FEMALE JAPANESE STOWAWAYS

Wanganui Chronicle, 25 July 1901, Page 1

FEMALE JAPANESE STOWAWAYS

In & room amidships on the upper deck of the freight steamer Strathgyle, lying at Lombard Street Wharf, narrates a San Francisco journal of June 20th, are three Japanese -women and a male Japanese companion, all stowaways, who were found w one of the forward compartments of the steamer, under the main deck, a day

after the Strathgyle left Yokohama, several weeks ago. The young women are rather attractive specimens of their race, but the man is uncouth and apparently dull-witted. He gives his name as Risuki Aramoni, and claims one of the women, fKun Aramoni, as his wife, and the re- * maining two as friends. None of the young women appears to be over twenty years old, but Aramoni, who speaks fairly good English,, says they are all considerably more than that. The man claims to have formerly lived in this city for several years, and is believed to be actuated by base motives in attempting to land the young women in this country. Immigration Inspector Engeleke examined the stowaways on. board the Strathgyle, when Aramoni and the three women all gave conflicting testimony. To make matters worse, a Japanese resident of the city went to the Strathgyle during the day, claiming that his wife was expected on that vessel. When asked to; point out his wife from among the three female stowaways, the stranger indicated that he wanted all three. None of them claimed him as her husband. As a result he left the ship without a wife. It is probable that the four stowaways will be sent back to Japan. While in port tha stowaways are kept handcuffed in pairs to prevent their escape. So* far as is known, the I young women are the first of their sex to come from the Orient as stowaways.