110 Years Ago, 1916 transcribed as originally published in the Youngstown Vindicator:

“Yuen Lee has returned home. Young Chinese [man] back in Youngstown – was prisoner four months. Went to visit native land and was held up on return – born in San Francisco.”

“After four months as a prisoner on Angel Island in San Francisco Bay, Yuen Lee, a young Chinese [man] of this city, arrived home Sunday afternoon. He is now safely ensconced at his laundry in South Champion Street and vows he will never again venture beyond the confines of his beloved U.S.A.

“Yuen decided last year that he would go to China to see for himself the land of his forefathers. When he made application for a passport he was informed that the records of his birth had been destroyed in the great fire of 1906. It was his contention that he was born in San Francisco. Therefore, when he was unable to secure a certificate to that effect he listened to the advice of friends and accepted a merchant’s passport.

“When Lee returned to San Francisco after his visit in the Celestial Empire, he was taken in charge by the immigration officials. He again set up his declaration of American birth, but it was held, on his statements made in the merchant’s passport, that he first saw the light of day somewhere within the historic walls of China.

“One complication after another arose. The result was that Lee was held on Angel Island from December, 1915, until Tuesday of last week. Meanwhile his case attracted attention from one side of the country to the other. As he was the first Chinese [man] from this section to run counter to the immigration restriction against Asiatics his friends here at once became active on his behalf. Former Senator B. F. Wirt, who had known him intimately for a long time, being himself a student of ancient oriental history; Attorney H. H. Wickham, a friend made while Mr. Wickham was associated with the Realty Trust company; and Attorney Joseph L. Heffernan led the charge.

“Correspondence was begun by Mr. Heffernan with Walter E. Hettman, United States attorney at San Francisco, a personal friend, and he in turn became active in Lee’s behalf at San Francisco. At this time the case was appealed to Washington and fought out there before the department of labor.

“Lee was back in his laundry as cheerful as ever Monday morning, his ready smile greeting all the old customers who dropped in with their packages suggestive of good business. ‘I tell you,’ he lisped… ‘I sure am glad to get back to Youngstown. I like Youngstown very much. I got lots [of] good friends here. When I get lots of letters at San Francisco from Mr. Wirt and Mr. Heffernan and Mr. Wickham, everybody put his arms around my shoulders and say, “I am your friend, Lee. I help you get out.” Oh, it [is a] nice thing to have lots of friends.’

“Lee, however, had to pay dearly for his new experience with the laws of America. Altogether his trip to China and back cost him three thousand dollars, he declares. Of this, nine-hundred dollars was in goods of one sort or another he was bringing back with him. In the confusion following his detention, it was lost track of, and he has not yet been able to locate it.”

• Compiled by Dante Bernard, museum educator at the Mahoning Valley Historical Society