The case of Dan Chong, who was tried and convicted for working with his wife

Dan Chong had been running a successful Port Coquitlam business on Dewdney Trunk Road. He sold groceries, cigarettes, chocolate and candy.

There was, however, a problem with his business – at least as far as the law was concerned.

Chong worked with his wife, and his wife was white.

In the spring of 1919, Chong was charged with employing a white woman and allowing that white woman to live and work in his place of business, according to a court ledger.

The law had been passed in 1919, “borne out of fears of this white slavery,” explained PoCo Heritage Museum and Archives curator Alex Code. PoCo Heritage examined Chong’s case as part of the exhibit Crimes, Fines and Hard Times.

Chong and Gilmore likely put their life savings into the store, Code says, only to be run out of town by police enforcing a racist law.

Witnesses testified that a white woman worked in the store, although they didn’t know her name.

A constable testified that he’d served a summons to Chong. On cross-examination, the constable reiterated he was certain Chong was Chinese “from his appearance;” although he admitted he didn’t know any Hawaiian people.

The constable also acknowledged he was told Chong and the white women in question – Maggie Gilmore – were married.

“But he could not show me any certificate to that effect,” the constable replied.

The defense attorney called Maggie Gilmore to the stand.

She testified to living with Chong for four years in Vancouver and Port Coquitlam. She also confirmed he was Chinese.

Dan Chong was the last witness. He told the court he and Gilmore lived together as man and wife.

“We are not married. I could not get a marriage because I tried to get one in Vancouver High Court 4 years ago before we lived together. The man said he could not give me one. ‘No Chinaman could marry a white girl,’” he sid, according to the court transcript.

The court determined there was no choice but to find Chong guilty.

The Municipal Act law of 1919 stated no white woman or girl could work in a “restaurant, laundry, or place of business or amusement owned, kept or managed by any Chinese person.”

Chinese employers who violated that law were liable to be fined as much as $100 or to be imprisoned for up to two months.

Chong was sentenced to pay $35 – the equivalent of about $570 today – or face 21 days of hard labour, for the crime of living and working with his wife.