This article is from J. P. Marden's "The History of Winnemucca"
HUMBOLDT COUNTY'S HISTORICAL LEGACY Vol.2
A HISTORY OF WINNEMUCCA,
HUMBOLDT COUNTY, NEVADA.
CHAPTER 2.
THE CHINESE IN WINNEMUCCA.
There have been many different ethnic groups in Winnemucca and
Humboldt County. Some of these groups stayed in Winnemucca and were
soon assimilated into the cultural mix that makes Winnemucca what it is
today. The one race of people that was never assimilated into the cultural
mix in Winnemucca was the Chinese, and from the very earliest days of
their arrival within this community, they remained separate. This could be
one of the reasons that they are no longer part of the present cultural mix.
The Chinese have been one of the most maligned, if not the most
maligned, racial group in the United States. They are the only racial group
that was forbidden to immigrate to the United States by law. In 1880
California passed laws that put an end to Chinese labor use in that state. In
1882 the United States followed suit with the Exclusion Act of 1882. This
bit of legislation barred Chinese immigration for 10 years. This act was
renewed over and over again and the exclusion policy remained in force
until World War II. At this time the law began to be modified until it was
finally dropped, after 86 years in effect, in the 1968 overhaul of immigration
legislation.
In the early days many of the Chinese who had become United States
citizens and returned to China to visit were refused entry when they tried to
return.
In 1893 a Chinese man by the name of Hi Loy, also known as "Ace
In The Hole", went home to China for a visit with the family he had left
behind. When he returned in May, 1895, immigration officials would not let
him off the ship at San Francisco. The officials said that his reentry papers
had been altered, and they refused to let him off the ship.
Hi Loy wired Winnemucca and affidavits were produced stating that
he was a resident of Winnemucca and well known here to both the whites
and the Chinese. After several weeks had passed he was allowed to
disembark and return to Winnemucca.
In 1902 Sing Yuen, a Winnemucca merchant, returned to the United
States after an extended visit to China. He was held in San Francisco for
over two months while his paperwork was verified. A Treasury Department
officer came to Winnemucca and conducted interviews before Sing Yuen
was allowed to return to his home and business.
This problem of readmitting Chinese into the United States continued.
In 1928 Yee Jam, the owner of the Hi Loy Jan store in Chinatown, wanted to
bring his wife, Soo Soo Chee, to Winnemucca to enjoy his prosperity. He
started the paperwork to unwind the red tape in 1927 with the aid of the City
Attorney. Inspectors came from San Francisco to Winnemucca to inspect
his store. A friend of Yee Jam in North Dakota gave an affidavit stating that
he had known Yee Jam in China and that Soo Soo Chee was his wife.
Finally Soo Soo Chee had the paperwork necessary to leave China but upon
her arrival at San Francisco she was held on Angels Island for three weeks
for more investigating. She finally arrived in Winnemucca on February 17th,
1928. This problem would continue for many years.
One of the myths of history is that the Chinese came to the western
United States for the construction of the Central Pacific Railroad. The
reality is that they arrived in California in the very early days of the gold
rush, which started in 1849.
The first mention of Chinese in Humboldt County appeared in the first
issue of The Humboldt Register in May of 1863. At that time the citizens of
Unionville were united in their effort to rid the town of the Chinese presence
there.
When the railroad began building through the area in 1868 the
Chinese arrived in Winnemucca, and maintained their presence here until the
1940's.
Another historical myth concerning the Chinese was that they built the
Central Pacific Railroad. The Chinese did all the grading on the Central
Pacific. The ties and rails were laid by white men. After the Central Pacific
was built, a small percentage of the Chinese construction crews were
employed by the railroad as section hands, maintaining the railroad bed and
tracks. After the turn of the 20th Century these Chinese section gangs were
replaced by other ethnic groups.
Not all the Chinese worked for the railroad. When we think of the
Chinese in the early days we think of them as running laundries. There were
several Chinese wash houses in Winnemucca, located both on Railroad
Street and Bridge Street. Chinese were also employed as cooks and
domestic servants in town as well as on ranches throughout the county.
The more industrious Chinese opened stores and supplied their fellow
countrymen with the foodstuffs of their native land. Starting in the 1890's
there were several restaurants in Winnemucca that were ran by Chinese, one
of these lasting through the 1920's.
One of the most successful merchants in McDermit in the late 1890's,
Jim Low, was of Chinese decent. The story of the Low family in Humboldt
County would fill a book by itself.
CHINATOWN.
In Winnemucca in the 1870's, there was more than one Chinatown.
Three separate settlements were scattered within the limits of the town.
There was a small enclave near the river off of East Second Street. Another
was located along the Humboldt Canal west of the Courthouse. The third
site was along Bridge Street east of the Courthouse. Each tong seemed to
have their own Chinatown.
By 1870 the citizens of Winnemucca began lobbying to have the
Chinatown on Bridge Street moved off the main connecting road between
Upper and Lower towns. The editor of the Humboldt Register stated that the
Chinese quarters on Bridge Street were an affront to the morals of all the
citizens of Winnemucca and should be forced to locate elsewhere. The
newspaper railed against the Chinatown being on Bridge Street across from
the stately Humboldt County Courthouse, and in January, 1873, their
campaign bore fruit. It was then that Alex. Wise purchased the land upon
which the Chinatown on Bridge Street across from the Courthouse was
located.
Wise gave the Chinese two months to move their dwellings, but they
didn't have anyplace to move to. The Central Pacific Railroad Company
offered the Chinese a lease on the ground along Cross Creek, about 120 feet
behind the Bridge Street location. This was land that was not wanted by any
of the white residents of the community at that time. By July, 1873, the
Bridge Street Chinese were relocated. These were the first of the Chinese to
be located on Baud Street.
The Chinatown that was located on Second Street soon moved up into
the area along Cross Creek.
The Chinese enclave to the west of the Courthouse was known as
Hong Kong Row. The Chinese living here considered themselves of a
higher social standing than those whose dwelling had just been moved to the
banks of Cross Creek. They managed to keep themselves separated from
their Chinese brethren until sometime after 1876 when the pressure of the
good citizens of Winnemucca became too much and they too moved to what
would become Baud Street.
In several research papers written about the Chinese in the west,
Hong Kong Row in Winnemucca has been mentioned, along with the fact
that there were several high-class Chinese houses of ill repute located there.
The source for this information is listed as an issue of The Silver State from
February, 1875. After reading this article several times I still am amazed
that these learned people drew the conclusions that they have from this
article.
The article is about a Chinese man swindling a Chinese woman out of
a loan that was secured with a house and piece of ground. It is the only time
in all of the newspapers published in Winnemucca that any of the
Chinatowns were referred to by the sobriquet of Hong Kong Row. There is
no mention of houses of ill repute nor is there any indication in the article
that they ever existed. This myth created by an individual writing a master's
thesis has been perpetuated by others researching the Chinese presence in
the west.
One of the events which precipitated the move of the Chinatowns was
the discovery of the skeletal remains of an infant in the old canal that ran
through Hong Kong Row. It immediately was assumed by the denizens of
Winnemucca that these remains were, of a Chinese infant, probably female,
that had been killed by her parents. It was stated that in China it was the
custom to kill unwanted female infants immediately after their birth.
The Silver State whipped the local citizens to a high frenzy. The day
after the discovery of the body the good white people of Winnemucca were
still trooping up to view the partially exposed remains in the dry canal. The
Silver State wanted to know whose responsibility it was to have the remains
properly interred.
Apparently the only indication that this child was Chinese was that it
was found behind Hong Kong Row. The resulting public outcry led to the
moving of Hong Kong Row to the banks of Cross Creek. The Chinatowns
of Winnemucca were now united and the tongs had to work out a peace
treaty between them to insure their tranquility in their new setting.
Now all of the Chinese of the various tongs, or companies as they
were called by the whites, lived in the same general area. Chinatown began
to grow.
The Chinese built houses in much the same manner that the white men
in the area did. They didn't believe in wasting time or money painting their
buildings and these buildings were always referred by the more proper
citizens of Winnemucca as shacks.
One myth about the Chinese that has survived to modern times is that
they tunneled from building to building and from Chinatown to what the
local inhabitants considered to be the respectable part of town. The tunnel
stories are not based on fact. The Chinese believed in constructing their
dwellings into the high banks and having parts of their buildings under
ground. They built sub-basements under their basements. There is nothing
in the historical record to indicate that they tunneled anywhere in Chinatown
at any time. The Chinese wanted to be separate from the rest of the
community. They wanted to be left alone by the whites. This rumor
probably arose because of the prejudices of the white community.
Old tunnels have been found in downtown Winnemucca from
buildings across alleys to other buildings. These were not constructed by the
Chinese, as many have been led to believe, but by the criminal element in
Winnemucca that was active during the prohibition period in our history.
In 1892 the Chinese in Winnemucca's Chinatown were constructing
substantial dwellings that caught the attention of The Silver State editor. He
mentioned that he was favorably impressed with a two-story wooden
dwelling house that was being built. He stated that possibly the heathens
would now do away with their dugouts in the banks and move to more
acceptable housing.
In 1907 the Chinese again fell in disfavor with the powers that be in
Winnemucca. Petitions from Winnemucca citizens were presented to the
County Commission asking that East Fifth Street be opened through to Baud
Street. Up until that time East Fifth Street had only been a line on the city
maps, and the street alignment was occupied by a part of Chinatown. The
Commissioners ordered the District Attorney to see that the street was
pushed through.
The Chinese failed to realize that the Commissioners and District
Attorney were serious when they said that the street would be opened. The
Chinese did not remove their buildings.
