<Begin Segment 15>

TI: So after the visit, then what happened? What did you do next?

BI: Well, he wanted me to, he said he was going to send a lawyer out to Bellevue to take, bring me to Seattle to have, take me to the bank to have the, our bank account was frozen, and the lawyer was to help us get some money out of there. And he came, the lawyer came out, a big red-headed Irishman, and I got in the car to go to Seattle with him and he wanted to know who owned the farm, and asked me all kinds of questions about, mostly about the farm, nothing about Ken. And I thought, it sounds like he was more interested in, in how much money it was worth. But as we drove along, he reached over and put his hand on my lap, and I thought, "Oh, God," and so I got close to my door as possible, and I was just so nervous. But we went to the Sumitomo Bank in Seattle.

TI: I'm sorry. So when he did that, did he say anything?

BI: No.

TI: But it was an obvious sort of advance, sexual advance on you?

BI: Well, that's what I felt. He wasn't trying to console me that he'll take care of everything or anything like that, he wanted to know who owned the farm, and I don't know if he asked me about the finances, but to me, all he had in his mind was putting his hand on my lap. And I got so nervous, so when we got to the bank, I didn't even, I was afraid to even stand next to him, so I stood far away from him. And I guess he realized he wasn't going to get anything out of me, so he didn't bother me going home. And then, and then my husband called, or the... must have been my husband called and said, "Get rid of him." And he didn't even know that he had, this man had done this to me. He said, "Get rid of him, pay him off, give him..." I don't remember, it was fifty dollars or 250 dollars, anyway, some money, and just pay him off. And then he wanted me to contact other lawyers. So I went into Seattle and called several other lawyers, but the response was, "We don't handle Jap cases," or, "We don't handle criminal cases," and I was just shaking when I was calling them. Amy, my sister, was with me, and it was... I was very young, very inexperienced, in a sense ignorant, so it was a real ordeal for me. But we finally, finally told me to go see Hammond and Agnew at the Smith Tower. So I went, shaking, and the receptionist was very kind, and she told me to, "Please sit down. Mr. Agnew or Mr. Hammond will be with you very shortly," and they were very cordial. And I went in and I... I was very, very nervous, and they assured me that they would go see Ken, and not to worry, "We'll take care of everything." And they did go to see Ken, and then they took the case.

TI: So do you know much more about Mr. Hammond or Mr. Agnew and who they were and why they took this case?

BI: None. At that time, I didn't know anything about them.

TI: Because the other lawyers you contacted all refused, and this was a, a high-profile case. The press had, had taken the story up and accused your husband as a spy. This was right after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, so there was very high anti-Japanese sentiment. So for them to take this case, I'm just curious why they did. So you're not, you don't know anything more.

BI: You know, I'm not sure. They probably, they probably thought, well, he's a citizen, and... I'm not sure, but they wondered why a citizen was being held in the county jail, I guess. I have no idea, but they were very reassuring that everything would be okay.

TI: Now, during this period, how did, how did you support yourself?

BI: Well, I was living with my parents.

TI: So that was, so that was good in that they could help you take care of your daughter, Ayleen.

BI: Yes, uh-huh.

TI: And it allowed you to go back and forth to talk to lawyers, to see your husband. But -- and you've mentioned this a couple times -- you were very young, very inexperienced in these matters. Was there anyone in the community that could help you sort of go through this? Was there any support?

BI: Not at all. Everybody had their problems, you know.

TI: So it was just whatever support your family could give you at this time.

BI: Uh-huh.

TI: So this was, it must have been one of the most difficult times of your life.

BI: Oh, yes.

<End Segment 15> - Copyright © 2006 Densho. All Rights Reserved.