Commissioner WEINSTOCK. What year did that take place? Mr. LEE. I think about 1908; 1908 or 1909. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. Is there nothing in the book to give the year? Mr. LEE. Kwong Sin 34. That is the end of the year of the old Government. Commissioner GARRETSON. That year lapses on our year, they are not exactly the same in their starting and ending, the Chinese year and the calendar year? Mr. LEE. No. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. Going back to the $1,600 received, will you tell us how that money was received, from what sources? Mr. LEE. First time paid the girl Commissioner WEINSTOCK. That is an expense, don't you see? Mr. BUSIEK. Does the book show where the money came from? Mr. LEE. Received from Yi Fook. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. Yi Fook paid $1,000? Mr. LEE. One thousand and seventy-seven dollars and fifty cents; they operate partnership. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. That is not quite clear. What I want to get at, from whence did they derive their revenue? Mr. BUSIEK. Who paid the money that they got that they divided? Mr. LEE. About this way. You see Chinese-suppose we both go in partner, we all put money quietly first. Commissioner GARRETSON. No record of that. Mr. LEE. No record of that. Commissioner GARRETSON. Just make a jack pot of all. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. They paid this money to get this girl, and out of the money that they paid in they handed Gardner $250? Mr. LEE. Yes; beginning received $300. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. Received from whom? Mr. LEE. Did not mention. Paid for railroad $31.50; pay for expense dollar and a half; pay for attorney, railroad fare, $30; pay for clothing, $15; pay for Yik Fuy, $30; pay expense, $2. December 27. Pay attorney fee, $50; pay attorney, railroad fare, $35; pay three time telephone, $2; pay Lo Toy, expense $2; pay car fare twice, $1; pay attorney fee, $20; pay expense fee, $1; pay girl buying eating stuff, $1; pay Pak Wah Jon, $250; pay Lo Toy, car fare, 50 cents; and pay car fare, 50 cents; and pay car fare twice, 50 cents; pay buy cigar, $1.50; pay car fare, 30 cents; pay Los Angeles attorney, $100. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. Well, now, that shows how the money went out? Mr. LEE. Yes. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. What is there there to show how the money came in? Mr. LEE. I don't know how. That is the whole thing here. You see all the Chinese they do this thing. Suppose I go out and go back Chinatown and get Chinamen buy a whole lot of opium, "Well, let's go together." “All right." He give me hundred dollar. I put hundred dollar, and then we go make the deal. And we just mark it down. We pay out so much. Commissioner O'CONNELL. And what is left they divide up? Mr. LEE. Yes. Commissioner COMMONS. Well, but when you sell the opium over here, don't you put down who pays for the opium over here? Mr. LEE. No. Commissioner COMMONS. And how much you get for it? Mr. LEE. No. bought our stuff. You see we are afraid we make trouble for the party who Commissioner WEINSTOCK. You mean you don't put the names in the books? Mr. LEE. No. Commissioner COMMONS. You put the amount down that you get for selling? Mr. LEE. Yes; sure. Commissioner COMMONS. Well, that is what you get. What is the amount that you got for selling the girl? Mr. LEE. Perhaps for landing the girl-there is no item shown sold the girl yet. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. Then all that you have been reading to us is simply the moneys that they have paid out? Mr. LEE. That is the whole thing paid out. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. There is nothing to show there how much money came in? Mr. LEE. NO. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. Or where it came from? Mr. LEE. NO. Commissioner COMMONS. Only by inference on that show-up of profits-two profits of a hundred dollars each. Commissioner GARRETSON. That shows the account is closed. Commissioner COMMONS. That shows they have an account there and you add that to the expense. Commissioner O'CONNELL. There was a division and temporary closing at least. Mr. BUSIEK. Mr. Lee, did you give Assistant Commissioner Edsell any information which would lead him to find a Chinese who had seen an actual cash transaction? Mr. LEE. Yes; I did. Mr. BUSIEK. Between a smuggler and Dr. Gardner? Mr. LEE. Yes. Mr. BUSIEK. Who was this man that you took over there, or did you take Edsell over to see him? Mr. LEE. I didn't took Edsell over to see him. I brought him to Edsell. I told Edsell about it. Edsell asked me to ask him whether he would not come down and make a statement to him, and I went back there and asked him, and he said, "Yes, sure; I be glad to." Mr. BUSIEK. And what did he tell Edsell about having seen? Mr. LEE. He told Edsell that he saw Fung Hing. Mr. BUSIEK. Who? Mr. LEE. Fung Hing. Mr. BUSIEK. F-u-n-g H-i-n-g? Mr. LEE. Handed about $200, he says not exactly-maybe a little more, maybe a little less-in gold to Dr. Gardner at Oakland. Mr. BUSIEK. And he testified to that effect to Edsell? Mr. LEE. Yes. Mr. BUSIEK. When Edsell was making the investigation? Mr. LEE. Yes. Mr. BUSIEK. Did you furnish Edsell with any information as to Dr. Gardner's frequent trips over to Oakland? Mr. LEE. Yes; I did. Mr. BUSIEK. And when did these trips take place, Mr. Lee? Mr. LEE. Now, I could not tell you exactly the year-there is three of us, Mr. Sid Gain and Mr. Yun Kee and myself-we were over to Oakland; it was the Methodist convention, Methodist Church convention, and we came back on the boat leave Oakland I thing about 5 minutes to 10-yes; 5 minutes to 10 that night, and three of us standing there in the waiting room at the Mole; you know where I mean. Mr. BUSIEK. Yes. Mr. LEE. And I think either Mr. Yun Kee or Mr. Sid Gain said, "Here comes Dr. Gardner." 66 'Oh," I says, "he often comes over to this part of town to visit Woo Wuy." Then I think it was Mr. Sid Gain said, "Let us follow him." "Oh," I say, 46 what is the use, he knows you and he knows me, he knows Yun Kee. If you follow him he never will go into the place where he goes." Mr. BUSIEK. Who is Woo Wuy? Mr. LEE. He is one of the slave importers. Mr. BUSIEK. And is it a fact that Edsell was furnished with information that on the night of the arrival of all ships from China, that Gardner would go over to Oakland and talk to Woo Wuy? Mr. LEE. That is what I heard, but I never got direct information, see? Mr. BUSIEK. And Woo Wuy is known as a slave trader and has been convicted as such in fact, has he not? Mr. LEE. Yes; I think up North. Not in this city; I think up North. Mr. BUSIEK. Do you know anything about Gardner's troubles with the Chinese people in church work? Mr. LEE. No; that is before I came out here. Before. I used to live in Sac ramento. Mr. BUSIEK. I see. Mr. LEE. I know this gentleman sitting there [indicating Commissioner Weinstock]. We often go in his store. 38819-S. Doc. 415, 64-1-vol 7--20 Mr. BUSIEK. Did Mr. Edsell ever tell you anything about the evidence which he had on Dr. Gardner, whether or not he had a good strong case against him or anything like that? Mr. LEE. Yes; the night we came back from Oakland he took me and Lee Wing, the man who saw this money transaction, and he went over there and described the place-I mean Lee described the place to Mr. Edsell, and when he came back from Oakland he was sitting on the lower deck. He says, "I wish I could get a book that shows that you have been paying money to Dr. Gardner, but I will get him." He says, "Chin On, he is a hard nut to crack, but Dr. Gardner is still harder." But, he says, "I got on Chin On about 2 inches space of an affidavit, but Dr. Gardner, it is very hard, he is very slick." Mr. BUSIEK. Well, did he finally tell you that he had enough to hang Gardner on? Mr. LEE. Well, he told me he had some good stuff, but he never told about the book or anything. Mr. BUSIEK. Well, you didn't know that he had gotten that book? Mr. LEE. I didn't know. Mr. BUSIEK. I see. I believe that is all the questions I want to ask. Are you familiar, Mr. Lee, with the proposed amendments to the exclusion law that have been suggested to this commission, and which this commission has submitted to the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Six Companies, for their criticisms? Mr. LEE. I was there that evening and heard you--the speech; also Mr. Li, the secretary. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. Well, you know there have been certain changes made since that evening, that is as the suggestions were presented that evening it provided for compulsory registration of all Chinese. That has since been modified so that now it provides for compulsory registration of Chinese laborers and voluntary registration for those who are native born or who are exempted under the treaties and under the laws of the country. Now, what criticism have you to make on these proposed amendments and what suggestions can you offer to the commission that you think will be helpful? Mr. LEE. I haven't done anything about that yet since that meeting. I was awful busy during this war, corresponding, and Mr. Chew is away for three months; he just came back yesterday. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. Yes. Mr. LEE. But still I have had my hands full. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. Did he ever discuss the matter with you? Mr. LEE. NO; he did not. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. You don't know what his opinions are? Mr. LEE. No; I don't. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. Have you discussed it with other Chinese? Mr. LEE. Well, only the night when you went to the chamber of commerce. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. Yes. Mr. LEE. You made the speech and I favored it myself very much in my opinion, in my own opinion. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. Then you think it would lessen smuggling if that law prevailed? Mr. LEE. You see it is this way; if the inspector and the interpreter they are doing their real duty Commissioner WEINSTOCK. Yes. Mr. LEE (continuing). There could not be smuggled a flea in this country. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. Could not? Mr. LEE. Could not, really. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. The weak spots are the inspectors and the inter preters? Mr. LEE. Yes, sir. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. Well, you see, under the proposed law the idea is to have the Secretary of Labor appoint crews. A crew would consist of three parties, the inspector, the interpreter, and the stenographer. They would have a half dozen crews, more or less, and they would be sent to different cities at different times. Nobody would know when they are coming, and the crews themselves would not know where they were going until they were ordered by the Secretary. And they would check up. They would not have to go to every Chinaman in the community; they would get information that would lead them to the proper locations. Mr. LEE. There is one thing, now, this immigration office, they know this commission is taking up this matter. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. Yes. Mr. LEE. And a party told me yesterday he saw Dr. Gardner jump on the Sacramento street car from the ferry 10 o'clock at night, night before last, and going toward Chinatown. And I told him, I say, "I was in Chinatown about 10 o'clock, right on the spot of Sacramento and Grand Avenue. I didn't see him coming up." "Well," he says, “I could swear that I saw him on the car.” Commissioner WEINSTOCK. Well, what would that have to do with it; supposing he did go up to Chinatown, what of it? Mr. LEE. Well, there is a man named Woo Wuy on Carney Street on Clay, and he thinks that Gardner goes there again. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. Well, what would that have to do with this matter, supposing he did go there? Mr. LEE. Well, you see, this smuggling and importing, they suppose Gardner knows every point. They will tell the Chinamen to favor, and they will tell the Chinamen, "No favor." Commissioner WEINSTOCK. Oh, you mean that Gardner could influence the opinions of the Chinese. You see, this commission, while it is ready to invite the criticism of the Chinese, it does not follow that because the Chinese would oppose it, that this commission would not recommend it, because this commission might not agree with the Chinese in their opinons. The Chinese may say it is very bad, but unless they could prove to the commission that it was bad the commission would pay no attention to their criticism, you see. We will only accept the criticism of the Chinese if in our judgment it is an honest criticism. If we think it is a manufactured criticism or a dishonest criticism or a selfish criticism we pay no attention to it. Have I made that clear? Mr. LEE. Yes, sir. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. Now, I believe that whatever criticism you would give here would be an honest criticism. We might not accept it, but I think it would be honest, you see, and therefore it would carry more weight with us than if we thought it was a dishonest criticism. We would pay no attention to it at all then. Now, have you any suggestions to make? Can you point out any better way? Mr. LEE. I haven't looked into this matter very thoroughly yet, you see, but if the time permits me to study it over I could give you a better answer. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. Well, have you got a copy of the proposed law? Mr. LEE. NO; I haven't. Commissioner WEINSTOCK. This is a copy of the proposed law, and we would be glad to have you look it over, and if you see any weak spots in it, anything that strikes you as not being good, or if you can improve on it, we would appreciate it f you would write the commission what your views are in the matter [handing paper to the witness]. Mr. LEE. All right. Mr. BUSIEK. That is all. Who is out there in the hall? Mr. LEE. Chin Jack and Ed Park. Mr. BUSIEK. Send in Ed Park. TESTIMONY OF MR. EDWARD LEON PARK. Mr. BUSIEK. Just take the chair, Mr. Park. Commissioner GARRETSON. You solemnly swear that the evidence which you shall give before this commission will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you, God? Mr. PARK. Yes. Mr. BUSIEK. Just be seated, Mr. Park. Mr. PARK. Yes, sir. Mr. BUSIEK. State your name in full, please. Mr. PARK. Edward Leon Park. Mr. BUSIER. Where do you live, Mr. Park? Mr. PARK. I live in Berkeley. Mr. BUSIEK. And how long have you lived in Berkeley? Mr. PARK. Twelve years. Mr. BUSIEK. Where are you employed? Mr. PARK. At the present time? Mr. BUSIEK. Yes, Mr. PARK. U. S. Immigration Service. Mr. BUSIEK. How long have you been with the U. S. Immigration Service? Mr. PARK. I think about nine years. Mr. BUSIEK. And in what capacity? Mr. PARK. As an interpreter. Mr. BUSIEK. Who examined you for your qualifications as interpreter? Mr. BUSIEK. Dr. Gardner examines all the applicants? Mr. PARK. I don't know. Mr. BUSIEK. Don't you know that Dr. Gardner made a rating of the interpreters over there, giving all them examinations, and you have a record of that; your record is there? Mr. PARK. I know he examined me. Mr. BUSIEK. Don't you know he examined all the others? Mr. PARK. I couldn't say all the others. I was not present when he was examining them. Mr. BUSIEK. Haven't you seen his report; haven't all the interpreters out there got a report which Dr. Gardner made which shows how well they speak English, what dialects they speak in Chinese, and so on? Mr. PARK. I see records that show what dialect different interpreters speak. I never see any other report. Mr. BUSIEK. That was made by Dr. Gardner, wasn't it? Mr. PARK. Yes. Mr. BUSIEK. It is on Dr. Gardner's report and recommendation that a man is hired; that an interpreter is hired? Mr. PARK. I suppose so. Mr. BUSIEK. Dr. Gardner is the judge of the ability of any Chinese interpreter? Mr. PARK. So far as I know. Mr. BUSIEK. Mr. Park, have you any other business besides acting as interpreter? Mr. PARK. No, sir. Mr. BUSIEK. Any other source of income? Mr. PARK. At the present time I have. Mr. PARK. What? Mr. PARK. I have an automobile for rent. Mr. BUSIEK. Where did you get the money for the automobile? Mr. PARK. My sister financed me. Mr. BUSIEK. And where is this? Is there any record of that transaction, Mr. Park? Mr. PARK. No; there is no record. Mr. BUSIEK. What kind of a machine was that? Mr. PARK. A Studebaker. Mr. BUSIEK. Limousine? Mr. PARK. No. Mr. BUSIEK. Where do you have that machine for hire? Mr. PARK. In Chinatown. Mr. BUSIEK. Does that bring you a good revenue; does that bring in any large amount of money? Mr. PARK. NO; average about $80 to $100 a month; that is, expenses not taken out. Mr. BUSIEK. Expenses not taken out. You have another machine, have you not, a Winton Six? Mr. PARK. I have; yes, sir. Mr. BUSIEK. And you are buying a Buick, are you not? Mr. PARK. I am not. I am trying to trade my machine for a Buick. Mr. BUSIEK. Which one? Mr. PARK. Winton. Mr. BUSIEK. Where did you get the money to buy this one-Winton? Mr. PARK. I had money saved up in my business before entering the service. Mr. BUSIEK. What business were you in? Mr. PARK. I was in the grocery, fruit, and vegetable business. Mr. BUSIEK. How long were you in that business? Mr. PARK. Two years with a store, and about three years I had wagons out. Mr. BUSIEK, How many wagons? |