Early on the morning of August 6th, 1908, the chain gang arrived on
the scene under the direction of Deputy Sheriff Pearce and began tearing
down the buildings that were in the way. This caused the inhabitants of the
buildings to come rushing out and when they saw what was happening they
told the Deputy that they would immediately tear down the buildings
themselves. Late into the night the Chinese worked removing their
household effects and tearing down their buildings. By the morning of
August 7th the roadway for East Fifth Street was nearly clear and ready to be
graded for a street.
The Chinese population began shrinking in the years after the turn of
the 20th Century. When the emigration from China to the United States had
started only able bodied men were needed. Many of the Chinese women
that did come in the early days were slaves, and usually had been sold by
their parents. Many of the early Chinese women that came to Winnemucca
were used as prostitutes. In Winnemucca the lack of women for the Chinese
men to marry led to a lack of children, and without children the Chinese
community began fading away.
There were some Chinese families, but not as many as one would
think. The old bachelors began dying off or retiring to one of the big
Chinatowns on the West Coast. In the early part of the 20th Century many of
the older Chinese men sold out and went back to their boyhood homes in
China to spend their remaining years. By the late 1930's there were very
few Chinese left in Chinatown,
In 1939 the Winnemucca City Council decided that Chinatown had
become an eyesore and formulated a plan for doing away with it. They
planned to buy up lots with the run down buildings on them, tear down the
buildings, and resell the lots. They bought their first lot and building in July
of that year, but this project failed to eradicate the eyesore that Chinatown
had become.
Over the years after 1939 fires and time caused the buildings to fall
further and further into disrepair. In the early 1950's the only brick structure
in Chinatown, the joss house, was torn down because of its unsafe condition.
By the middle 1960's there was only a small part of Chinatown
remaining. This last bit of history was removed to make way for the present
Humboldt County Library in 1965. Winnemucca had lost the last remains of
an important part of her history.
CHINESE QUEUES.
One of the most noticeable characteristics if the Chinese in the early
days were their pigtails, or queues, as they were properly called.
The queues were adopted as the headdress of the Chinese, though not
through choice, but through force. When the Manchus conquered China in
1644 they made all make Chinese wear "pigtails" as a sign of subjugation.
In 1877 a bill was introduced in the Nevada Legislature providing for
the cutting of the hair of anyone convicted of larceny. A person convicted of
larceny could pay an additional fine and keep his hair. This bill was aimed
at the Chinese and called the "Chinese Que" bill. It was known that a
Chinaman would do anything in his power to keep the long queue that he
had worn almost since birth. The legislators thought this would be a good
way to generate extra money for the school fund. Whether the law passed or
was defeated is not known.
In 1911 the Manchu rule was finally overthrown, and many of the
Chinese men in Winnemucca cut off their queues for the first time in their
lives.
THE JOSS HOUSE.
One of the first and most important buildings erected in any Chinese
community was the Joss House, which was the equivalent of a church, lodge
hall, and community center.
The first mention of a Joss House in Winnemucca appeared in The
Silver State in August, 1878. The article stated that the Chinese had fitted
up a building to serve them as a Joss House. They raised a flagstaff in front
of it and ran up a large banner bearing "cabalistic" figures. Not
understanding what the figures on the banner meant, the editor felt that
somehow they represented heathenism.
In 1885 the Chinese began flying a triangular flag emblazoned with a
dragon from the flag pole in front of the Joss House, and this flag would be
unfurled there on special occasions for many years after this.
A new Joss House was built in 1886 and survived until it was
destroyed by fire in August, 1889. By December, 1889, another Joss House
was completed. This new building was one story and made of wood. It
soon proved to small for the purposes at hand, and in 1892 a two-story
wooden Joss House was erected. This Joss House was in use for ten years.
At that time the Chinese decided it was time for a more substantial and
imposing structure.
In September, 1902, it was announced in The Silver State that the
Chinese were going to build a new brick Joss House in the Mongolian
quarter. They planned to build it near the top of the hill and build a long
stairway from what would become Baud Street to reach it.
Construction went smoothly and by the first of December the new
Joss House was completed.
One of the unusual things about the new Joss House was that it was
built by white contractors. John Schmidt and L. H. Babcock built the
Chinese community a fire-proof brick building 72 x 20 feet, with a
handsomely finished interior, at a cost of between $2,500 and $3,000.
"The building will be known as the Temple of Worship and will be
used as a fraternity hall for the Chinese Free Masons, an organization said to
be 2,200 years old. There are over 100 of these "Free Masons" in
Winnemucca and vicinity."
The open house for the new place of worship took place on December
11th, 1902, and was well attended by the white members of the community.
The Silver State provides us with a description of the dedication: "The
Chinese "Free Masons" had all kinds of a good time in their new hall last
evening. Their selections by the Flowery Kingdom band, "What The Old
Cow Died Of, and "We Won't Go Home Till Morning", were rendered
with the greatest of em bon point. One of the features of the music was its
close harmony. Happily the crowd was good-natured and none of the
musicians were lynched.
"The pigs died while they were being barbecued and the two dozen
spring pullets will never crow again.
"A number of Winnemucca ladies sampled the China gin that was free
for all and they say, in confidence, that it has the happy faculty of making
dingy things look roseate.
"The repast was a huge one and the delicacies consisted of lights,
liver, gizzards, blood and tripe, washed down with rice gin and brimstone
water.
"The celebration was postponed two days by the non-arrival of Joss,
he being 2,000 years old and somewhat stiff in the knees.
"The greatest of eclat characterized the affair and some of the guests
enjoyed it so that they walked home in a circle and failed to report for duty
this morning."
The Joss House built in 1902 was the most substantial building ever
built in Winnemucca's Chinatown. The favored building material of the
Chinese was adobe brick and plain wood. This Structure remained standing
until it was torn down in the early 1950's.
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CHINESE FUNERALS & DEATH CUSTOMS.
A Chinese funeral was far different that its American counterpart. The
Chinese believed that a person could not be buried until several days after
they died. This was in a time when immediate interment was important for
health reasons.
On the day of the funeral the body, in its coffin, was placed outside,
usually on the hill behind Chinatown. Around it were placed many flags and
insignia of the orders to which the dead person belonged. On a stand behind
the coffin was placed a roasted pig and chickens, rice and other food stuffs.
An altar was erected at the site and those mourners who wanted could
sprinkle tea on the ground and pray to the gods to give the departing soul
eternal rest.
During this whole process a band, consisting of a rawhide drum, a
metal drum, and a pair of large brass cymbals, played. After several hours
the coffin was loaded on a hearse and the procession was started for the
Chinese cemetery across the river. The hearse was proceeded by 40 Chinese
men, dressed in white, carrying corpse banners and emblems, marching in
pairs.
After the body was interred, the obligation of the mourners to the
deceased did not end. Two days after the funeral the food supply at the
grave was replenished. A guard of honor carried the food to the cemetery.
They took chicken and roast pig, wine and gin. The food supply would
again be replenished seven days after the funeral. After the seven-day
replenishment the Chinese believed that the soul had departed and had no
need for further provisions.
In the early days the funeral was not the end of the obligation to those
that had passed from among the living. The Chinese felt that they could not
rest peacefully until their bones had been returned to their native land, most
commonly referred to as The Flowery Kingdom.
The Humboldt Register in 1870 printed the following: "It appears
that coolie importing companies, the most enterprising and opulent of which
are said to be controlled by white men, specifically agree to return alive or
dead the bodies or bones of those bought, hired, or forced to leave their
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native land and work among the white barbarians in a foreign clime. To
fulfill this agreement, which undoubtedly arose from political motives alone,
the said companies do to the letter, the remains of all Chinamen, no matter
from what cause death ensued, are carefully collected at stated periods and
shipped to the land of their origin, where they again flourish in the vegetable
kingdom in the shape of huge onions and cabbages."
A large number of Chinese had died along the line of the Central
Pacific Railroad during its construction. The Railroad Company provided
special cars, manned by Chinese, specifically engaged for the purpose, to
prepare the bones of the deceased for shipment back to their native lands.
"The bones of those who died early in the fight, and from which all
the flesh has decayed, are broken into suitable lengths and deposited in small
size boxes, while the skeletons of those recently deceased are carefully
prepared, the flesh being all scraped off, and placed in correspondingly large
boxes. The localities where the scraping operations are performed are
marked by numerous wax tapers or joss lights, and bowls of boiled rice on
which the departure of the Celestials, the Piutes and the hogs, if there are
any in the vicinity feed with avidity."
In March, 1870, the Chinese funeral car was working in Winnemucca
on a siding near the present Bridge Street grade crossing preparing the
deceased for their final trip home. Two car loads of bones, prepared and
boxed in the most approved manner, and labeled with the appropriate
Chinese characters, which gave the name, date of death, and tong to which
they belonged, were shipped from Winnemucca to San Francisco at that
time.
From San Francisco the remains were shipped to China by boat.
Several great shipping fortunes were made by hauling silk and spices from
the Orient to San Francisco and hauling the bones of the departed Chinese
home.
Nothing remains of the old Chinese cemetery which was located near
where the Northern Nevada Historical Society Museum now stands. When
the cemetery was moved in the 1960's there were still bodies of departed
Chinese in it. If the belief they held about their spirits not resting unless the
bones were shipped home is based on any fact then those left behind still
must be waiting in that general area for their final ride home.
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The Chinese dealt with death differently than most other races. When
a Chinese man was accidentally drowned in a whirlpool in the river the other
Chinese believed that he had been dragged to his death by the spirit of
someone who had drowned there before. No Chinese would enter the river
in that place again.
A dead Chinese man was found along the railroad tracks between
Winnemucca and Tule siding, east of town. The Sheriff and Coroner
investigated and came to the conclusion that the man, who was a
trackwalker, had been killed by a train. The track gangs, who were all
Chinese, refused to believe that a train had hit the man. They felt that he had
been murdered, and refused to work on that section of track. The Railroad
Company fired them, and hired white men to do the job. The Chinese were
thrown out of their living quarters and they moved out into the desert along
the tracks. Shortly after the Railroad Company fired the Chinese they found
that the white men they hired couldn't do the job, and they were forced to
rehire the Chinese.
