The Paper Daughters of Chinatown

by Heather B. Moore

  Shortly after returning to San Francisco, unable to shake the feeling of defeat, Dolly found out from informants through Ah Cheng that Kum Quai had been forced into marriage with death threats. The news didn’t surprise Dolly, but the confirmation still stung.

  She paced the street level of the house late at night. No rescues tonight, but Dolly still couldn’t sleep. Kum Quai had been married after all, so of what use had been all the work they’d gone through? Not even a government could stop the Chinese slave owner.

  The creak of the stairs caught her attention, and Dolly turned, wondering who else was awake in the middle of the night. Tien came down the stairs, her hand on the railing, her steps determined.

  Dolly was about to tell her to go back to bed when Tien held out her hand. Dolly stepped forward to see the blossom of a lotus flower in Tien’s palm. Some of the Chinese grew the flowers in their rooms in wide vases of water.

  “What’s this?” Dolly asked, unsure what Tien wanted her to do.

  “For you.” Tien wouldn’t meet her gaze, but kept her dark head lowered.

  Dolly took the blossom. “Thank you; it’s beautiful.” The gesture was so unexpected, especially coming from Tien.

  Before Dolly could say anything else, Tien turned and fled up the stairs like a startled squirrel heading up a tree.

  The reason for her haste became apparent when Mrs. Field appeared at the top of the stairs, wearing a dark robe over her long, white nightgown.

  “That child should not be up at all hours,” Mrs. Field said. “I’ve a mind to lock her in her room right after her evening chores.”

  Dolly released a slow breath. “She can’t sleep when she worries.”

  Mrs. Field’s hand tightened on the railing. “Are you still going on about Kum Quai’s marriage?”

  Dolly’s mouth parted in surprise. “Going on? She’s in a terrible situation, and we need to come up with a way to free her.”

  The director narrowed her eyes. “She is lost to us, and it’s just as well. Too much trouble surrounded her. You went to jail, for heaven’s sake. You can’t be running off like that, soiling the reputation of the fine mission ladies who work here. We must be respectable women, and not get so involved in the Chinese girls’ lives. If they aren’t inside our walls, then they should be left to their own destinies.”

  The heat in Dolly’s chest felt like it was going to burst into flames. “Kum Quai is one of us, ma’am. She was kidnapped and coerced. She was tricked and lied to. I will not abandon her. Just as the Lord left the ninety-nine sheep to rescue the one, I too will go after the one.”

  Mrs. Field waved a hand in dismissal. “Now look who’s comparing the Chinese to sheep. The residents here are in the middle of their education, and you cannot leave me to cover both my job and your job.”

  So this was what it had come to. “Ah Cheng and Yuen Qui are able to help out anytime.”

  Mrs. Field scoffed. “I can barely communicate with them.”

  Now Mrs. Field was being ridiculous. The interpreters spoke fine English.

  Dolly was exhausted, and arguing in the middle of the night with Mrs. Field wasn’t doing either of them any good. If Mrs. Field wanted to recommend to the board that Dolly be let go, then so be it. “I will continue to work toward Kum Quai’s freedom with all of the resources I can muster. If you need more help, I can talk to one of the staff members for you.”

  Mrs. Field lifted her chin. “Don’t overstep your authority, Miss Cameron.” Then, without waiting for an answer, she turned and walked away, leaving behind only the echo of her brisk footsteps.

  Dolly looked down at the lotus blossom in her hand, then brought it to her nose and inhaled the soft, sweet fragrance. She would count whatever blessings came her way, and the rest . . . well, the rest, she would turn over to the Lord. Somewhere out there, Kum Quai was trapped and desperate. And Dolly would not abandon her.

  Over the next few days, Dolly continued reaching out to all her sources, trying to find a solution, although Mrs. Field refused to even speak of Kum Quai.

  “Jun Ling says he is keeping his ears open,” Ah Cheng told Dolly one morning over breakfast. Thankfully, Mrs. Field had already left the breakfast table, since she disapproved of using resources to continue their search.

  Dolly reached across the table and clasped Ah Cheng’s hand. “Jun Ling is a good man and a good friend to the mission home.”

