Tragedy in the Woods Near Sedro
A Chinese immigrant dies from exposure while attempting to enter the country, his story emerging only after his death.
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.
Several Olympia residents recovered the body of a Chinese man who died from exposure while trekking through the forest near Sedro. He was part of a group that entered the country from British Columbia in mid-November. Suffering through the mountains for ten days, the man—a former bookkeeper—could not survive the harsh conditions and succumbed before his companions were captured by customs officials. His body remained in the woods for two weeks until a party of his countrymen organized a search. Despite the time that passed, his personal effects, including $50, were found undisturbed. The remains are to be interred in Olympia before eventually being returned to China.
“The party crossed the line about November 8 and for ten days toiled through the mountains and suffered great hardships.”
This tragic report is a stark reminder of the human cost of the Chinese Exclusion Acts, which forced immigrants into perilous, clandestine routes. It highlights the often-forgotten history of the immense risks taken by those seeking entry to Washington during a period of intense state-sanctioned xenophobia.
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