THE CHINESE IN SAN FRANCISCO

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1682, 8 October 1887, Page 4

THE CHINESE IN SAN FRANCISCO

(' Anti Chinaman ") A detective In San Franolsoo, meeting an old friend, an Australian m'ner, says we indu'ged m a cocktail, and started ou a tour to the Chinese quarter, I being on duty at the time. We wtnt up Washing-ton-street to Murderers alley, and turn d down Jackson street. This is were the we «m was murdered In the night, within ten luot of where hundreds of people were oomlng and going all the time. Her murderer, a Chinaman, after rubbing the place coolly washed tbe blood off his hands and face and walked away. After tedious investigation I saw him hanged for lt. Says he, here where we stand is where another Chinaman cut his runaway mletr. ss openwi'h along Chinese dagger. I saw that villainous individual pass m his obcquea Ani fuither on we iroreed. Here, he remarks, is where one of our men of tbe foro9 got plugged with a eixsho ter. I thanked my kind frleud for his ebt-erfnl Information, but suggested that it might be as well to keep a little of it back fcr another time, that it was not good to exhaust all tho pleasant things of this life at one sitting, so the tubjeot was obligingly changed. lam quite oatefied that the name of tbe alley Is well deserved and appropria'e Swarms of Chinese womenl with almond eyes end baby faoes, painted red and whl'e In the most lavish manner, lips touched with Vermillion, hair black and glossy with a most offensive smell, and clsd m blue satin pants and coats, trotted along the alley, .their Curious woodet.soled shoos rattling like to hoofs of a flock of sheep as they went. Others tapped on the window-panes to attract our attention as we passed a regular pandemonium of debauchery and orime. Before one house we saw some j iss stricks burning, and the white oloth festooned over the door told that death was there. Enquiring into tbe cause of the defunct's death, we found that it was one of the worst forms of leprosy. We soon ra»de tracks, not wishing to come m contact with that spicy disease. Going further ou be said, " We will step into the dens, and see where they live and die." Leading the way into a dark passage running from the street into the centre of the block we stumbled along for acme fifty feet, and came to a ricketty, dirty stairway, whioh we desosnded, feeling our way along step by step until we stiod In a Btinking courtyard, surrounded with high buildings. For a moment or so we could see nothing, but the stenoh from rotten vegetables was enough to kill a polecat. The place was literally swarming with the lowest class of the Mongolian population, We struck a match on the wall and lit a candle, and drew out our shooting Irons In case of trouble, Immediately a number of curious faces peeped at us from behind a lot of old guuny bags, whioh took the place of windows pnd doors m tbe basement walls. A dozen or two ol dirty, dilaoidated, demorallsed-looklng, villlanous Oeleatia's "oame out from different corners, and stood with theit hands In their pookets, regarding us witfc evident suspicion as unauthorised Intruders. This ia a regular den of thieves Not one of these fellows work at odj honest trade for a living ; they are th( loafers and outcasts of China