. In this dilemma a collection was raised and enough subscribed to pay the passage of about a hundred. These were received on board, each one expressing a desire to go and declining the offers, of officials to protect them from violence if they remained. The Mayor of Seattle and other prominent citizens telegraphed to Vancouver barracks asking General Gibbon, commanding the Department of the Colombia, for troops.