CHINESE CUSTOMS.
The Chinese brought with them their own beliefs and customs and did
not allow the majority population of European descent to sway them from
their way of life. Until well into the early part of the 20th Century they had
their own customs and their own celebrations that they observed among
themselves.
Chinese marriage customs were unique. Firecrackers were fired off
by the thousands to drive away the evil spirits that the Chinese felt lurked
everywhere. These evil spirits were reported to be afraid of loud noises.
Bright Chinese lanterns were hung in front of the Joss House, and in the
days before electric street lights, the glow was visible from all over town.
Music was provided by an orchestra that consisted of drums and cymbals,
flutes, and an instrument called a flageolet. Some of the musical selections
lasted as long as an hour. The Joss House was hung with streamers, costing
as much as $25 each, on which were printed in Chinese the donations of
friends. When the wedding guests and the groom had assembled at the Joss
House the bride was brought in and presented to the group, after which she
served tea to the assembled guests. The guests in turn presented the bride
with gifts. The groom was not allowed to see the bride until twelve hours
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after the ceremony. In the early days the bride was required to live on only
one meal a day for a month to prepare herself for the marriage.
Other than the Chinese, very few people were allowed to witness
these ceremonies.
When the Chinese were called into the white man's court system the
oath that they required was far different from swearing on a bible. They
required that a rooster's head be cut off, and they swore by the blood that
spurted forth. The officers of the court, including the judge and the sheriff,
would then fight over who got the carcass. The bill for chickens in one
murder trial which involved the Chinese ran over $50 in the early 1870's.
CHINESE NEW YEARS.
In the early days, and up to the time of the Chinese revolution at the
turn of the century, the Chinese used a different calendar than the rest of the
world. Their calendar was based on a month that ran from full moon to full
moon and was 29 Vi days long. Every third year contained 13 months, with
the extra time being another month of May. This calendar was kept for
6,000 years before it was replaced by the revolution in China. Even after the
revolution, though, the older Chinese still used this calendar to determine
when their New Year would fall.
The Chinese New Years celebration was both a time for feasting and a
time of religious significance that governed the prosperity of the year to
follow. Fire crackers and bombs were set off in an attempt to drive the
devils and demons away from the proceedings and there were many
ceremonies held in the Joss House. The Humboldt Register in 1873 stated:
"The Chinese say the last year has been a prosperous one for them in this
vicinity, and they attribute such prosperity to their Herculean efforts to keep
the "devil" and "demons" at a respectful distance."
As in almost all the Chinese celebrations, they did not forget their
ancestors during the New Year celebration. Several days before the onset of
the formal celebration "they set roast pig and other Chinese delicacies on a
table in the open air for the spirits of departed Celestials to feast on, and they
exploded innumerable fire crackers in the afternoon."
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In 1886 The Silver State published an article explaining the Chinese
New Years customs for the benefit of its readers. "The San Francisco
Report says the Chinese New Year is a great occasion to the superstitious
people who observe it, and upon the omens which it gives out is supposed to
depend good or ill fortune of the celebrants through the coming year. From
the blooming of the Sue Sing Fa, or Good Luck Flower, also known as the
Chinese lily, to the position of the shadow, incidents are remarked and
depended upon with religious simplicity. Why the Chinese New Year is
celebrated is not definitely settled. It is alleged by some that the Chinese
accept the time as we do our Sunday, as an anniversary of religious
significance. Others believe that it is merely a social holiday. Whatever
originated it, it is now a season of both social revelry and of praying to the
josses. All work is given up for a week, if possible, and trading and other
business is also suspended. Feasting is the principle occupation of the
Chinese during the New Year season; making presents to friends being
secondary to it. It is also a time for social calls."
During the celebration the Chinese would fasten strips of red paper to
the doors of their friends with words written on them saying such things as
"Not mun tai kat" which translates as "May good luck attend you when you
open this door" or "Took ye yat tau mo shui; kam chiu nun chung fling"
which says "Last night all fog and flurry; this morning full of happiness."
Everything was cleaned and spotless at the onset of the New Years
celebration as all the brooms and brushes had to be hidden during the
celebration. If a Chinese man saw a broom on New Years Day he believed
that it would sweep away all his joss for the coming year. This could also
happen to a friend who visited someone at this time and did not leave a gift
or of his gift was refused.
The Chinese New Years celebration was important to all residents of
Winnemucca and not just the Chinese. The Silver State reported that "No
sooner do the youngsters of this town hear the report of a firecracker than
they are off at breakneck speed for Chinatown, thinking that the Mongolian
New Year has arrived."
In 1896 hard times had fallen on the country and this was felt in the
New Years celebrations. It was stated that "About 60 people were taking in
the sights of Chinatown night before last night. There is not much
difference in the celebration of the event than in previous years. The present
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hard times are felt by the Chinese as well as by the white people, and they
are not so extravagant and lavish with their white visitors as they were in
past years. Chinese candy, oranges and nuts in consequence are only given
to a chosen few. The Joss House as usual is the center of attraction. Here
the gong, symbols, drum, banjo and flageolet are played. These Chinese
instruments send forth music that is Greek to us, but which seems to be
much appreciated by the grinning Mongolians, who sit around with the selfsatisfied
look on their faces, which if interpreted right might mean a great
deal."
With the arrival of the 20th Century Chinese New Years celebrations
in Winnemucca began to decline. The celebration in 1906 warranted only a
few lines in The Silver State. "The Chinese in Winnemucca opened their
New Year with a blaze of fire-crackers and bombs. They beat the tom-tom,
drank more or less gin, ate chicken, and had a good time generally last night.
Today they gave all the little folks who visited them candy, and at intervals
fired off more crackers. It is a great season for the Chinese."
In 1913 The Humboldt Star announced that with the success of the
Chinese Revolution the Chinese New Year was a thing of the past. They
said that "The edict having gone forth from the republican government of
China that henceforth the celebration of the New Year would take place on
the first of January, in conformity with other civilized nations, instead of the
time observed from a period extending further back than history records.
And so it happens that today, for the first time since Winnemucca's
Chinatown was founded about a half-century ago, the dawning Chinese New
Year has come without display, without firecrackers, drums and cymbals,
and the customs which have marked the observance of this event from the
very birth of this old town have become a things of the past." A few of the
old residents of Chinatown did set off some firecrackers but not in the
multitude that they had before.
The desultory celebration by the old men of Chinatown continued
until the late 1930's when at last the marking of the Chinese New Year
ended in Winnemucca. Although the Chinese New Year is again celebrated
in the Chinatowns of the large cities of the United States, this time of year in
Winnemucca is quiet and the weeklong celebrations that once graced our
thriving little Chinatown long forgotten. The modem way of life once again
has laid waste to another colorful ancient custom.
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CHINESE CRIME.
Much of the crime that occurred in Chinatown went unreported to the
local law enforcement officers and was handled within the community by
the various tongs. The crimes in Chinatown that most concerned the white
authorities were opium use, prostitution and the illegal sale of alcohol to
Indians. All else was unofficially left to the Chinese to take care of.
One other crime did bring the authorities into Chinatown, and that was
murder. There were several of these in Chinatown, one of which led to the
murderer being executed across the street.
This case occurred in 1881. A Chinese man named Charley Hing
murdered one of his countrymen, a man named Ah Lick in Chinatown. He
was duly tried in the white man's court and convicted of murder in the first
degree.
Sentence was pronounced against Charley Hing on January 6th, 1882,
in District Court in Winnemucca. The Judge sentenced him to be executed
between 9 o'clock A.M. and 3 o'clock P. M. on February 9th, 1882. His only
hope lay with the Nevada Board of Pardons, as all his appeals were soon
exhausted. The Silver State reported that "The doomed Chinaman keeps
aloof from the others, and stays in his cell nearly all the time. He knows
there is no possibility of escaping the gallows, as he is quite intelligent and
understands the fact that the Supreme Court and Board of Pardons have been
appealed to in vain. He killed a member of his own company, and incurred
the ill will of those who would have been his friends had his victim been a
member of another company. They spent money in prosecuting him and
none of them visit him or have anything to say to him. He is alone, without
a friend in the world." There is the distinct chance that if the murdered man
had been a member of another tong Charley Hing would have beat the rap.
On February 8th, the day before he was to be executed, Charley Hing
made a public statement claiming he was innocent of the crime for which he
was to be hanged, although he did not deny the fact that he had stabbed Ah
Lick. He also said that he was 26 years old, "and had been in Winnemucca
six years, during three of which he was in a wash house, and the rest of the
time at the Lafayette Hotel. He is a member of the Hop Wah Company, but
none of his countrymen here will have anything to do with him. He says
17
that $600 was raised to procure false witnesses against him, and the
interpreter did not translate the language of several of them correctly. Rev.
Mr. McKelvy has been for some time past endeavoring to get him to
understand the rudiments of Christianity, and to forgive his enemies. He did
not hesitate to forgive everyone but the interpreter. He dreaded death very
much, and set for days in his cell weeping. He now seems more resigned to
his fate."
Charley Hing kept his date with the executioner. A large crowd
gathered at the Courthouse and blocked up the hall leading to the rear of the
building. The scaffold was erected inside an enclosure and over a hundred
people were admitted to witness the execution.
"The Chinaman, who was quite intelligent, clung to Rev. Mr.
