Legal Resistance to Deportation
Attorney Marshall K. Snell challenges the illegal detention of three Chinese merchants by federal authorities in Tacoma.
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.
Attorney Marshall K. Snell, of Tacoma, yesterday applied to Judge Hanford for a writ of habeas corpus on behalf of Moy Chong, Walt Ni, and Moy With, who were taken off the steamer Victoria at Tacoma about a month ago and ordered deported to China by United States Commissioner Clifford of that city. The petition alleges that they have been Chinese merchants at Portland for eleven, ten, and fourteen years, respectively, and before going to China were equipped with proper certificates, which were taken away from them when they landed at Tacoma by Deputy Collector Hummer, who still retains them.
“The petition alleges that they have been Chinese merchants at Portland... and before going to China were equipped with proper certificates.”
This story highlights the systemic use of bureaucratic 'lost' documentation to bypass due process for Chinese residents—a precursor to modern challenges in immigration court and the enduring legal struggle for rights against discriminatory exclusion policies.
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