Page:History of Washington The Rise and Progress of an American State, volume 4.djvu/443

 violence on the morrow. Governor Squire telegraphed to General Gibbon that a serious conflict between the civil authorities and the mob was probably, and requested that troops be sent at once from Port Townsend. But the general could not act without authority from Washington and so replied. A message was then sent to the president, fully advising him as to the troubled condition of affairs and urging prompt intervention. Judge Greene also telegraphed the president that in his opinion the occasion was one requiring the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, and a declaration of martial law. If the governor could not enforce martial law, which he doubted, the situation might be controlled by the courts and the militia without bloodshed, and without the aid of the regular army. The case was one that required “the sudden supervention of a strong governmental power.”

About midnight an attempt was made to put some Chinese on a train, which was to leave at 4. a. m. and run them off to Portland, but the train was guarded by the military, and was sent out ahead of time. About the same time a company of Home Guards was sent to the dock, where the anti-Chinese committee was watching the Chinamen, and drove them away. Members of the guard were stationed at all the approaches to the dock to prevent a return of the agitation, and after that all was peaceable till morning.

During the night warrants had been prepared for some of the ringleaders and eight of them were arrested next morning and taken to jail. A prompt hearing was given them, bail was furnished and they were released.

Then at 8 o'clock Sheriff McGraw, with an escort of the Home Guards and the two militia companies, brought the Chinamen, eight-five in number, into court, which was then held in the old city hall, at Third Avenue and Yesler Way.