McKelvey as he ascended the scaffold, he being the only person that could,
or at least did, afford him any consolation. One of his countrymen, but a
member of a different company, was admitted within the enclosure, but
several others who sought admission were kept outside by the officers, at
request of the prisoner. Hing made a few half-intelligible remarks on the
scaffold, alleging that he acted in self-defense when he stabbed Ah Lick, and
that $600 had been used to secure false testimony against him. He was
attired in a silken blouse of the usual Chinese pattern, furnished by the
woman in whose wash house the row which ended in the death of Ah Lick
originated. The garment was ordered by her from San Francisco. She now
resides in Salt Lake City, having left here after the conviction of Charley
Hing. At the conclusion of Hing's remarks, which were uttered while he sat
in a chair, Mr. McKelvey arose and made an impressive prayer, which was
listened to with uncovered heads by those present. During this time the
prisoner stretched his neck and twitched his limbs convulsively. He had a
horror of death, and had not eaten anything for two or three days. He was
led to the drop by Sheriff Burns and Deputy Fellows, where he stood
unsupported while his arms and legs were pinioned. The noose was placed
over his head and inside his cue, a black cap was drawn over his head, the
trap sprang and he fell six feet, dislocating his neck and ending his existence.
... In six minutes Dr. Hanson, who was in attendance, pronounced him
lifeless, and in twelve minutes he was cut down and placed in a coffin,
which was at once taken across the river and buried."
From the time that the execution was started until the body was placed
in the grave took twenty-five minutes.
18
Charley Hing had traveled thousands of miles to die on the gallows in
Winnemucca. He died alone, and the only god offered him to make his
peace with was not his own. For some reason, a reason that had been lost in
the convolutions of time, his own people had turned against him and
hastened along his execution. There is a distinct possibility that he was the
victim of a plot against him; that he had acted in self defense; and that the
white man's law, usually abhorred by the Chinese, was used as a tool to
remove someone from their midst forever. The gallows ground at the rear of
the Courthouse knows as much of the truth as there us to know, but will
never reveal its secrets.
CHINESE SLAVERY
In 1880, long after slavery had been outlawed in the United States, it
still existed in the West. Chinese women were a rare commodity and those
that appeared in most of the western Chinatowns were purchased in China
and then used for the most unsavory purposes when they arrived in the
United States. On occasion, when the abuses became too much for the
woman, she would run away, and the Chinese owners would use the
American law enforcement and judicial system to return her to their custody.
One such case occurred in Winnemucca in December, 1879. A
Chinese woman named Lin Cue arrived in Winnemucca and was married to
Ah Qoy by Judge Bonnifield. They immediately left for the Cortez Mining
District in Eureka County.
Shortly after the happy newlyweds had departed, another Chinaman
arrived in Winnemucca by the name of Bow Ling. He was described as a
high-toned Celestial who spoke English. He immediately appeared before
Justice Osborn and made complaint charging Lin Cue with the crime of
grand larceny. "The charge was specific and accused the defendant of
stealing fifteen $20 gold pieces, 160 pieces of silver, valued at $80; one set
of gold earrings, valued at $15; one set of gold bracelets valued at $65, all
the property of Tong Dow. It was alleged that the crime was committed in
Winnemucca in December."
Justice Osborn issued a complaint for the arrest of Lin Cue and
Constable Ruse immediately left for Cortez to serve it.
19
After Ruse had returned to Winnemucca with his prisoner the case
took several strange but obvious twists, letting all who were following the
case know that the purpose of the complaint had been to return Lin Cue to
the man who felt that he owned her, one Tong Dow of Carson City.
When she was brought before Justice Osborn, "J. H. Windle,
representing the prosecution, moved to dismiss the case. Friends of the
defendant had, meantime, secured services of counsel, and the defendant
demanded an examination of the charge, but no one appeared to prosecute
the case, and the Justice dismissed it. Immediately afterwards Constable
Ruse again arrested the woman upon the sworn complaint of Bow Ling, who
swore that the crime had been committed at Carson, he feloniously stating
the articles alleged in the first complaint to have been stolen in Winnemucca.
The defendant sued out a writ of habeas corpus before the District Judge,
charging that she was illegally detained in the County Jail by Andrew
Davidson and S. W. Ruse, and alleging a conspiracy on the part of Bow Ling
and others to take the defendant to Carson, to be held as a slave, for the
purpose of prostitution."
Things were beginning to get a little stickier for the legal system in
Winnemucca.
Both Ruse and Davidson immediately set forth their answers to the
write of habeas corpus. Ruse cited the complaint and warrant for her arrest
as his authority and Davidson stated that he had only held her in the jail for
an hour as a favor to Ruse, and then returned her to him stating that he had
no legal right to hold her in jail.
When the matter came up before Judge Bonnifield in District Court
the defendant claimed that the warrant carried by Ruse to arrest her was
invalid because Justice Osborn failed to take a deposition from the
prosecuting witness prior to the issuance of the warrant, and in fact did not
bother to take a deposition at all. "For further answer to said return, and in
addition to allegations in the petition, defendant alleged that one Bow Ling,
as prosecutor, and S. W. Ruse, as Constable, conspired and confederated
together and instituted said prosecution without reasonable proof of probable
cause, to aid Bow Ling in getting unlawful possession of the defendant for
the purpose of enslaving her, and that said officers refused to act or serve the
warrant until their fees were paid by the prosecuting witness, all of which is
contrary to the law."
20
Justice Osborn claimed that he accepted the advanced fees from Bow
Ling only in the interest of saving the county money.
"Bow Ling, the prosecuting witness, was placed on the stand and
examined as to the alleged offense. He admitted that he never saw the
defendant until he saw her here in Winnemucca, and that he never saw the
articles which he swore in the complaint were stolen from Tong Dow. The
Judge and counsel for the defendant put him on the rack and tortured him
with questions until he was thoroughly confounded, and by his contradictory
answers, which were given in English, everybody present was satisfied that
the whole case against the defendant was trumped up for the purpose of
getting her back to Carson, where she had been held as a slave for the
purpose of prostitution."
When the hearing continued Lin Cue was called upon to testify
against Bow Ling and Tong Dow but she refused to tell the court anything.
It was soon revealed that the Chinese in Winnemucca, who belong to the
same company as Tong Dow, had threatened her with her life if she testified
against either of the two men.
The stalemate was broken when a Chinese man from Cortez arrived
along with an interpreter to testify for the couple. This caused the veil of
fear around Lin Cue to lift and she revealed all the sordid details of her
problems to the Court.
After the testimony of Lin Cue was finished, Bow Ling was held for
the Grand Jury of a charge of perjury, with Judge Bonnifield stating that he
wanted to see this form of slavery end in Humboldt County. Bow Ling
posted bail and returned to Carson City. Lin Cue and Ah Qoy were released
on their own recognizance but ordered to appear as material witnesses.
Bow Ling's date of arraignment arrived but he failed to appear. He
notified the Court by telegraph that he was ill. He finally arrived in
Winnemucca with a lawyer on January 21st, 1880, and was examined in
Justice Osborn's Court. He was arrested on the 22nd and lodged in jail.
There was another strange twist of fate yet to occur in this case.
After being lodged in jail Bow Ling became quite sick and Dr.
Hanson was called to the jail to examine him. The Doctor announced after
21
his examination that Bow Ling was suffering from leprosy in his lower
extremities.
At the time Bow Ling was diagnosed with leprosy he had three
indictments against him; one for perjury, one for extortion and one for
kidnapping. He made bail on these charges and moved over to Chinatown
where he died on February 9th, 1880. Justice had been served.
By bringing Bow Ling to trial Judge Bonnifield had served notice on
all the Chinamen that the chasing of Chinese women and using the
American legal system to bring them in was at an end in Humboldt County.
Justice Osborn and Constable Ruse, who were knowing participants in
the abduction, and were paid for their services by Bow Ling, of course, were
never charged because they were white and the crime was against a Chinese
woman. They were allowed to keep their positions without any official
censure by the Court. Fate, being always the hunter, brought Constable
Ruse to a violent end several years later, when he was shot and killed in the
Champion Saloon on Bridge Street, by a small man he bullied over a period
oftime.
There were many other cases of Chinese slavery. In February, 1910, a
young Chinese woman when to authorities with a tale of being threatened
with abduction. The woman was an American citizen and still was afraid
that she was going to be kidnapped.
A high-toned Chinese man from San Francisco, a total stranger to her,
approached her on the street in Chinatown and told her he was going to sell
her for $600. This woman was aware of the custom in China of selling
female children, and this man telling her he was going to sell her upset her
very much.
The local authorities assured her that the stranger could not take her to
San Francisco and sell her. This seemed to put her mind at ease.
Another example of Chinese slavery occurred in Winnemucca in
1876. A Chinese woman escaped from her master and ran to the
Courthouse. She offered to go to jail for five years on condition that she be
freed from her owner when the five years was served. Rumor had it that she
was the mother of the baby whose skeletal remains had been found in the old
22
Humboldt Canal She was turned away from the protection of the law and
her fate was lost to history.
In 1880 a Chinese woman escaped from her owner and made her way
to Winnemucca accompanied by her lover. Her owner valued her at $600,
and was making haste to have her returned. The woman and her main
squeeze rented a buggy at Winnemucca and went twelve miles north to the
Toll House, where they secured passage on the Idaho bound stage. The
woman's owner was right behind them and was reported being at the Toll
House just after the stage departed, then at Willow Creek and Fort
McDermit looking for them. The couple made it to Boise City where he
companions tong was in power and they could find safety from their pursuer.
To show how valuable a commodity a woman was in the Chinese
world in the United States we have the figures from the Chinese Census of
1904. This census indicated that in the district comprising Utah, Wyoming
and Nevada there were 2,046 Chinese. Nevada had the largest Chinese
population with 1,143; Utah had 540; and Wyoming 363. In Nevada there
were 1,052 Chinese men, 62 women, 19 male children and 10 female
children.
EPILOGUE.
This chapter does not represent the true history of the Chinese in
Winnemucca. It does give us a glimpse of this colorful aspect of the past. It
is probable that the true history of the Chinese in Winnemucca will never be
known because those that lived in Chinatown left no history of their own for
us to compare with the information that we have been able to gather.
