Bak Kun v. United States
Bak Kun v. United States
Opinion of the Court
The proceedings in these cases are based upon complaints that appellants are Chinese laborers and in the United States in violation of the provisions of the Chinese exclusion laws. The cases were heard before a United States commissioner in Detroit, under a stipulation between counsel that the testimony taken in one case should be used in the other as far as applicable. The commissioner adjudged in each case that the appellant was a Chinese laborer and unlawfully in the United States, and ordered each to be deported to China. Appeals were taken to the District Court, where the orders of the commissioner were affirmed. The cases are pending here on appeals, were heard together, and will be disposed of in one opinion.
“We are of opinion that we cannot properly re-examine the facts already determined by two judgments below.”
In Tom Hong v. United States, 193 U. S. 517, 522, 24 Sup. Ct. 517, 520 (48 L. Ed. 772), Mr. Justice Day said in respect of a judgment holding that plaintiffs were “bona fide merchants”:
“It is true that the findings of the commissioner and in the District Court in eases of this character should ordinarily be followed in this court, and will only be reconsidered when it is clear that an incorrect conclusion has been reached.”
See, also, Yee Yet v. United States, 175 Fed. 565, 566, 99 C. C. A. 187 (C. C. A. 2d Cir.); Wong Hueng v. Elliott, 179 Fed. 110, 111, 102 C. C. A. 408 (C. C. A. 9th Cir.); Hong Yon v. United States, 164 Fed. 330, 90 C. C. A. 542 (C. C. A. 2d Cir.); Yee King v. United States, 179 Fed. 368, 102 C. C. A. 646 (C. C. A. 2d Cir.); Chu King Foon v. United States, 191 Fed. 822 (C. C. A. 2d Cir.).
The judgment in each case must be affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- BAK KUN v. UNITED STATES TING FONG v. UNITED STATES
- Cited By
- 14 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. Criminal Daw ($ 406*)—Deportation Proceedings—Evidence—Declarations of Defendant. Where, on the arrest of Chinese persons in deportation proceedings, they were taken before an Inspector and through an official interpreter informed that it was the intention to ask them questions touching their right to remain in the United States, that they need not answer the questions unless they wished to, and that the answers might be used against them, after which they made siatements, which were taken in shorthand, transcribed, dnd read to and signed by them, ihey were subsequently admissible against them. [Ed. Note.—For other cases, see Criminal Law, Cent. Dig. §§ 785, 894-927; Dec. Dig. § 406.*] 2. Aliens ($ 20*)—Chinese- Persons—Deportation Proceedings—Statutes. Congress had power to pass Act May 5, 1892, c. 60, § 3, 27 Stat. 25 (II. S. Comp. St. 1901, p. 1320), and Act April 29, 3902, c. 641, 32 Stat. 370 (U. S. Comp. St. Supp. 1909, p. 473), providing that Chinese persons arrested under the provisions of the act shall be adjudged to be unlawfully within the United States, unless they shall establish by affirmative proof, to the satisfaction of the judge or commissioner, their lawful right to remain. [Ed. Note.—For other cases, see Aliens, Cent. Dig. § 73; Dec. Dig. § 20.* What Chinese persons are excluded from the United States, see note to Wong Yon v. United States, 104 C. C. A. 538.] 3. Aliens (§ 32*)—Deportation Proceedings—Chinese Persons. In Chinese deportation proceedings, evidence held insufficient to sustain defendants’ right to remain in the United States on the ground that they were born in the United States. [Ed. Note.—For other cases, see Aliens, - Cent. Dig. §§ 84, 93-95; Dec. Dig. § 32.*]