Commissioner Emery
Named in 19 stories. Back to all names
- Jul 11, 1888The Price of Progress on Second and MarionA lucrative real estate flip on a prominent corner reveals the rapid transformation of Seattle’s downtown core.Seattle, WA
- Mar 2, 1892The Nervous Trunk: How an Inspector's Hunch Caught a Seattle Opium SmugglerA traveler's strange devotion to his luggage tipped off a customs officer, leading to eighty tins of prepared opium and a suspect who begged to be 'let down easy.'Seattle, WA
- May 25, 1892The Steamer Wilmington’s Illegal CargoA ship captain faces federal charges for allegedly importing Japanese contract laborers to work on his vessel.Seattle, WA
- Apr 6, 1893The Fire Chief’s Citizenship TrialSeattle’s fire chief faced a dramatic trial over his citizenship, accused of obtaining naturalization papers fraudulently while a member of the force.Seattle, WA
- Jun 21, 1893A Ruling on the Geary ActCommissioner Emery issues a new interpretation of Chinese Exclusion, ordering deportation based on the failure to register under the Geary Act.Seattle, WA
- Jun 27, 1893Smuggling at the Railroad TracksA local man is held on charges for attempting to smuggle 32 Chinese immigrants via rail boxcar.Seattle, WA
- Jul 4, 1893The Case of the Counterfeit OpiumA man arrested in Everett for 'smuggling opium' into Seattle is cleared after authorities realize the suspicious substance was merely a fake product sold to con greenhorns.Seattle, WA
- Oct 1, 1893Federal Commissioner Rules Against Double Jeopardy for Chinese LaborersAfter Tacoma authorities discharged three Chinese men on grounds of legal entry, Seattle officials attempted to re-try the same individuals.Seattle, WA
- Nov 3, 1893A High-Stakes Chase Through the WoodsFederal inspectors track and capture four Chinese immigrants in the timber-heavy region near Sedro-Woolley after a two-day manhunt.Sedro-Woolley, WA
- Nov 11, 1893Hidden Gold at the DepotThree Chinese men are detained at the Northern Pacific depot while attempting to return to China, revealing a small fortune sewn into their clothing.Seattle, WA
- Mar 11, 1894A Honeymoon Interrupted: Chinese Cook's Return Could Mean DeportationCharlie, also known as Vern Kee, returned from China with a new wife and registered under the Chinese restriction act. Now he faces deportation, and a commissioner must decide if his registration protects him.Seattle, WA
- Mar 28, 1894The Groom, the Bride, and the Exclusion ActAfter being ordered deported, a Chinese merchant successfully fights the federal government to reunite with his wife.Seattle, WA
- Jun 28, 1894The Opium Sidewalk MysteryTwo men were accused of smuggling nearly a hundred pounds of illicit opium, but the case crumbled under the weight of insufficient evidence.5th Ave, Seattle, WA
- Jul 12, 1894Seattle's Railroad Strike Goes Quiet—but the Unions Keep FightingAs the national railroad boycott convulses the country, Seattle's yards stay quiet under troops and deputies while local unions back Debs, condemn violence, and negotiate food and livestock passage through boycotted lines.Seattle, WA
- Jul 13, 1894'Ground Under the Wheels': The Railroad Strike That Landed Gilman Miners in CourtFive men were held for trial after a Seattle commissioner heard testimony that striking miners abused and intimidated non-union trainmen on the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern.Issaquah, WA
- Aug 25, 1894The Paperwork That Couldn’t Save Chung We LongA Seattle federal commissioner orders a Chinese laborer deported after testimony places him in Victoria, exposing the impossible “continuous residence” rules of the Chinese Exclusion Act.Seattle, WA
- Aug 31, 1894The Long Arm of the Law: Opium Smuggler Jack Ford Captured in SeattleAfter months on the run, Jack Ford was arrested aboard the steamer Rosalie for smuggling opium, and will face charges in Tacoma.Seattle, WA
- Jan 29, 1895The Night Federal Agents Made Chinatown Show Its PapersA certificate sweep through Wa Chong’s rooms broke up card games and opium pipes and netted one man accused of lying in a deportation case.Seattle, WA
- Jan 31, 1895The Cough-Mixture Case: Whisky, Good Fellowship and a Reservation TrialA white 'Indian farmer' from Arkansas was charged with selling liquor to Indians after he shared cold medicine on a canoe trip. The case collapsed when the court heard it was born of a tribal feud.Bainbridge Island, WA