A HISTORY OF WINNEMUCCA,
HUMBOLDT COUNTY, NEVADA.
CHAPTER 2.
THE CHINESE IN WINNEMUCCA.
There have been many different ethnic groups in Winnemucca and
Humboldt County. Some of these groups stayed in Winnemucca and were
soon assimilated into the cultural mix that makes Winnemucca what it is
today. The one race of people that was never assimilated into the cultural
mix in Winnemucca was the Chinese, and from the very earliest days of
their arrival within this community, they remained separate. This could be
one of the reasons that they are no longer part of the present cultural mix.
The Chinese have been one of the most maligned, if not the most
maligned, racial group in the United States. They are the only racial group
that was forbidden to immigrate to the United States by law. In 1880
California passed laws that put an end to Chinese labor use in that state. In
1882 the United States followed suit with the Exclusion Act of 1882. This
bit of legislation barred Chinese immigration for 10 years. This act was
renewed over and over again and the exclusion policy remained in force
until World War II. At this time the law began to be modified until it was
finally dropped, after 86 years in effect, in the 1968 overhaul of immigration
legislation.
In the early days many of the Chinese who had become United States
citizens and returned to China to visit were refused entry when they tried to
return.
In 1893 a Chinese man by the name of Hi Loy, also known as "Ace
In The Hole", went home to China for a visit with the family he had left
behind. When he returned in May, 1895, immigration officials would not let
him off the ship at San Francisco. The officials said that his reentry papers
had been altered, and they refused to let him off the ship.
Hi Loy wired Winnemucca and affidavits were produced stating that
he was a resident of Winnemucca and well known here to both the whites
and the Chinese. After several weeks had passed he was allowed to
disembark and return to Winnemucca.
In 1902 Sing Yuen, a Winnemucca merchant, returned to the United
States after an extended visit to China. He was held in San Francisco for
over two months while his paperwork was verified. A Treasury Department
officer came to Winnemucca and conducted interviews before Sing Yuen
was allowed to return to his home and business.
This problem of readmitting Chinese into the United States continued.
In 1928 Yee Jam, the owner of the Hi Loy Jan store in Chinatown, wanted to
bring his wife, Soo Soo Chee, to Winnemucca to enjoy his prosperity. He
started the paperwork to unwind the red tape in 1927 with the aid of the City
Attorney. Inspectors came from San Francisco to Winnemucca to inspect
his store. A friend of Yee Jam in North Dakota gave an affidavit stating that
he had known Yee Jam in China and that Soo Soo Chee was his wife.
Finally Soo Soo Chee had the paperwork necessary to leave China but upon
her arrival at San Francisco she was held on Angels Island for three weeks
for more investigating. She finally arrived in Winnemucca on February 17th,
1928. This problem would continue for many years.
One of the myths of history is that the Chinese came to the western
United States for the construction of the Central Pacific Railroad. The
reality is that they arrived in California in the very early days of the gold
rush, which started in 1849.
The first mention of Chinese in Humboldt County appeared in the first
issue of The Humboldt Register in May of 1863. At that time the citizens of
Unionville were united in their effort to rid the town of the Chinese presence
there.
When the railroad began building through the area in 1868 the
Chinese arrived in Winnemucca, and maintained their presence here until the
1940's.
Another historical myth concerning the Chinese was that they built the
Central Pacific Railroad. The Chinese did all the grading on the Central
Pacific. The ties and rails were laid by white men. After the Central Pacific
was built, a small percentage of the Chinese construction crews were
employed by the railroad as section hands, maintaining the railroad bed and
tracks. After the turn of the 20th Century these Chinese section gangs were
replaced by other ethnic groups.
Not all the Chinese worked for the railroad. When we think of the
Chinese in the early days we think of them as running laundries. There were
several Chinese wash houses in Winnemucca, located both on Railroad
Street and Bridge Street. Chinese were also employed as cooks and
domestic servants in town as well as on ranches throughout the county.
The more industrious Chinese opened stores and supplied their fellow
countrymen with the foodstuffs of their native land. Starting in the 1890's
there were several restaurants in Winnemucca that were ran by Chinese, one
of these lasting through the 1920's.
One of the most successful merchants in McDermit in the late 1890's,
Jim Low, was of Chinese decent. The story of the Low family in Humboldt
County would fill a book by itself.
CHINATOWN.
In Winnemucca in the 1870's, there was more than one Chinatown.
Three separate settlements were scattered within the limits of the town.
There was a small enclave near the river off of East Second Street. Another
was located along the Humboldt Canal west of the Courthouse. The third
site was along Bridge Street east of the Courthouse. Each tong seemed to
have their own Chinatown.
By 1870 the citizens of Winnemucca began lobbying to have the
Chinatown on Bridge Street moved off the main connecting road between
Upper and Lower towns. The editor of the Humboldt Register stated that the
Chinese quarters on Bridge Street were an affront to the morals of all the
citizens of Winnemucca and should be forced to locate elsewhere. The
newspaper railed against the Chinatown being on Bridge Street across from
the stately Humboldt County Courthouse, and in January, 1873, their
campaign bore fruit. It was then that Alex. Wise purchased the land upon
which the Chinatown on Bridge Street across from the Courthouse was
located.
Wise gave the Chinese two months to move their dwellings, but they
didn't have anyplace to move to. The Central Pacific Railroad Company
offered the Chinese a lease on the ground along Cross Creek, about 120 feet
behind the Bridge Street location. This was land that was not wanted by any
of the white residents of the community at that time. By July, 1873, the
Bridge Street Chinese were relocated. These were the first of the Chinese to
be located on Baud Street.
The Chinatown that was located on Second Street soon moved up into
the area along Cross Creek.
The Chinese enclave to the west of the Courthouse was known as
Hong Kong Row. The Chinese living here considered themselves of a
higher social standing than those whose dwelling had just been moved to the
banks of Cross Creek. They managed to keep themselves separated from
their Chinese brethren until sometime after 1876 when the pressure of the
good citizens of Winnemucca became too much and they too moved to what
would become Baud Street.
In several research papers written about the Chinese in the west,
Hong Kong Row in Winnemucca has been mentioned, along with the fact
that there were several high-class Chinese houses of ill repute located there.
The source for this information is listed as an issue of The Silver State from
February, 1875. After reading this article several times I still am amazed
that these learned people drew the conclusions that they have from this
article.
The article is about a Chinese man swindling a Chinese woman out of
a loan that was secured with a house and piece of ground. It is the only time
in all of the newspapers published in Winnemucca that any of the
Chinatowns were referred to by the sobriquet of Hong Kong Row. There is
no mention of houses of ill repute nor is there any indication in the article
that they ever existed. This myth created by an individual writing a master's
thesis has been perpetuated by others researching the Chinese presence in
the west.
One of the events which precipitated the move of the Chinatowns was
the discovery of the skeletal remains of an infant in the old canal that ran
through Hong Kong Row. It immediately was assumed by the denizens of
Winnemucca that these remains were, of a Chinese infant, probably female,
that had been killed by her parents. It was stated that in China it was the
custom to kill unwanted female infants immediately after their birth.
The Silver State whipped the local citizens to a high frenzy. The day
after the discovery of the body the good white people of Winnemucca were
still trooping up to view the partially exposed remains in the dry canal. The
Silver State wanted to know whose responsibility it was to have the remains
properly interred.
Apparently the only indication that this child was Chinese was that it
was found behind Hong Kong Row. The resulting public outcry led to the
moving of Hong Kong Row to the banks of Cross Creek. The Chinatowns
of Winnemucca were now united and the tongs had to work out a peace
treaty between them to insure their tranquility in their new setting.
Now all of the Chinese of the various tongs, or companies as they
were called by the whites, lived in the same general area. Chinatown began
to grow.
The Chinese built houses in much the same manner that the white men
in the area did. They didn't believe in wasting time or money painting their
buildings and these buildings were always referred by the more proper
citizens of Winnemucca as shacks.
One myth about the Chinese that has survived to modern times is that
they tunneled from building to building and from Chinatown to what the
local inhabitants considered to be the respectable part of town. The tunnel
stories are not based on fact. The Chinese believed in constructing their
dwellings into the high banks and having parts of their buildings under
ground. They built sub-basements under their basements. There is nothing
in the historical record to indicate that they tunneled anywhere in Chinatown
at any time. The Chinese wanted to be separate from the rest of the
community. They wanted to be left alone by the whites. This rumor
probably arose because of the prejudices of the white community.
Old tunnels have been found in downtown Winnemucca from
buildings across alleys to other buildings. These were not constructed by the
Chinese, as many have been led to believe, but by the criminal element in
Winnemucca that was active during the prohibition period in our history.
In 1892 the Chinese in Winnemucca's Chinatown were constructing
substantial dwellings that caught the attention of The Silver State editor. He
mentioned that he was favorably impressed with a two-story wooden
dwelling house that was being built. He stated that possibly the heathens
would now do away with their dugouts in the banks and move to more
acceptable housing.
In 1907 the Chinese again fell in disfavor with the powers that be in
Winnemucca. Petitions from Winnemucca citizens were presented to the
County Commission asking that East Fifth Street be opened through to Baud
Street. Up until that time East Fifth Street had only been a line on the city
maps, and the street alignment was occupied by a part of Chinatown. The
Commissioners ordered the District Attorney to see that the street was
pushed through.
The Chinese failed to realize that the Commissioners and District
Attorney were serious when they said that the street would be opened. The
Chinese did not remove their buildings.
Early on the morning of August 6th, 1908, the chain gang arrived on
the scene under the direction of Deputy Sheriff Pearce and began tearing
down the buildings that were in the way. This caused the inhabitants of the
buildings to come rushing out and when they saw what was happening they
told the Deputy that they would immediately tear down the buildings
themselves. Late into the night the Chinese worked removing their
household effects and tearing down their buildings. By the morning of
August 7th the roadway for East Fifth Street was nearly clear and ready to be
graded for a street.
