The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-10-11
THE BLACK FLAG.


The People With Whom tho French
arc Fightlng-Their Origin and
Connection With Ohina-tho Black
Band in Spain.
Post Dispatch.
Those readers Of the daily press who
cast their eyes over the columns de.
voted to foreign telegraphic correspond
ence are no doubt familiar with the
names "Black Hand" and "Black Flag
Hasty readers mistake one organization
for the other and even those who pc.
ruse carefully, find themselves confused
at times with the similarity of names.
The two leagues, or associations, or guilds;
or bodies, or whatever they may be
called were organized for widely differ:
ent countries. The "Black Hand" Ell.
lists in Spain, the "Black Flag" in China,
The name of the one is made familiar
through the recent revolution in Spain:
that ofthe other through the late Franco
Chinese difficulty.
THE BLACK HAND
is secret society in Spain organized for
the purpose OF etfecting a revolution.
What the name means or how it was
adopted has not been developed, but an
assassination Of traitors is the chief fea-
ture OF the society, it is likely that the
name has one significance in that direc-
ton. 1t was organized only recently,
and is composed nearly altogether of
the working classes. Many officers and
persons Of influence have offered to Join
1t. but they have always been met with
demand Tor guarantees. The revolu-
tionary wor kmen of Spain joined the So
clety with the pledge to rise up and take
arms against the government at given
signal, and all swore to assassinate any
leader who betrayed the cause. The
rising or revolution will be simultaneous
IN every town where the society exists.
fail to do their duty they are tracked
out and assassnated. The instruction
lists. If masters Of a town, are bound to
fight or withdraw, but never to capitu-
late. If, after the triumph of revolu-
ton any leader deserts mis- party and
see to facilitate restoration, The will fall
under the assassin's knife. Every leader
who shall have failed to conform to the
condition of this pact will be killed with.
out mercy or hesitation. This punish
ment had been provided for to serve as
the mos: effective ofwarnings, and when
the country is again ripe for instruction
the order will have been purged of by
traitors. While these conditions have
kept many from joining the society, it
has solidified by fear those who are
members. ana at the sane time retard-
ed the day revolution. The crowd is
now ready, but there is lack of !ea!-
ers. The work Of the Black Hand is
not apparent because it is secret. There
ere many Secret Societies in Spain but
murders which occur in the interior OF
the country are attributed to the Black
Hand.
THE BLACK FLAG"
is more powerful organization. The
French have found those who gather
under the black flag of the wary, calcu-
lating body of men, who fight under
peculiar tactics. They are called Hak-
XII in the original, and were made use of
by the Chinese government to fight the
French, on the principle that you set
pirate to catch a pirate. They are Chi
nese by race and appearance, and their
history dates back to the breaking out
of the Tapping revolution in the prov
ince of Kivangsi. It spread from that
province across China, and was finally
overcome by the joint efforts of the i'm
perial commander and General Gordon.
In 1865 those of the rebels who had
either remained in Kivangsi, or who
was expelled from the province by the
emperor's lieutenants, and driven across
the border into Tonquin, that part of
China which the French recently en-
deavored to capture. The rebels found
q secure place of refuge in the noun
tains on either side of the Red River
valley; but far from wishing to ex-
asperate the Chinese authorities they
showeda disposition to act in obedience
tn their behests, and to carry out their
projects. In numbers their fighting men
were at this time computed at 5000. At
first the recognized chief was man
named Watsong, said to have been one
of the principal of T;eping Wang's fol-
lowers, ond the band of exiles were &C
companied by their wives and families.
The Anamese (TonQuin) troops were re,
peatedly sent against these troublesome
self invited guests, but only to expert
ence defeat; and in 1868 these Chinese
of the right bank Of the Red river above
the capital. The assistance of the Chi
nese victory of the Two Kwang was in
voked and accorded with such good re-
suits that these assallants were expelled
from the low lying country and confined
to the upper course of the river. A d.
vision in the chiefship of the band came
almost at the SAME m Oment to give in
creased effort to the in reference Of the
Chinese authorities. Watsong died and
two chiefs were elected in his stead
one by the followers of the Taepings,
the others by those who had joined Wat
song in the hope of plumber, or from the
desire to elude the pursuit ofjustice. The
breaking up of the association was made
the more complete by the adoption of
different ensigns and while those in ia
vor OF an adventurous life retained "the
safety OF their families, and willing to
come to terms with the authorities both
of AMMAN and China, adopted as their
token ''the yellow flag" The division
was of a more serious character than the
mere change OF name, for the Black
Flags were composed of the worst char.
acters and most dangerous lnsraud ers
Of a disturbed border and troubled pc.
Rod. Their leader, Lin Yuen Fou, had
been the most famous free booter of
Kivangsi. from which position it was an
easy passage for him to become the most
trusty officer of the Watsong. But the
Yellow Flags were much more disposed
to settle down and lead q peaceful life.
Some Of them had neither sympa'
thized with nor taken part in
the operations of the Taepings
and their chief Hwang Tsong In. had
been soldier in the army of Kivangsi.
The principal settlement in the Black
Flags is at kav Kai on the Red River,
while that of the Yellow Flags sat Hag.:
lang, some distance east and inland of
that place. Although the Black Flags
were the fercer the Yellow Flags were
more numerous and enjoyed a super
icrity in this respect which the former
could not ignore. BY substituting the
latter the Anamese authorities were
able to feel that they had done some
thing toward insuring the good behavior