Suspicious Deaths Aboard the Princess Louise
Health officials examine the bodies of three Chinese men found dead on a steamer arriving from Victoria.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Among the cargo of the steamer Princess Louise, which arrived yesterday, were the bodies of three Chinamen, taken aboard at Stearn Inlet and destined for shipment to China. They died, it is thought, from eating the weed known as hemlock, which is deadly poison. Dr. Duncan, health officer, is making an examination of the bodies this afternoon to ascertain just what the men died of. If from a contagious disease the bodies will be buried here and a little lime spread over them to end all danger of spreading infection.
“If from a contagious disease the bodies will be buried here and a little lime spread over them to end all danger of spreading infection.”
The presence of Chinese remains destined for burial in China was a common sight on Seattle's waterfront, reflecting the transnational ties of early immigrant communities who faced systemic exclusion in the Pacific Northwest. This event highlights the era's pervasive suspicion toward Chinese migrants, where deaths were quickly scrutinized by local health boards for fear of 'infection' or public health threats.
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