Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 February 1886 — EVICTING THE CHINESE. [ARTICLE]

EVICTING THE CHINESE.

Riotous Scenes at Seattle, Wash. Ter.— Chinamen Driven Aboard a Steamer. They Are ! Shipped for San Francisco, with Steerage Passage Prepaid. [Beatqajgt»B*lingt<o.Territory» telegram.] At last' the long-drawn-out anti-Chinese agitation has reached a culminating point so Car as Beattie is concerned. It was thought by many when the United Btates troops were withdrawn from here that the agitation was dead, and as weeks went by without the commission of any overt aot, this opinion Was strengthened As the event shows, howejer, the feeling was not very dormant, and tye agitators have been quietly laying plans a»l the while. An effort was made to put fcLsse plans into execution to-day, though wi.:h what success can not be said. An pnti-Chinese meeting was held last night, at yhich a committee was appointed for iie ostensible purpose of visiting Chinatown and ascertaining whether the city sanitary , -regulations were properly observed by Chinamen. This committee commenced its work at 7 o’clock this morning, headed by Acting Chief of Felice Murphy, and, accompanied by an enormous crowd which had- apparently come together by previous understanding, it proceeded to Chinatown. The mode of procedure was simple. The committee would approach a Chinese house and knock at the door. When the occupants appeared they were asked questions concerning the 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 a wagon whioh would appear at that juncture. It was useless for the Chinamen to resist, and they generally acquiesced •rith as good a grace as possible. When their movable goods were loaded in the wagon they were also placed on board and i»iven to the ocean dock, where the Queen jf the Pacific was lying ready to sail for *>an Francisco. Not the slightest warning this movement had been given, aud the to. Verities were totally unprepared for it. Tfc> police force generally sided with' the irowj, and made no effort to stop the work of removal. Sheriff McGraw was soon on She scene, and commanded the crowd to disperse, but it paid no attenrion to him. V fen he would collect a few citizens and atlon.pt to interfere, the crowd would cease operations at that point, but carry them on without cessation in other quarters. This continued for several hours. Sheriff McGraw, Judge Green, and Mayor Yesler made such efforts as they could in behalf of th« law, but without avail. , The Governor issued a proclamation “warning ill persons to desist from breach of the peace, and that peacefully disposed jiersons shall retire to their homes, except such persons who are disposed to assistthe Sheriff and the duly constituted civil authoriiiss in maintaining law and order, and I request all persons who are disposed to assist in maintaining order to enroll themselves under tho 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 fortwith to the Sheriff of King County.” This was read to the crowd, and was ->ceoeived with a howl of defiance, It had absolutely no pacifying effect. 1 ' An attempt was then made to ring the fire-bells, bnt tjiey yere spon silenced. TwoTooal companies of militia obd three companies of home-guards, organized at the time the United States troops were withdrawn, however, responded as quickly 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 prevented them from returning to their homes. 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, find 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 Columbia, for troops.