Case Summary

Yuzuoka Mutsu, the petitioner, petitioned for a writ of Habeas Corpus after she was detained by Ellis DeBruler, Commissioner of immigration in Seattle, Washington. Mutsu was detained with Nakagawa Hatsu in August of 1910; both women were detained and charged with practicing prostitution subsequent to entry to the United States. In the petition, Mutsu is identified as a resident of Washington, an inhabitant of the state for the past nine years, and a subject of the Japanese Empire. Her petition made the argument that her confinement was in violation of the United States Consititue and Treaty of the United States with the Japanese Empire, specifically in relation to the sections pertaining to discrimination because she was not given equal protection under the law. Judge Donworth denied the writ and ordered Mutsu to be remanded to the custody of DeBruler.

Case Information

Petition type(s)

• Carceral

Petition subtype(s)

• Deportation
• Prostitution
• Immigration

Sites of significance

• Honkong Maru (, )

Outcome

Writ denied

Fate of bound party

Remained in custody|deported

Case Citation

RG 21 U.S. District Court for the Southern Division of the Western District of Washington Civil, Criminal, Admiralty, and Bankruptcy Case Files, 1890-1950, No. 0509

Source material(s)

Case File

Length of case file

Between 31 and 40 pages

Related petitions

• In the matter of the application of Nitta Yoshitone For Writ of Habeas Corpus
• In the matter of the application of Nahagawal Hatsu For Writ of Habeas Corpus
• In the matter of the Application of Mori Tsuchine For Writ of Habeas Corpus

Repository(s)

• National Archives and Records Administration, Seattle Branch, Washington (Seattle, WA) (Seattle, Washington)

State

• Washington

Point(s) of law cited

Act of Congress of March 26th, 1910

Tag(s)

• Prostitution

People

• Mutsu, Yuzuoka (Yuzueka) (petitioner)
• Mutsu, Yuzuoka (Yuzueka) (bound party)
• DeBruler, Ellis (responding party)
• Todd, Elmer E. (respondent attorney)
• Hutson, Charles T. (respondent attorney)
• Sanders, E. L. (petitioner attorney)
• Gordon, M. J. (petitioner attorney)
• Easterdy, Joseph (petitioner attorney)
• Donworth, George H. (judge)

• Additional parties

  Hopkins, R. M. (clerk)

  Bridges, Ames D. (deputy clerk)

  Fisher, Thomas (inspector of immigration)

  Cable, Benjamin S. (acting secretary of commerce and labor)

  Nitta, Yoshitane (on warrant as proctor)

  Nakano, Kennosuke (on warrant as proctor)

  Hashi, Tanajiro or Iranajiro (on warrant as proctor)

  Fujimoto, Saishishi (on warrant as proctor)

  Yuzuoka, Mutsu (on warrant as prostitute)

  Nagakura, Kinu (on warrant as prostitute)

  Takano, Haru (on warrant as prostitute)

  Kobayashi, Take (on warrant as prostitute)

  Mori, Tsuchino or Tsuchine (on warrant as prostitute)

  Nakamura, Mitsu (on warrant as prostitute)

  Fujimoto, Saki (on warrant as prostitute)

  Okajima, K. (interpreter)

  Miller, E. L. (stenographer)

  Kazuhara (Mutsu's former husband)

  Yanagita (listed in case as operator of prostitution house)

  Manijiro, Morita (unclear)

  Kadado (unclear)

  Natta, Yoshitane (on warrant as proctor)

  Naha, Kennosuke (on warrant as proctor)

  Koboyashi, Take (on warrant as proctor)

  Underwood, F. R. (health assessor)

  Hoboyashi, Take (identified as alien in case)

  Hatsu, Nakagawa (case referenced)

  Earl, Charles (acting secretary of commerce and labor)