“BLACK HOLE”

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18546, 5 November 1934, Page 11

“BLACK HOLE”

ORDEAL OF CHINESE

SMUGGLED TO AMERICA

HERDED IN CELLAR

SHIPPED AS POTATOES

(Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.)

(Received Nov. 5, 3 p.m.) NEW YORK, Nov. 4.

In an .airless cellar rivalling the “Black Hole of Calcutta,” Federal narcoticagents to-day found 18 smuggled Chinese in a pitiable physical condition after an ordeal of horror almost fictional in its lurid details. They are the survivors of a band of 38 who were smuggled from Trinidad for sale into “laundry slavery” at £3OO each.

The cellar was guarded by a bilge negro who dropped two revolvers when federal, state, and local police broke through the steel plated doors after silencing five vicious dogs. The law enforcement officials, informed that they were dealing with a desperate band, probably a remnant of the liquor smuggling days, carried machine guns; and tear gas. Two Chinese who were able to speak English, gave the officers details. They said that they were induced to ship on a freighter with a promise that they would be. freed for a nominal sum in New York. When three contracted illness they were thrown off the ship by the captain, who feared that they would infect the ; others.

Thirty-five were landed off tlie Virginia coast, where they were herded in a house, and then sewed "into hags with potatoes as a foil and placed in a truck which rode steadily for 24 hours until it reached New Jersey, across the river from New York.

Any Chinese protesting against the treatment was mercilessly beaten with clubs.

Seventeen had been sold into slavery before the raiders discovered their plight. The only food received was a single bowl of rice from which all ate.