“Queue”: a Case of Chinese Scalping
Migration, Masculinity, and Mastering the “Queue”: A Case of Chinese Scalping RACHEL K. BRIGHT Keele University N 1906 a South African newspaper, The Prince, published a picture of Ia Chinese man’s scalp, which it had bought from an ex-prisoner. According to the original newspaper account and the subsequent government investigation, staff and prisoners were scalping Chinese men in the morgue on demand since at least May 1906, and selling them to colonial officials.1 ‘Queues’ were also being taken from living Chinese prisoners.2 The one sold to the newspaper was traced back to the execution of two Chinese prisoners at Pretoria Jail. When exhumed, both had been scalped. Prisoner witnesses attested that the 1 The Prince, 29 September 1906, 1116 had a photograph of the scalp (the front page), and 1118–1119 the story. See also 22 September 1906; 13 October 1906, 1166; Truth (Western Australia [WA]), 27 October 1906, 7; South African National Archives, Transvaal Foreign Labour Department (FLD) 7/147/20/20. Conclusions from Affidavits taken in connection with statements in The Prince regarding removal of a Chinaman’s Scalp; FLD7/ 147/20/20, Frank Oldrich Wheeler’s statement; FLD7/147/20/20, Alfred W. Sanders, District Surgeon, to Deputy Governor of Pretoria Prison, 9 October 1906; FLD7/147/20/20, Secretary, Law Department to Private Secretary, Acting Lieutenant-Governor, 16 November 1906; Warder Kidby’s statement; C. J. Hanrette, Director of Prisons, to Secretary of Law Department, 10 October 1906; FLD7/147/20/20, Secretary, Law Department, to Private Secretary, Acting Lieutenant-Governor, 16 November 1906;C.
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