The Chinese Alms Association Defends Its Mission

To the Editor: The article in the Post-Intelligencer of May 2, headed 'Highbinder Court,' does great injustice to the association of which nearly all of the Chinamen in this city are members. Our association is a charitable institution and not a highbinder court as stated. Our association is called the Chinese Alms Association of Seattle, Wash., and is formed for the express purpose of settling all controversies and also to aid all distressed Chinamen. That is why our people do not appear in the courts with civil as well as other cases so much. We endeavor to settle by arbitration all cases that can be done without recourse to the courts. It is a fact that no criminal cases of a heinous character are settled or punished by us; all such cases are referred to the courts of this country. The Six Companies referred to of San Francisco is not a Highbinder court, nor are we even subordinate to it, or a branch of said Six Companies. We are an association independent of any in this country. Wa Chong being one of the principal members is an assurance that no highbinder principles are tolerated by the association, he having been a resident of this country for over thirty years and most of that time been a taxpayer of this county, his taxes for 1891 being over $2,000. The statement in that article in reference to Wa Chong standing in and backing Ah How in his unlawful transactions is totally untrue. The $15 said to have been a fine imposed on Ah Jim is not true. Jim has not paid 1 cent. The $15 was for the expenses incurred by reason of the false arrest of the five Chinamen. The five Chinamen that were arrested were lawfully in the United States, and consequently discharged. The evidence in the arbitration before us was against Ah Jim, and in case he fails to pay the $15 expense referred to, then the association pays it, so there would be no further trouble.