I trust that the report of the governor of Montana will be satisfactory
to you as establishing that everything possible has been and is being
done to afford Chinese subjects in Montana the full and equal protection
of the law.
[Inclosure.]
Governor Toole
to Mr. Blaine.
The
State of Montana,
Executive Office,
Helena, February 23, 1892. (Received February
27.)
Further replying to your note of the 8th instant, with inclosure from
the chargé ad interim of China at Washington,
specifying certain acts of oppression alleged to have been committed
by the labor union of Butte City, in this State, upon his countrymen
[Page 144]
residing there, I have
the honor to inform you that, accompanied and assisted by the
attorney-general of Montana, I visited Butte City, and, pursuant to
your request, have investigated the alleged acts of oppression
referred to as having occurred in November, 1891.
My investigation was public and exhaustive, and revealed the
following state of affairs:
In the month of April, 1891, the health officer’s report of Butte
City disclosed the fact that 841 Chinamen were residing in that
city. In November, 1891, a census taken by direction of one or more
labor organizations showed that the Chinese population had increased
to 1,750, who were engaged in various occupations at wages below the
current prices for the same kind of labor performed by other persons
and to the exclusion of other worthy people, whereupon the labor
organizations of Butte City instituted a “boycott” against the
Chinese, but did not in fact make the same operative until January
1, 1892, since which time it has been observed by the members of
such labor organizations. The effect of this “boycott” is to
withdraw from the Chinese residing there all patronage of members of
the various unions, but in no instance has a labor union, directly
or indirectly, used force or violence respecting these people. Nor
can it be shown that in any assault committed upon the Chinese that
the assailant was a member of a labor union. Whatever may be said of
the propriety of “boycotting” by means of which people or a class of
people voluntarily withdraw their patronage from others, I know of
no law in this State to prevent it.
Not an instance was brought to my notice, nor do I believe that one
can be found where force or violence was employed to enforce any
demand of the unions.
It is fair to say in this connection that the Chinese are not the
only persons who are the objects of “boycotts” at Butte City, but
that sundry merchants and other persons, without regard to
nationality, are embraced within it, and so published to the
world.
It is doubtless true that isolated cases of assaults upon Chinamen
have occurred at Butte within the last three months. The persons
committing the assaults belong to the criminal classes and in nearly
every instance were promptly arrested and punished. The court
records show that during the present month four persons were tried,
convicted, and sentenced for offenses committed against the persons
and property of Chinese.
I am confident that the charge of extorting money from Chinese
laundrymen by force and violence grew out of the arrest of one
Arthur Fowler on January 16, 1892, who entered a laundry, demanded
money, and in default of which, fired at the keeper, and beat him
about the head with his pistol.
The most intelligent Chinaman whom I met in Butte, and who
represented his countrymen in the investigation, told me that he
knew of no other case where a similar demand was made, and that the
consul-general at San Francisco who formulated the complaint had
misunderstood the purport of the telegram sent him on the subject.
Fowler has been in jail since his arrest, awaiting his trial at a
regular term of court. He was, on the 18th instant, tried and
convicted of the crime of assault with intent to kill and sentenced
to the State penitentiary for two years. I will inclose a copy of
the information, testimony, and judgment for your inspection as soon
as the same can be procured. I know of no offense committed against
the person or property of Chinese in that city where diligence has
not been used to arrest the offenders.
The most recent case that has come to my attention is the burning of
a Chinese laundry about ten days ago at Meaderville a few miles
distant from Butte. Warrants for the arrest of the guilty parties
were immediately put into the hands of the sheriff of the county,
who has made and is making every endeavor to apprehend them, and in
the event of a failure so to do, then I am assured that a special
grand jury will be called, thereby affording ampler facilities to
that end.
I inclose a letter from the sheriff of Silver Bow County, showing
that no discrimination is made against Chinese in that county, but
that they receive the same protection afforded other residents of
the city and county.
Trusting that the foregoing report ruaybe satisfactory to the chargé
ad interim of China at Washington and his
countrymen,
I have, etc.,
Jas. K. Toole,
Governor of Montana.
Sheriff Lloyd
to Governor Toole.
Butte City, Mont., February 17, 1892.
Dear Sir: With reference to the protection
afforded Chinese subjects in this city and county, I beg to make the
following statement, to wit:
I have had and have at this date the following regularly-appointed
deputies, stationed at the following points in this county:
H. Hankley at Silver Bow Junction; Charles Wedlake at Meaderville; S.
Hall and W. E. Harris at Centerville and Walkerville; Deputies
Ruddies Gillette and Collins at South Butte. I have also special
deputies stationed at all railway (depots) entering this city and
county. These deputies as above mentioned have all been instructed
by me to arrest any and all persons found interfering with Chinamen
in their lawful and usual avocations. And I have at the request of
Chinese merchants appointed special deputies to protect China
laundrymen against the unlawful acts of half-grown boys in throwing
stones and snowballs. These specials have caused the arrest of
several persons for such offenses, and in every instance the parties
have been prosecuted, so that at this date very few complaints reach
this office.
In short, I have endeavored to offer the same protection to the
Chinese as to all other residents.
I am, etc.,