The Chinese population began shrinking in the years after the turn of
the 20th Century. When the emigration from China to the United States had
started only able bodied men were needed. Many of the Chinese women
that did come in the early days were slaves, and usually had been sold by
their parents. Many of the early Chinese women that came to Winnemucca
were used as prostitutes. In Winnemucca the lack of women for the Chinese
men to marry led to a lack of children, and without children the Chinese
community began fading away.
There were some Chinese families, but not as many as one would
think. The old bachelors began dying off or retiring to one of the big
Chinatowns on the West Coast. In the early part of the 20th Century many of
the older Chinese men sold out and went back to their boyhood homes in
China to spend their remaining years. By the late 1930's there were very
few Chinese left in Chinatown,
In 1939 the Winnemucca City Council decided that Chinatown had
become an eyesore and formulated a plan for doing away with it. They
planned to buy up lots with the run down buildings on them, tear down the
buildings, and resell the lots. They bought their first lot and building in July
of that year, but this project failed to eradicate the eyesore that Chinatown
had become.
Over the years after 1939 fires and time caused the buildings to fall
further and further into disrepair. In the early 1950's the only brick structure
in Chinatown, the joss house, was torn down because of its unsafe condition.
By the middle 1960's there was only a small part of Chinatown
remaining. This last bit of history was removed to make way for the present
Humboldt County Library in 1965. Winnemucca had lost the last remains of
an important part of her history.
CHINESE QUEUES.
One of the most noticeable characteristics if the Chinese in the early
days were their pigtails, or queues, as they were properly called.
The queues were adopted as the headdress of the Chinese, though not
through choice, but through force. When the Manchus conquered China in
1644 they made all make Chinese wear "pigtails" as a sign of subjugation.
In 1877 a bill was introduced in the Nevada Legislature providing for
the cutting of the hair of anyone convicted of larceny. A person convicted of
larceny could pay an additional fine and keep his hair. This bill was aimed
at the Chinese and called the "Chinese Que" bill. It was known that a
Chinaman would do anything in his power to keep the long queue that he
had worn almost since birth. The legislators thought this would be a good
way to generate extra money for the school fund. Whether the law passed or
was defeated is not known.
In 1911 the Manchu rule was finally overthrown, and many of the
Chinese men in Winnemucca cut off their queues for the first time in their
lives.
THE JOSS HOUSE.
One of the first and most important buildings erected in any Chinese
community was the Joss House, which was the equivalent of a church, lodge
hall, and community center.
The first mention of a Joss House in Winnemucca appeared in The
Silver State in August, 1878. The article stated that the Chinese had fitted
up a building to serve them as a Joss House. They raised a flagstaff in front
of it and ran up a large banner bearing "cabalistic" figures. Not
understanding what the figures on the banner meant, the editor felt that
somehow they represented heathenism.
In 1885 the Chinese began flying a triangular flag emblazoned with a
dragon from the flag pole in front of the Joss House, and this flag would be
unfurled there on special occasions for many years after this.
A new Joss House was built in 1886 and survived until it was
destroyed by fire in August, 1889. By December, 1889, another Joss House
was completed. This new building was one story and made of wood. It
soon proved to small for the purposes at hand, and in 1892 a two-story
wooden Joss House was erected. This Joss House was in use for ten years.
At that time the Chinese decided it was time for a more substantial and
imposing structure.
In September, 1902, it was announced in The Silver State that the
Chinese were going to build a new brick Joss House in the Mongolian
quarter. They planned to build it near the top of the hill and build a long
stairway from what would become Baud Street to reach it.
Construction went smoothly and by the first of December the new
Joss House was completed.
One of the unusual things about the new Joss House was that it was
built by white contractors. John Schmidt and L. H. Babcock built the
Chinese community a fire-proof brick building 72 x 20 feet, with a
handsomely finished interior, at a cost of between $2,500 and $3,000.
"The building will be known as the Temple of Worship and will be
used as a fraternity hall for the Chinese Free Masons, an organization said to
be 2,200 years old. There are over 100 of these "Free Masons" in
Winnemucca and vicinity."
The open house for the new place of worship took place on December
11th, 1902, and was well attended by the white members of the community.
The Silver State provides us with a description of the dedication: "The
Chinese "Free Masons" had all kinds of a good time in their new hall last
evening. Their selections by the Flowery Kingdom band, "What The Old
Cow Died Of, and "We Won't Go Home Till Morning", were rendered
with the greatest of em bon point. One of the features of the music was its
close harmony. Happily the crowd was good-natured and none of the
musicians were lynched.
"The pigs died while they were being barbecued and the two dozen
spring pullets will never crow again.
"A number of Winnemucca ladies sampled the China gin that was free
for all and they say, in confidence, that it has the happy faculty of making
dingy things look roseate.
"The repast was a huge one and the delicacies consisted of lights,
liver, gizzards, blood and tripe, washed down with rice gin and brimstone
water.
"The celebration was postponed two days by the non-arrival of Joss,
he being 2,000 years old and somewhat stiff in the knees.
"The greatest of eclat characterized the affair and some of the guests
enjoyed it so that they walked home in a circle and failed to report for duty
this morning."
The Joss House built in 1902 was the most substantial building ever
built in Winnemucca's Chinatown. The favored building material of the
Chinese was adobe brick and plain wood. This Structure remained standing
until it was torn down in the early 1950's.
10
CHINESE FUNERALS & DEATH CUSTOMS.
A Chinese funeral was far different that its American counterpart. The
Chinese believed that a person could not be buried until several days after
they died. This was in a time when immediate interment was important for
health reasons.
On the day of the funeral the body, in its coffin, was placed outside,
usually on the hill behind Chinatown. Around it were placed many flags and
insignia of the orders to which the dead person belonged. On a stand behind
the coffin was placed a roasted pig and chickens, rice and other food stuffs.
An altar was erected at the site and those mourners who wanted could
sprinkle tea on the ground and pray to the gods to give the departing soul
eternal rest.
During this whole process a band, consisting of a rawhide drum, a
metal drum, and a pair of large brass cymbals, played. After several hours
the coffin was loaded on a hearse and the procession was started for the
Chinese cemetery across the river. The hearse was proceeded by 40 Chinese
men, dressed in white, carrying corpse banners and emblems, marching in
pairs.
After the body was interred, the obligation of the mourners to the
deceased did not end. Two days after the funeral the food supply at the
grave was replenished. A guard of honor carried the food to the cemetery.
They took chicken and roast pig, wine and gin. The food supply would
again be replenished seven days after the funeral. After the seven-day
replenishment the Chinese believed that the soul had departed and had no
need for further provisions.
In the early days the funeral was not the end of the obligation to those
that had passed from among the living. The Chinese felt that they could not
rest peacefully until their bones had been returned to their native land, most
commonly referred to as The Flowery Kingdom.
The Humboldt Register in 1870 printed the following: "It appears
that coolie importing companies, the most enterprising and opulent of which
are said to be controlled by white men, specifically agree to return alive or
dead the bodies or bones of those bought, hired, or forced to leave their
11
native land and work among the white barbarians in a foreign clime. To
fulfill this agreement, which undoubtedly arose from political motives alone,
the said companies do to the letter, the remains of all Chinamen, no matter
from what cause death ensued, are carefully collected at stated periods and
shipped to the land of their origin, where they again flourish in the vegetable
kingdom in the shape of huge onions and cabbages."
A large number of Chinese had died along the line of the Central
Pacific Railroad during its construction. The Railroad Company provided
special cars, manned by Chinese, specifically engaged for the purpose, to
prepare the bones of the deceased for shipment back to their native lands.
"The bones of those who died early in the fight, and from which all
the flesh has decayed, are broken into suitable lengths and deposited in small
size boxes, while the skeletons of those recently deceased are carefully
prepared, the flesh being all scraped off, and placed in correspondingly large
boxes. The localities where the scraping operations are performed are
marked by numerous wax tapers or joss lights, and bowls of boiled rice on
which the departure of the Celestials, the Piutes and the hogs, if there are
any in the vicinity feed with avidity."
In March, 1870, the Chinese funeral car was working in Winnemucca
on a siding near the present Bridge Street grade crossing preparing the
deceased for their final trip home. Two car loads of bones, prepared and
boxed in the most approved manner, and labeled with the appropriate
Chinese characters, which gave the name, date of death, and tong to which
they belonged, were shipped from Winnemucca to San Francisco at that
time.
From San Francisco the remains were shipped to China by boat.
Several great shipping fortunes were made by hauling silk and spices from
the Orient to San Francisco and hauling the bones of the departed Chinese
home.
Nothing remains of the old Chinese cemetery which was located near
where the Northern Nevada Historical Society Museum now stands. When
the cemetery was moved in the 1960's there were still bodies of departed
Chinese in it. If the belief they held about their spirits not resting unless the
bones were shipped home is based on any fact then those left behind still
must be waiting in that general area for their final ride home.
12
The Chinese dealt with death differently than most other races. When
a Chinese man was accidentally drowned in a whirlpool in the river the other
Chinese believed that he had been dragged to his death by the spirit of
someone who had drowned there before. No Chinese would enter the river
in that place again.
A dead Chinese man was found along the railroad tracks between
Winnemucca and Tule siding, east of town. The Sheriff and Coroner
investigated and came to the conclusion that the man, who was a
trackwalker, had been killed by a train. The track gangs, who were all
Chinese, refused to believe that a train had hit the man. They felt that he had
been murdered, and refused to work on that section of track. The Railroad
Company fired them, and hired white men to do the job. The Chinese were
thrown out of their living quarters and they moved out into the desert along
the tracks. Shortly after the Railroad Company fired the Chinese they found
that the white men they hired couldn't do the job, and they were forced to
rehire the Chinese.