  When Ah Cheng’s face flushed a pretty red, Dolly tightened her hold. “What is this? Do you think of Jun Ling as more than a friend?”

  Ah Cheng’s blush deepened, but her smile was genuine.

  “Tell me,” Dolly said. “I want to hear everything.”

  Ah Cheng looked down at the table, then released a slow breath. When she next looked at Dolly, her dark eyes were beautiful with love and excitement. “He’s asked me to marry him.”

  Dolly yelped. “Oh, my goodness. How wonderful!”

  “I know,” Ah Cheng whispered. “I never thought I’d . . . find so much happiness.”

  When she hesitated, Dolly guessed what would come next. “We will miss you,” she said, speaking with more courage than she felt. She couldn’t let Ah Cheng feel guilty about leaving to marry. It was something that Dolly supposed she might do herself one day if the right man came along. “But you can come visit anytime, my friend.”

  Ah Cheng nodded, her eyes filling with tears. “I know. It will be hard to leave, though. But I love him.”

  Tears stung Dolly’s eyes, too. She rose and crossed to Ah Cheng, pulling the woman into a hug. “I am happy for you.” And she was. Truly. Ah Cheng would be dearly missed, but Dolly’s mind was already moving ahead. Yuen Qui had interpreted plenty of times, and she was the natural choice to fill Ah Cheng’s shoes.

  “Yuen Qui has agreed to help,” Ah Cheng said.

  “She already knows?”

  Ah Cheng smiled. “You’ve been very busy lately. I didn’t want to take away from your focus. Our marriage won’t be for many months yet.”

  Dolly pulled Ah Cheng into another embrace. “How did I get so blessed in life?”

  The women drew apart at the sound of someone knocking at the door.

  “I’ll get it,” Ah Cheng offered.

  “No, you finish your breakfast,” Dolly insisted. She left the dining room and walked to the front door. The few moments to herself were much needed, because new tears burned her eyes now—ones born of the realization of how lonely she sometimes felt. Loneliness was an interesting animal of its own accord. Days and weeks would pass when Dolly hardly gave a thought to how a well of loneliness had taken up residence next to her heart. But then the quiet moments would come, the exhaustion would take over, and she would feel like she was missing something, or someone, she couldn’t quite name.

  The knock sounded again at the door. Dolly had delayed too long with her own thoughts. There was no time for wallowing. She drew in a breath and turned the locks, then opened the door.

  On the other side was a messenger from the post office, a boy who was familiar to her.

  “A note for you, Miss Cameron,” the boy said.

  She thanked him, then read through the note quickly. B. F. Hall, a telephone agent at Palo Alto, had written that one of the Chinese captors of Kum Quai was on his way to San Francisco.

  Dolly lowered the note and closed her eyes. Wong Fong would be in San Francisco. She didn’t know if Kum Quai or her husband, Chung Bow, would be with him, but right now it didn’t matter.

  “Ah Cheng,” Dolly called out, and the woman came out of the dining room. “Get the police on the telephone. We’re going to the train station to apprehend Wong Fong.”

  Ah Cheng didn’t even hesitate; she only turned and hurried to the office to telephone the police.

  Dolly waited by the door for Ah Cheng to return since she didn’t want to face Mrs. Field’s disa
pproval or questions. Within minutes, Dolly and Ah Cheng were heading to the train station, where they were met by Officers Jesse Cook and Patrick O’Connor.

  “What’s going on, Miss Cameron?” Cook asked the moment they were near enough to speak.

  He wasn’t openly carrying a sledgehammer or axe, but Dolly wouldn’t be surprised if he had one hidden in his jacket. Cook hadn’t been told the exact nature of the assignment, just that Donaldina Cameron needed his help. And that was enough.

  When Dolly explained about the wire she had received informing her that Wong Fong was on the train from San Jose to San Francisco, Cook said, “When you see him, let us know.”

  Cook and O’Connor began to scan the crowds, keeping close to Dolly and Ah Cheng.

  As the train finally came into view, Dolly’s heart joined the rhythm of the sounds of the approaching train. People milled about, waiting to meet those on the train, but Dolly kept her eyes on the passengers filing out of the various doors.

