Page:History of Washington The Rise and Progress of an American State, volume 4.djvu/440

 common laborers had been greatly reduced. All this had been accomplished without violation of the law, and all classes were seemingly satisfied.

During November fifteen of the most violent among the agitators were indicted, under the so-called Ku-Klux act, upon a charge of conspiracy to deprive the Chinamen of the equal protection of the laws. Their trial consumed eleven days. Al the accused testified in their own defense, and avowed that no act of violence, breach of the peace, or unlawful act had been contemplated by them, and that none would have been committed or countenanced. The contrary could not be proved and their acquittal followed.

But the excitement was not yet over. The committee of fifteen were envious of the work done by the Tacoma committee apparently, and resolved if possible to emulate it. But the experience of some of their number with the law, and the certainty that Federal troops would be sent to suppress disorder if any occurred, made them cautious. They accordingly worked more secretly and bided their time.

The opportunity they waited for seemed to have arrived on Saturday, February 6th, when the Steamer Queen of the Pacific was lying at her dock on the waterfront, preparing to sail for San Francisco on the following day. That evening a meeting was quietly held in a part of the city where the anti-Chinese sentiment was strongest, at which much was said about the unsanitary condition of the Chinese quarter, and the city ordinance requiring a certain fixed amount of air space in sleeping rooms, in proportion to the number of occupants. It was suggested that the committee of fifteen should inspect the Chinese houses on the following morning, and ascertain whether this ordinance was properly regarded. Of course none of those present cared how much or how