The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-02-08

Chinese companies, and the society
therefore established an agency or sub
ordinate court in this city. The pecu-
liarity of the Hip Ye Tong is that it
does not ask the Chinese residents of q
city whether they wish its services or
not, but settles down, opens its courts,
and stands ready for business. If the
defendant in case before it does not
see fit to recognize its authority, it mat
tiers not whit; the case goes on all the
same, and the court executes its iudg-
ment. Cinnamon respect and fear the
Hip Ye Tong. Since the Judge opened
his court in this city Cinnamon have
come here from all parts of the East to
submit their grievances for arbitration.
Not long ago two Philadelphia Chinese
merchants had a money difficulty. An
appeal to the civil courts resulted I'M
satisfactorily to one of the parties, and
he appealed to the Hip Ye Tong. The
Judge reversed the decision of the Phil
adelphia civil court, and that settled
the case.
LAS the strength of the Chinese
grows in New York, the Hip Ye Tong
will grow in arrogance sad All Foon,
until it becomes as cruel and vindictive
here as in San Francisco"
About twelve years ago the Hip Ye
Tong first established itselfin San Fran
cisco. its members are sworn to secre-
cy, and have an elaborate Free Mason
ry. The Hip Ye Tong is composed of
Chinese reyolutionists, enemies of the
present Chinese dynasty. The EN-
peror is elected by the Mandarins, and
the last Emperor overthrow the Hip Ye
Tong party, beheaded their chieftains,
and scattered their forces. But they
got together again under a secret bond
They found America safe asylum,
and soon grew so strong in San Fran
cisco as to become terror to all China
men. Their members form distinct
criminal class Their headquarters
was transformed into joss house,
wherein the President holds his inquisi-
lions. All the members OF the Hip Ye
I Tong, and there are 800 OF them, are
his executive officers. They live by
blackmail. If a Chinaman has bad
debt he goes before the Hip Ye Tong,
pays q certain price, and leaves his
claim for collection. The unfortunate
debtor pays that claim. be it ust or un ;ust
or dies. The San Francisco police call
Hip Ye Tong members ''hatchet men"
because of the weapon they all carry.
They affect peculiar dress well known
to the police and to their fellow coun-
trymen. They go heavily armed, and
are the desperadoes of Chinatown,
They commit burglaries, steal women,
and murder with impunty, for few
white men can distinguish one China
man from another; and as their depre-
dations are committed mostly upon
Cinnamon, they seldom have Witnesses
appearing against them.
The DEGREES of Hip Ye Tong are given
to men called high binders, who ruth
lessly execute them. As an instance of
their methods. the following may be in
tcresting: Some years ago an epidemic
disabled all the horses in San Francisco.
An express company went to Chinese
employment Office and engaged 100
Cinnamon, agreeing to pay the Chinese
agent fifty cents commission for each
man. When the Hip Yc Tong heard of
this demand for half was made Tho
agent refused, and the Cinnamon were
ordered OH pain of death not to 90 to
work. The agent held out one day,
while he knew armed high binders were
waiting for him without. Then he
yielded, and then the society fined him
the remainder of his commiss on which
he was glad to pay.
For years no Chinaman could leave
California to return home without pay
ing certain sum, called blood money,
to the society to which he belonged.
The inspection and collection was in
trusted to the Hip Ye Tong. On
steamer day the high binders took
Their stand on tho Pacific Mail wharf,
and every Chinaman who did not show a
clearance card or receipt was detained.
If he attempted to stand upon his
rights he was at once arrested upon a
pretext and thrown into Jail. No one
would appear against him, but in the
mean time the steamer would 90 to sea.
Chinese women have commercial
value in San Francisco. Now that they
can not be landed there their value has
gone up. A young girl is worth 1000
to $4,000 The Hip Ye Tong deals in
women. If a wealthy merchant covets
another Chinamans wife, he pays
money to the Hip Ye Tong, and the
high binders steal the woman. If she
can be captured in no other way.
charge is trumped up against her and
she is taken to the police court No
one appears to prosecute her, and she is
discharged. Then the high binders
seize her.
1t is q branch of such tribunal that is
established here IN New York, The
Hip Ye Tong is feeble yet, and is not
sufficiently aggressive to have called for
interposit;on on the part of the police.
But it is believed that it will grow
stronger if 1t Is not interfered within.
Y. San