  When she saw him, she knew immediately it was Wong Fong. She could never forget the man from that night of the abduction. The shape of his face, the line of his jaw . . . his eyes might be downcast, his manner inconspicuous, but it was definitely him.

  “There he is,” she told Cook. “The man with the dark overcoat.”

  Cook and O’Connor strode to Wong Fong’s side.

  Dolly wanted to revel in the abductor’s shocked expression as Cook grasped Wong Fong by the upper arm, then handcuffed him, while O’Connor told him he was under arrest. Dolly felt only regret that she hadn’t been able to stop the sham marriage. Even now, understanding the complications of the law, she could only hope that the charges would stick.

  Dolly was elated when she returned to the mission home, and not even the cold silence of Mrs. Field at the staff meal could cool her excitement. She sought out Tien as soon as possible, finding the girl sitting in the kitchen with Lonnie. Lonnie would never go near the stove, or anything hot, but at least she was in the kitchen. Tien was helping her make almond cookie dough. The scene was surprisingly tender and domestic.

  “There you are,” Dolly said to Tien.

  Despite the things that had passed between them, Tien’s sharp gaze was suspicious.

  “I wanted to tell you that we caught Wong Fong today at the train station,” Dolly said. “He was one of the men who kidnapped Kum Quai.”

  Lonnie immediately asked, “Did you find her?”

  “Not yet,” Dolly said. “But I’m not giving up.”

  Tien’s mouth curved into the slightest smile, and she quickly looked down at the batter she’d been mixing.

  “I hope the bad man will go to jail for a long time, Mama,” Lonnie said.

  “I do too,” Dolly said.

  Over the next weeks, more information came to Dolly about how Kum Quai had originally been part of a larger group of girls brought over from China under the pretense of working at the Omaha Exposition. But in reality, they had been sold into the San Francisco slave market. Dolly telephoned her lawyer when she found out the news. “I need to meet with the federal authorities. Kum Quai has no legal right to remain in the United States.”

  “Is that the argument you want to go with?” Monroe asked. “You know the risks.”

  “Yes,” Dolly said. “Kum Quai needs to be freed from her sham marriage—whatever it takes.”

  “Very well.” Monroe’s tone was brisk. “I’ll see you at Wong Fong’s trial in Mayfield.”

  The day of the trial arrived a few weeks later. Another courtroom, another full house, due to the media attention and the ranting articles in the newspapers disparaging those behind the abduction of Kum Quai and the legal system that kept her in her abductors’ possession. Dolly took courage from the editorials published in Kum Quai’s favor. Dr. Hall was in attendance, the man who had originally helped her in Palo Alto, as well as Dr. John Endicott Gardner, who had been sent by Colonel Jackson, the Collector of the Port and Immigration Commissioner for San Francisco. She glanced only once in Wong Fong’s direction. She hoped that, after today, she would never have to see the man again.

  Watching the trial of Wong Fong was immensely satisfying, but she couldn’t have been more surprised when Attorney Herrington announced, “I have brought Kum Quai today. She will be her own witness and testify of the advent of her marriage.”

  The courtroom erupted into speculation, and sure enough, moments later Kum Quai walked into the courtroom. She was escorted by another woman, who Dolly later learned was Herrington’s sister. Kum Quai wore an American dress, but a veil covered both her short hair and her face, so Dolly couldn’t see the young woman’s eyes.

  Dolly knew that if she could get a good look at Kum Quai, she could get a sense of what was going on in her mind.

  “We need an interpreter,” the justice of the peace said.

  At that moment, Dr. Gardner, an official government interpreter, stood.

  Dolly wanted to clap, since an interpreter would give Kum Quai a better understanding of what was truly happening at the court. Instead, Dolly clasped her hands together as Dr. Gardner offered his services.

  “May I ask the witness Kum Quai a question?” Dr. Gardner asked the judge.

  “You may,” the judge replied.

  Dr. Gardner turned to face Kum Quai, and, before the entire court, he asked, “Do you have a chuck-jee?”

  A chuck-jee was a legal registration card, and Dolly leaned forward in her seat so that she wouldn’t miss out on a single word from the veiled Kum Quai.

