Slave Trade

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 263, 6 November 1934, Page 5

Slave Trade

CHINESE IN NEW YORK SMUGGLED FROM TRINIDAD [By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright] NEW YORK, Nov. 4. In an airless cellar rivalling the Black Hole of Calcutta, Federal narcotic agents to-day found eighteen smuggled Chinese in a pitiable physical condition after an argosy of horror, almost fictional in lurid details. They were the survivors of a band of 38 who were smuggled from Trinidad for sale into “laundry slavery” for 1500 dollars each. The callar was guarded by a huge negro, who dropped two revolvers when Federal and State local police broke through the steel-plated doors, after silencing five vicious dogs. The law enforcement officials were informed that they were dealing with a desperate band, probably a remnant of the liquor smuggling days, and carried machineguns and tear gas. Two of the 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 others. Thirty-five landed on the Virginia coast, where they wore herded into a house. They were then sewed into sacks with potatoes as a foil, and placed in a truck iu which they rode steadily for 24 hours until they reached New Jersey across the river from New York. Any Chinese protesting against his treatment was mercilessly beaten with clubs. Seventeen were sold into slavery before the raiders discovered their plight. ’The only food received was a single bowl of rice from which all ate.