Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-02-06
A MURDER SOCIETY

discovery is reported at Victoria, B.
e., of very startling character. The
story runs that through the arrest Of a
Chinaman named Lum Hip, for attempt
ing to kill customs officer of that port,
it has been discovered that the Chinese in
Victoria have an assassination society
which numbers its members by thousands
in British Columbia and the United States.
What casts some doubt upon the tale is
the fact that it comes to US by the round
about way Of Ottawa and New York, the
correspondent Of the New York Sun, writ
ing from the former place, being the au
thority for it.
1t is not explained how the news
reached the correspondent in Ottawa. But
the story relates that officer Gardner, who
has been active in preventing the importa-
tion of Chinese women for vicious DUR
poses, has received many threatening let
tiers from Chinese, and finally was assaulted
by Lum Hip and an accomplice, Lup
Fong, with evident intent to murder. Upon
the person of the former was found letter
signed Chu Kung Fong, dated at Victoria
in July last, and addressed to Lum Hin,
and emitting him salaried soldier" The
letter opens with an argument that great
questions of state are often settled by re-
sort to arms, and that the men chosen to
warlike deeds are such AS are well skilled
IN the use of weapons and the arts of war.
That the "salaried soldier" who resists
eternal derision and contempt" acts upon
the same great principle that applies when
States engage in war. Lum Hip, as one of
these "salaried soldiers" is instructed that
he is not to act save upon orders. How
ever, il any members (of the society
should be contemptuously treated, and
true danger" approach him, thea Lum
Hip is to act upon his own judgment lie
is then instructed to attend upon the ar
rival of every China steamer bringing
Chinese women slaves, and to act az he
shall be advised by the director" He
must fear only TO be late. For every kill
ing he is ordered to undertake and accom-
plishes his reward is to he $500 If
in the contest he is wounded and 4
physician is required, he is to be al
lowed $40 month. II by the wound
ing he is physically incapacitated
to serve as a soldier thereafter, he is to re-
ceive $3.50, and subscription is to be
taken for his benefit II is stipulated thnt
he and his fellow soldiers are "to injure
or kill whomsoever the directors" of
the society designate. IT. rs result of his
service, he is sent to prison, the society
binds itself to forward 500 year TO his
friends in China so long as he is inn
prisoned. As the sword of mouth may
not be evidence" it is specified that the
letter shall be deemed contract.
To those familiar with the conduct of
Chinese in this State, the warning factions
among them and the murderous onslaughts
they make upon their enemies, the story
will not appear at all improbable. The
Highlander" we know rs Monaghan
ruiian by profession; the hired fighter
is a Chinese character familiar in the his
tory of Chinese quarters in California
cities, and the columns of our daily press
have for thirty years borne witness TO the
skill with which they use weapons and the
adroitness with which they escape detec-
ton. We know, further, that there are
secret organizations among the Chinese in
America who put forward these Fighters
and shield them from justice The Vic
toria story, therefore though it comes to
us in a roundabout way, is not improba-
BILE. Ordinarily, such disclosure as is
now made would lead to the breaking up
of the murderous organization. 1t will
have no such effect in this case. The
Chinese are secretive, have little care for
human life, and look upon the eau
casian with such contempt that the
taking of his life is little
more TO them than the killing
OF dog. Their murder society, therefore,
can scarcely be reached, its membership
cannot be known, nor the employment of
its fighters" checked. The most that
can be accomplished is TO punish these
"salaried soldiers who are taken in crime
with such severity as to render others
fearful to act. The publicity of the COM
pact to murder will, however, beneficially
serve US in removing the impression so
prevalent at the East that the little brown
man is an inofiensive creature who is per-
secuted upon the Pacific Const and whose
exclusion is an ofiense to humanity.