CHINESE CUSTOMS.
The Chinese brought with them their own beliefs and customs and did
not allow the majority population of European descent to sway them from
their way of life. Until well into the early part of the 20th Century they had
their own customs and their own celebrations that they observed among
themselves.
Chinese marriage customs were unique. Firecrackers were fired off
by the thousands to drive away the evil spirits that the Chinese felt lurked
everywhere. These evil spirits were reported to be afraid of loud noises.
Bright Chinese lanterns were hung in front of the Joss House, and in the
days before electric street lights, the glow was visible from all over town.
Music was provided by an orchestra that consisted of drums and cymbals,
flutes, and an instrument called a flageolet. Some of the musical selections
lasted as long as an hour. The Joss House was hung with streamers, costing
as much as $25 each, on which were printed in Chinese the donations of
friends. When the wedding guests and the groom had assembled at the Joss
House the bride was brought in and presented to the group, after which she
served tea to the assembled guests. The guests in turn presented the bride
with gifts. The groom was not allowed to see the bride until twelve hours
13
after the ceremony. In the early days the bride was required to live on only
one meal a day for a month to prepare herself for the marriage.
Other than the Chinese, very few people were allowed to witness
these ceremonies.
When the Chinese were called into the white man's court system the
oath that they required was far different from swearing on a bible. They
required that a rooster's head be cut off, and they swore by the blood that
spurted forth. The officers of the court, including the judge and the sheriff,
would then fight over who got the carcass. The bill for chickens in one
murder trial which involved the Chinese ran over $50 in the early 1870's.
CHINESE NEW YEARS.
In the early days, and up to the time of the Chinese revolution at the
turn of the century, the Chinese used a different calendar than the rest of the
world. Their calendar was based on a month that ran from full moon to full
moon and was 29 Vi days long. Every third year contained 13 months, with
the extra time being another month of May. This calendar was kept for
6,000 years before it was replaced by the revolution in China. Even after the
revolution, though, the older Chinese still used this calendar to determine
when their New Year would fall.
The Chinese New Years celebration was both a time for feasting and a
time of religious significance that governed the prosperity of the year to
follow. Fire crackers and bombs were set off in an attempt to drive the
devils and demons away from the proceedings and there were many
ceremonies held in the Joss House. The Humboldt Register in 1873 stated:
"The Chinese say the last year has been a prosperous one for them in this
vicinity, and they attribute such prosperity to their Herculean efforts to keep
the "devil" and "demons" at a respectful distance."
As in almost all the Chinese celebrations, they did not forget their
ancestors during the New Year celebration. Several days before the onset of
the formal celebration "they set roast pig and other Chinese delicacies on a
table in the open air for the spirits of departed Celestials to feast on, and they
exploded innumerable fire crackers in the afternoon."
14
In 1886 The Silver State published an article explaining the Chinese
New Years customs for the benefit of its readers. "The San Francisco
Report says the Chinese New Year is a great occasion to the superstitious
people who observe it, and upon the omens which it gives out is supposed to
depend good or ill fortune of the celebrants through the coming year. From
the blooming of the Sue Sing Fa, or Good Luck Flower, also known as the
Chinese lily, to the position of the shadow, incidents are remarked and
depended upon with religious simplicity. Why the Chinese New Year is
celebrated is not definitely settled. It is alleged by some that the Chinese
accept the time as we do our Sunday, as an anniversary of religious
significance. Others believe that it is merely a social holiday. Whatever
originated it, it is now a season of both social revelry and of praying to the
josses. All work is given up for a week, if possible, and trading and other
business is also suspended. Feasting is the principle occupation of the
Chinese during the New Year season; making presents to friends being
secondary to it. It is also a time for social calls."
During the celebration the Chinese would fasten strips of red paper to
the doors of their friends with words written on them saying such things as
"Not mun tai kat" which translates as "May good luck attend you when you
open this door" or "Took ye yat tau mo shui; kam chiu nun chung fling"
which says "Last night all fog and flurry; this morning full of happiness."
Everything was cleaned and spotless at the onset of the New Years
celebration as all the brooms and brushes had to be hidden during the
celebration. If a Chinese man saw a broom on New Years Day he believed
that it would sweep away all his joss for the coming year. This could also
happen to a friend who visited someone at this time and did not leave a gift
or of his gift was refused.
The Chinese New Years celebration was important to all residents of
Winnemucca and not just the Chinese. The Silver State reported that "No
sooner do the youngsters of this town hear the report of a firecracker than
they are off at breakneck speed for Chinatown, thinking that the Mongolian
New Year has arrived."
In 1896 hard times had fallen on the country and this was felt in the
New Years celebrations. It was stated that "About 60 people were taking in
the sights of Chinatown night before last night. There is not much
difference in the celebration of the event than in previous years. The present
15
hard times are felt by the Chinese as well as by the white people, and they
are not so extravagant and lavish with their white visitors as they were in
past years. Chinese candy, oranges and nuts in consequence are only given
to a chosen few. The Joss House as usual is the center of attraction. Here
the gong, symbols, drum, banjo and flageolet are played. These Chinese
instruments send forth music that is Greek to us, but which seems to be
much appreciated by the grinning Mongolians, who sit around with the selfsatisfied
look on their faces, which if interpreted right might mean a great
deal."
With the arrival of the 20th Century Chinese New Years celebrations
in Winnemucca began to decline. The celebration in 1906 warranted only a
few lines in The Silver State. "The Chinese in Winnemucca opened their
New Year with a blaze of fire-crackers and bombs. They beat the tom-tom,
drank more or less gin, ate chicken, and had a good time generally last night.
Today they gave all the little folks who visited them candy, and at intervals
fired off more crackers. It is a great season for the Chinese."
In 1913 The Humboldt Star announced that with the success of the
Chinese Revolution the Chinese New Year was a thing of the past. They
said that "The edict having gone forth from the republican government of
China that henceforth the celebration of the New Year would take place on
the first of January, in conformity with other civilized nations, instead of the
time observed from a period extending further back than history records.
And so it happens that today, for the first time since Winnemucca's
Chinatown was founded about a half-century ago, the dawning Chinese New
Year has come without display, without firecrackers, drums and cymbals,
and the customs which have marked the observance of this event from the
very birth of this old town have become a things of the past." A few of the
old residents of Chinatown did set off some firecrackers but not in the
multitude that they had before.
The desultory celebration by the old men of Chinatown continued
until the late 1930's when at last the marking of the Chinese New Year
ended in Winnemucca. Although the Chinese New Year is again celebrated
in the Chinatowns of the large cities of the United States, this time of year in
Winnemucca is quiet and the weeklong celebrations that once graced our
thriving little Chinatown long forgotten. The modem way of life once again
has laid waste to another colorful ancient custom.
16
CHINESE CRIME.
Much of the crime that occurred in Chinatown went unreported to the
local law enforcement officers and was handled within the community by
the various tongs. The crimes in Chinatown that most concerned the white
authorities were opium use, prostitution and the illegal sale of alcohol to
Indians. All else was unofficially left to the Chinese to take care of.
One other crime did bring the authorities into Chinatown, and that was
murder. There were several of these in Chinatown, one of which led to the
murderer being executed across the street.
This case occurred in 1881. A Chinese man named Charley Hing
murdered one of his countrymen, a man named Ah Lick in Chinatown. He
was duly tried in the white man's court and convicted of murder in the first
degree.
Sentence was pronounced against Charley Hing on January 6th, 1882,
in District Court in Winnemucca. The Judge sentenced him to be executed
between 9 o'clock A.M. and 3 o'clock P. M. on February 9th, 1882. His only
hope lay with the Nevada Board of Pardons, as all his appeals were soon
exhausted. The Silver State reported that "The doomed Chinaman keeps
aloof from the others, and stays in his cell nearly all the time. He knows
there is no possibility of escaping the gallows, as he is quite intelligent and
understands the fact that the Supreme Court and Board of Pardons have been
appealed to in vain. He killed a member of his own company, and incurred
the ill will of those who would have been his friends had his victim been a
member of another company. They spent money in prosecuting him and
none of them visit him or have anything to say to him. He is alone, without
a friend in the world." There is the distinct chance that if the murdered man
had been a member of another tong Charley Hing would have beat the rap.
On February 8th, the day before he was to be executed, Charley Hing
made a public statement claiming he was innocent of the crime for which he
was to be hanged, although he did not deny the fact that he had stabbed Ah
Lick. He also said that he was 26 years old, "and had been in Winnemucca
six years, during three of which he was in a wash house, and the rest of the
time at the Lafayette Hotel. He is a member of the Hop Wah Company, but
none of his countrymen here will have anything to do with him. He says
17
that $600 was raised to procure false witnesses against him, and the
interpreter did not translate the language of several of them correctly. Rev.
Mr. McKelvy has been for some time past endeavoring to get him to
understand the rudiments of Christianity, and to forgive his enemies. He did
not hesitate to forgive everyone but the interpreter. He dreaded death very
much, and set for days in his cell weeping. He now seems more resigned to
his fate."
Charley Hing kept his date with the executioner. A large crowd
gathered at the Courthouse and blocked up the hall leading to the rear of the
building. The scaffold was erected inside an enclosure and over a hundred
people were admitted to witness the execution.
"The Chinaman, who was quite intelligent, clung to Rev. Mr.