  “I do not,” Kum Quai said. “No chuck-jee.”

  Perhaps not everyone in the courtroom understood the significance of this admission, but it was made clear when Dr. Gardner said, “Then I place you under arrest in the name of the United States government.”

  Protests rang out from the audience, but what they didn’t know was that Kum Quai would now be protected under federal jurisdiction and separated from her captors.

  Red in the face, Herrington leapt to his feet and raised his hands for quiet. When the courtroom had settled enough for Herrington to speak to the judge, he said, “My client needs to wait outside the courtroom. This is very distressing. My sister will stay with her, since they have become attached these past few weeks. The women can wait in the comfort and shade of the buggy.”

  “Motion granted,” the judge said.

  Dolly’s pulse thudded as Kum Quai was once again led up the aisle. Dolly didn’t like this turn of events at all. Her gaze caught Dr. Gardner’s, and he rose, apparently thinking the same thing, along with Dr. Hall.

  Soon, Dr. Gardner and Attorney Herrington returned to the courtroom to continue the trial proceedings. Dr. Hall remained with the women, guarding them. Dolly was itching to leave too, but she had to find out the final judgment against Wong Fong.

  When Herrington left the courtroom unannounced, Dolly wondered where he could be going. The answer came moments later when Dr. Hall came running into the courtroom. “He’s fleeing with the women!”

  The courtroom erupted into action, and Dr. Gardner was out the door first. Dolly arrived in time to see Gardner and Hall pursuing the fleeing buggy in Hall’s sulky.

  More men untied horses and urged their buggies and hacks into pursuit. In his haste, Herrington took a side road that was blocked by a padlocked gate.

  Dolly picked up her skirts and ran down the road with a crowd of people. She couldn’t tell what exactly was going on until the crowd parted enough for her to see Herrington’s buggy returning to the courthouse. Dr. Gardner rode at their side, his hand holding the reins of the horses, steering the party.

  The crowd shifted, allowing Dr. Gardner to pull up to the courthouse. He alighted from the sulky and said, “Attorney Herrington and his sister are now under arrest. I’m placing Miss Kum Quai in custody of Donaldina Cameron under federal mandate.”

  Dolly
gave up on holding back her tears, and as soon as Kum Quai alighted from the buggy, they embraced. Finally, Dolly had her daughter back. Finally, Kum Quai was free.

  “In the summer of 1899, a ship sailing from Hong Kong to San Francisco had had two cases of plague on board. Because of this, although no passengers were ill when the ship reached San Francisco, it was to be quarantined on Angel Island. When the boat was searched, 11 stowaways were found—the next day two were missing. Their bodies were later found in the Bay, and autopsy showed they contained plague bacilli. Despite this scare, there was no immediate outbreak of disease. But rats from the ship probably had something to do with the epidemic that hit San Francisco nine months later.”

  —“Bubonic Plague Hits San Francisco: 1900–1909,” PBS.org

  1900

  Dolly set the newspaper on the table and looked at the gathered staff members, which included the interpreters, part-time staff, and Mrs. Field. Everyone’s expression was somber because they had all heard the rumors. “The rumors are true,” Dolly said. “The bubonic plague has spread and taken root in Chinatown.”

  Yuen Qui gasped. “What will happen?”

  Ah Cheng rose from the table. She walked to the kitchen window and gazed outside, her hands set firmly on her hips.

  “More of what’s been happening over the past year,” Dolly said. “But full quarantine this time. Of the entire Chinatown.”

  “It’s best for everyone,” Mrs. Field said, her lips pulled into a thin line. “They have to stop the spread of the disease somehow.”

  Ah Cheng turned from the window. “They tried that in Hawaii, and what happened?”

  “They burned homes and shops.” Dolly folded her arms against the chill pricking her skin. “Yet it still didn’t stop the plague from spreading.”

  “Until there is a better solution, this is the only choice.” Mrs. Field clasped her hands atop the table. “And don’t get any foolish notions of continuing rescues. You’ll only put the rest of us at risk.” With her gaze focused on Dolly, it was no secret whom Mrs. Field was addressing. She rose from her chair as if she were putting a stop to the conversation. No one spoke as she left the room.