The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-12-28
WAR AMONG cHINAMEN.
Fierce Battle Between the Hop Sing and Sam
Sing Factions.
Virginia City New chronicle.l

Virginia City New Chronicle.l
One of the biggest battles that ever oc-
Cured among the Chinese residents OF
this city was fought last evening. The
fight began at O'clock and lasted near
ly half an hour. 1t resulted in the kill
ing OF Chinaman named All Ben, who
formerly kept wash.house on North q
street, and the wounding Of four others
of the Mongolian race; also in the
wounding OF young white man named
John Welch 1t is supposed that two or
three Cinnamon were killed in the light,
and that the bodies of all but the one
found (Ah Ben) were carried away by
their friends and secreted in some of the
underground dens but little known to
any but the Celestials themselves. 1t is
also supposed that more men were
wounded than were reported last night.
The fight began on Union street, in the
upper part of Chinatown, a short dis
tance below the Office OF the Virginia
Gas Company. How it started or who
first opened fire is of course only known
to the Cinnamon themselves. 1t was but
short time after the first two or three
shots were fiji ed before the battle became
very brisk. They seemed to be firing
both across and up and down the street,
and the shouts and yells would have
done no discredit to two tribes of our ma
tive Indians when going for each otner's
hair.
Itwas a Babel of Mongolian oaths and
curses. The bullets SO rained about the
doors and windows of the office of the
Gas Company that the superintendent,
John s. Kaneen, thought an attack was
being made on him. He determi ned,
whatever the shooting might mean, to
take hand in it himself and drive the
oh n MI
the time he had got his double-barreled
shotgun out of window, officers Hig-
bee and Mills came up. They were go
ing down among the fighters to try to
stop the shooting. The bullets were
whistling on all sides ofthem and strik.
ing the ground and fences. Officer Mills
Obtained Mr.. Kaneen's shotgun, and he
and Higbee advanced toward the place
where the battle seemed thickest.
AS they moved toward the field of
battle the officers called out to the China
men OF all parties to stop firing, but they
blazed away the same as ever. Few OF
them appeared. boldly in the middle OF
the street, as the moon was shining
brightly at the time. They hred around
corners, from windows and from door
ways into which they squeezed and fiat
tened themselves. The officers made
dash to catch some of the shooters near
est them, while the Cinnamon turned
loose on them, being apparently almost
| trenzied with rage.
Mills with his shotgun and Higbee
with his pistol then turned loose on the
Cinnamon promiscuously. The bullets
still whistled about their heads for some
time, however, as the Cinnamon fired at
| everything they saw move. Other Off
GERS presently arrived and the Chinese,
seeing that white men were beginning
| to come down from the city in some
force. fred a few struggling shots and
| then gradually withdrew to their hiding
places.
The dead Chinaman was found lying
on the north side OF Union street, about
| the center ot Chinatown. He was shot
| in the head, the fatal bullet striking him
little above the left eye. He was no
| doubt Instantly killed.
| After the battle the police found 1t
| difficult to get hold of any of the men
they wanted. The Cinnamon on both
| sides were ready enough to give the
names of their enemies, and to point out
| the buildings in which they were likely
| to be found, but there were so many back
ways and underground galleries that it
was only by chance that those wanted
were caught. The iron-shutters of some
of the brick buildings were closed, and
| to all the calls and knockings Of the
Chief of Police and officers no answer
could be obtained. BY the time an en-
trance was effected it was found that
| there was back way opening into some
sheds adjoining, or into some "dlye"
| that opened up from the ground.
What it is all about is probably known
| to no one but the Chinese themselves.
1t is fight between companies. The
Hop Sing, Sam Sing, and half dozen
other companies seem to be mixed up in
| it.. Some OF the feuds OF these curious
people appear to have originated i'll their
own country, and they land on our shores
on the war path against each other.