McKelvey as he ascended the scaffold, he being the only person that could,
or at least did, afford him any consolation. One of his countrymen, but a
member of a different company, was admitted within the enclosure, but
several others who sought admission were kept outside by the officers, at
request of the prisoner. Hing made a few half-intelligible remarks on the
scaffold, alleging that he acted in self-defense when he stabbed Ah Lick, and
that $600 had been used to secure false testimony against him. He was
attired in a silken blouse of the usual Chinese pattern, furnished by the
woman in whose wash house the row which ended in the death of Ah Lick
originated. The garment was ordered by her from San Francisco. She now
resides in Salt Lake City, having left here after the conviction of Charley
Hing. At the conclusion of Hing's remarks, which were uttered while he sat
in a chair, Mr. McKelvey arose and made an impressive prayer, which was
listened to with uncovered heads by those present. During this time the
prisoner stretched his neck and twitched his limbs convulsively. He had a
horror of death, and had not eaten anything for two or three days. He was
led to the drop by Sheriff Burns and Deputy Fellows, where he stood
unsupported while his arms and legs were pinioned. The noose was placed
over his head and inside his cue, a black cap was drawn over his head, the
trap sprang and he fell six feet, dislocating his neck and ending his existence.
... In six minutes Dr. Hanson, who was in attendance, pronounced him
lifeless, and in twelve minutes he was cut down and placed in a coffin,
which was at once taken across the river and buried."
From the time that the execution was started until the body was placed
in the grave took twenty-five minutes.
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Charley Hing had traveled thousands of miles to die on the gallows in
Winnemucca. He died alone, and the only god offered him to make his
peace with was not his own. For some reason, a reason that had been lost in
the convolutions of time, his own people had turned against him and
hastened along his execution. There is a distinct possibility that he was the
victim of a plot against him; that he had acted in self defense; and that the
white man's law, usually abhorred by the Chinese, was used as a tool to
remove someone from their midst forever. The gallows ground at the rear of
the Courthouse knows as much of the truth as there us to know, but will
never reveal its secrets.
CHINESE SLAVERY
In 1880, long after slavery had been outlawed in the United States, it
still existed in the West. Chinese women were a rare commodity and those
that appeared in most of the western Chinatowns were purchased in China
and then used for the most unsavory purposes when they arrived in the
United States. On occasion, when the abuses became too much for the
woman, she would run away, and the Chinese owners would use the
American law enforcement and judicial system to return her to their custody.
One such case occurred in Winnemucca in December, 1879. A
Chinese woman named Lin Cue arrived in Winnemucca and was married to
Ah Qoy by Judge Bonnifield. They immediately left for the Cortez Mining
District in Eureka County.
Shortly after the happy newlyweds had departed, another Chinaman
arrived in Winnemucca by the name of Bow Ling. He was described as a
high-toned Celestial who spoke English. He immediately appeared before
Justice Osborn and made complaint charging Lin Cue with the crime of
grand larceny. "The charge was specific and accused the defendant of
stealing fifteen $20 gold pieces, 160 pieces of silver, valued at $80; one set
of gold earrings, valued at $15; one set of gold bracelets valued at $65, all
the property of Tong Dow. It was alleged that the crime was committed in
Winnemucca in December."
Justice Osborn issued a complaint for the arrest of Lin Cue and
Constable Ruse immediately left for Cortez to serve it.
19
After Ruse had returned to Winnemucca with his prisoner the case
took several strange but obvious twists, letting all who were following the
case know that the purpose of the complaint had been to return Lin Cue to
the man who felt that he owned her, one Tong Dow of Carson City.
When she was brought before Justice Osborn, "J. H. Windle,
representing the prosecution, moved to dismiss the case. Friends of the
defendant had, meantime, secured services of counsel, and the defendant
demanded an examination of the charge, but no one appeared to prosecute
the case, and the Justice dismissed it. Immediately afterwards Constable
Ruse again arrested the woman upon the sworn complaint of Bow Ling, who
swore that the crime had been committed at Carson, he feloniously stating
the articles alleged in the first complaint to have been stolen in Winnemucca.
The defendant sued out a writ of habeas corpus before the District Judge,
charging that she was illegally detained in the County Jail by Andrew
Davidson and S. W. Ruse, and alleging a conspiracy on the part of Bow Ling
and others to take the defendant to Carson, to be held as a slave, for the
purpose of prostitution."
Things were beginning to get a little stickier for the legal system in
Winnemucca.
Both Ruse and Davidson immediately set forth their answers to the
write of habeas corpus. Ruse cited the complaint and warrant for her arrest
as his authority and Davidson stated that he had only held her in the jail for
an hour as a favor to Ruse, and then returned her to him stating that he had
no legal right to hold her in jail.
When the matter came up before Judge Bonnifield in District Court
the defendant claimed that the warrant carried by Ruse to arrest her was
invalid because Justice Osborn failed to take a deposition from the
prosecuting witness prior to the issuance of the warrant, and in fact did not
bother to take a deposition at all. "For further answer to said return, and in
addition to allegations in the petition, defendant alleged that one Bow Ling,
as prosecutor, and S. W. Ruse, as Constable, conspired and confederated
together and instituted said prosecution without reasonable proof of probable
cause, to aid Bow Ling in getting unlawful possession of the defendant for
the purpose of enslaving her, and that said officers refused to act or serve the
warrant until their fees were paid by the prosecuting witness, all of which is
contrary to the law."
20
Justice Osborn claimed that he accepted the advanced fees from Bow
Ling only in the interest of saving the county money.
"Bow Ling, the prosecuting witness, was placed on the stand and
examined as to the alleged offense. He admitted that he never saw the
defendant until he saw her here in Winnemucca, and that he never saw the
articles which he swore in the complaint were stolen from Tong Dow. The
Judge and counsel for the defendant put him on the rack and tortured him
with questions until he was thoroughly confounded, and by his contradictory
answers, which were given in English, everybody present was satisfied that
the whole case against the defendant was trumped up for the purpose of
getting her back to Carson, where she had been held as a slave for the
purpose of prostitution."
When the hearing continued Lin Cue was called upon to testify
against Bow Ling and Tong Dow but she refused to tell the court anything.
It was soon revealed that the Chinese in Winnemucca, who belong to the
same company as Tong Dow, had threatened her with her life if she testified
against either of the two men.
The stalemate was broken when a Chinese man from Cortez arrived
along with an interpreter to testify for the couple. This caused the veil of
fear around Lin Cue to lift and she revealed all the sordid details of her
problems to the Court.
After the testimony of Lin Cue was finished, Bow Ling was held for
the Grand Jury of a charge of perjury, with Judge Bonnifield stating that he
wanted to see this form of slavery end in Humboldt County. Bow Ling
posted bail and returned to Carson City. Lin Cue and Ah Qoy were released
on their own recognizance but ordered to appear as material witnesses.
Bow Ling's date of arraignment arrived but he failed to appear. He
notified the Court by telegraph that he was ill. He finally arrived in
Winnemucca with a lawyer on January 21st, 1880, and was examined in
Justice Osborn's Court. He was arrested on the 22nd and lodged in jail.
There was another strange twist of fate yet to occur in this case.
After being lodged in jail Bow Ling became quite sick and Dr.
Hanson was called to the jail to examine him. The Doctor announced after
21
his examination that Bow Ling was suffering from leprosy in his lower
extremities.
At the time Bow Ling was diagnosed with leprosy he had three
indictments against him; one for perjury, one for extortion and one for
kidnapping. He made bail on these charges and moved over to Chinatown
where he died on February 9th, 1880. Justice had been served.
By bringing Bow Ling to trial Judge Bonnifield had served notice on
all the Chinamen that the chasing of Chinese women and using the
American legal system to bring them in was at an end in Humboldt County.
Justice Osborn and Constable Ruse, who were knowing participants in
the abduction, and were paid for their services by Bow Ling, of course, were
never charged because they were white and the crime was against a Chinese
woman. They were allowed to keep their positions without any official
censure by the Court. Fate, being always the hunter, brought Constable
Ruse to a violent end several years later, when he was shot and killed in the
Champion Saloon on Bridge Street, by a small man he bullied over a period
oftime.
There were many other cases of Chinese slavery. In February, 1910, a
young Chinese woman when to authorities with a tale of being threatened
with abduction. The woman was an American citizen and still was afraid
that she was going to be kidnapped.
A high-toned Chinese man from San Francisco, a total stranger to her,
approached her on the street in Chinatown and told her he was going to sell
her for $600. This woman was aware of the custom in China of selling
female children, and this man telling her he was going to sell her upset her
very much.
The local authorities assured her that the stranger could not take her to
San Francisco and sell her. This seemed to put her mind at ease.
Another example of Chinese slavery occurred in Winnemucca in
1876. A Chinese woman escaped from her master and ran to the
Courthouse. She offered to go to jail for five years on condition that she be
freed from her owner when the five years was served. Rumor had it that she
was the mother of the baby whose skeletal remains had been found in the old
22
Humboldt Canal She was turned away from the protection of the law and
her fate was lost to history.
In 1880 a Chinese woman escaped from her owner and made her way
to Winnemucca accompanied by her lover. Her owner valued her at $600,
and was making haste to have her returned. The woman and her main
squeeze rented a buggy at Winnemucca and went twelve miles north to the
Toll House, where they secured passage on the Idaho bound stage. The
woman's owner was right behind them and was reported being at the Toll
House just after the stage departed, then at Willow Creek and Fort
McDermit looking for them. The couple made it to Boise City where he
companions tong was in power and they could find safety from their pursuer.
To show how valuable a commodity a woman was in the Chinese
world in the United States we have the figures from the Chinese Census of
1904. This census indicated that in the district comprising Utah, Wyoming
and Nevada there were 2,046 Chinese. Nevada had the largest Chinese
population with 1,143; Utah had 540; and Wyoming 363. In Nevada there
were 1,052 Chinese men, 62 women, 19 male children and 10 female
children.
EPILOGUE.
This chapter does not represent the true history of the Chinese in
Winnemucca. It does give us a glimpse of this colorful aspect of the past. It
is probable that the true history of the Chinese in Winnemucca will never be
known because those that lived in Chinatown left no history of their own for
us to compare with the information that we have been able to gather.