The Groom, the Bride, and the Exclusion Act

Charlie Kee, a merchant who went back to China to marry a girl of his choice and was on his return accused by Chinese Inspector Wall of being unlawfully in the country, was yesterday discharged by Judge Hanford, who made a decision of some importance as to the Chinese exclusion acts. A few weeks ago Charlie was brought down to Seattle and on trial before Commissioner Emery was ordered deported. Two white men, who were in the logging business, swore that Charlie had been their cook for nearly a year until in December 1892, he went to China and returned last January, saying that he had been married. There was another fact against him and that was that he had not registered as a Chinese laborer after he had returned. The commissioner ordered him deported, holding that his registration certificate was not evidence that he was entitled to remain. He appealed, and on the appeal coming up before Judge Hanford, for the first time the young Romeo, who had allowed his bride to entice him away to China, produced pretty strong evidence in his favor. Several Chinese witnesses swore that he had for several years before going to China been one of a firm of Chinese merchants in Port Townsend and had before his departure taken out a merchant's certificate. The judge held that the appeal was well grounded and that the law passed while Charlie was away did not apply to him.