Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-02-09
CHINESE 4laAelNOERs.

Vine Arts.
Not for many years, says San Fran
cisco letter. has Chinatown been 50
much excited as IL is at present over
the deadly fued Of two rival Highlander
societies. The attitude of the promi-
mont highbinders is SO threatening that
the Chinese merchants met at q con-
sulate and resolved. 1t is said. to adopt
the most stringent measures to prevent
any moro bIoodShed. The police aided
them by making AFRAID ON Chinatown
in order to capture armed hghbinders.
They succeeded in breaking up large
number OF gambling establishments.
The highlander societies in San Fran
cisco number about fifty. They are an
Outgrowth OF the life of the Chinese
on this coast, rs nono of them were
organ zed i'm China. When the coolies
first began 10 flock here in great num-
bers, allured by the offer of II gh wages
TO work on the Central Pacific railroad.
the lawlcss element among them saw
the opportunity for blackmail and
espionage, and began the organization
of the societies that have proved the
source of most of the Chinese crime
committed ON this coast. There were
already in existence then what were
know as the Oh nese Six companies
These were societies formed for the
mutual protection of members, for aid
TO the sick and destitute, and, most
important of all. for the transfer to
China of the bones of those who died.
The compan es repres ,nted the two
districts of China which contributed
the greatest number of coolies to TN
country, and no Chinese ventured to
come to this country without joining
one of these companies. The cOmpan-
les did much good in early days in en-
forcing order and in furnishing any
crimes of Is members, but of late years
their power has been 50 much en-
croachcd upon by the hIghbnders that
little remains.
Nearly twenty years ago the first
highlander society was founded. 1t
was regularly Incorporated through
the aid of Il white LAWYER who declar-
Ell in his application that it was
society of Chinese Free Masons. This
parent sOc,e'y is very wealthy. 1t
owns u handsome brick building on
Spotlord alley, in the heart of China
town, and here are the headquarters Of
the officers. the large meeting room and
the joss, before which all new members
are initiated and all OaihS taken. One
cutters the door, which bears plainly in
Engl Sh andChinesc the name of the
society. and ascending the flight of
stairs reaches the main audience room,
where tho state councils of the society
are held. This IS II handsome apart
ment fitted up in celestial style, with
heavy old oak ranged around the wall
large table stands in the center di-
rectly under a costly lamp. while Chi
nesc partugs and notices from Con-
tuciuS and other moralists cover the
walls, for your hghbnder is nothing
ii not moral. Near the head OF the
stairs is an enormous bDXwoOl tablet.
set into the wall on VIII Ch are enTrav-
sd the names of the /. 200 charter mcm-
bers of the fraternity, with thu sum of
money that each contributed TO found
the institution.
At whatever hour of day or night
one NAV enter this room he will find
someone in the small rear Office TO M
Juirc about his business, or TO answer
any questions. 1t seems that The Chez
Kung Tong boasts of over $500 mem
bers ln this cit, alone, while through
cut the United States South America
and Cuba the roll amounts to u. 900
In ail it has 800 branches scattered
over this great territory, but each re-
port TO the parent society. Every six
months four "head men, arc chosen by
election to conduct affairs, and under
.hem are thirty three ''hatchct men,"
II active police. who are under oath to
obc implicitly any order of the head
men. The Chez Kung Tong for many
years was the most influential of the
highbindcr societies, but many of its
most active members have started
ether assoc ations, and now the palm
IF suprcmacy in local powers j. dspu-
ted bv the CT Sin Sea and the 30 Sin
Sea, the two SOci"i,., between which
the present dead lcu RACES
OF these minor -Hriolie5 there are
now about .itty in Chinatown Besides
those named the mos, prom nent are
fhe Suev Sing Jon- Sucv Ong Tong,
Hop Sing Tong. Ey SIN Tong ana On
Yick Tong The peculiar feature of
membership is that man may belong
TO one OF the original six companies,
say the Sam Yup Company. and also
to the Gnu Kuog Tong and the Con
Gin Sen. In fact, the Gnu Kung Tong
app ars to have assumed the position
o grand lodge. and every highbindcr
Ia olher spcict eS thar was talked with
BELONGED to the parent fraternity.
Whatever may have been the princi-
pies on which Chu Kung Tong was
fouu led. it is now carried on mainly
for purposes of b.Ackmal. Ike all the
other highb nder organizations. Many
reputable merchants have been forced
to join these societies to escape the ex-
actions of highbinders. but the leading
spir Is in each are men who recognize
no Allegiance to any government and
who obcy no laws except those of their
own making. Over the halls of most
of these societies floats no flag but that
of their order, while not even the COM
mand of the consul general, the virtual
inf e