The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-06-09
THE ORIGIN or BLACkMAIl.
HOLINESS and Sang FrOid OF chinese
Thievcs-PhIIosophy Of Endurance.

Among the archaisms which Chinese
civilization has brought Into the nght OF
modern times is the b!ackmail system OF
modern Europe. which might merit the
attention of the Peking Oriental society
The city is like large reservoir ialed with
varied fish. all feeding ON each other The
TRANSPORTATION of bullion affords me pick
ings for many hungry mouths Among
the army of parasites which live on this
land may be mentioned the porters or car
rjers i'm the capital, who derive very heavy
emoluments from their judicious handling
Of the silver which passes through their
hands No doubt their gains are equlta
Div distributed among their official
patrons, who could not touch the unciean
thing with their own hand. But the
wealth of the porters excites the cupldity
of others, who prey on them. Naen
porter is known to be going on duty the
banditti waylay him. his guard make re
sistance. but if captured he Is held for
ransom, and may have TO part with half
4 years profits to one successful raider.
Alter the manner of the traders in the
middle ages, these wealthy porters seek
the protection of powerful barons, here
called wang web or princes. One OF
these lends the silver carriers his cart
and mule which the robbers do not care
10 NEEDLE with. and for this service the
prince receives his share of the profits
which would otherwise pass. not without
violence, into the hands of the bandits.
The vulnerable porters further protect
themselves by hiring prize lighters to sit
On the shafts IS they pass through the
streets of the open city. These men also
have to be eXtrivagantiy paid
Another tribo of parasites pervades the
city--the pickpocket harvest il
In the wet season, when the roads are
nearly impossible The other day man
boasted Of never having had his pocket
picked. when within ten minutes his pipe
and case were snatched from his hands.
Another was carrying rich feather fan
in his hand. his finger through the looped
string in the handle for precaution-a
hard tug from thief cut his finger ami
forced him to release his hold
Ladies are often the victims. even when
riding in carts, ard the thieves are SO
daring as to spring Oh the top of the cart
while in motion and snatch the valuable
head ornaments Of the Manchu ladies' in
side. the cart driver taking no notice for
fear OF his own skin The thieves are 90
well organized as to have regular depots
where stolen property Is slowed, and per
sons of influence can generally recover
what they have lost il they are persistent
enough. Near one Of the gates is a market
where stolen goods are regularly sold
during one hour at ddybreak Spurious
articles are often offered at this place
For example a man thought he was get
ting a good bargain in a roast duck, bat
On reaching houIe be was surprised to find
only a clever imitation in mud There are
also excellent counterfeits, in paper of
the Chinese boats. which dissolve at mere
sight of water
In the social arrangements of the Chi
nose the philosophy Of grin and bear has
been cultivated to an extreme perfection,
and is also. no doubt. archaic. Bystander5
will never interfere with the commission
of crime in the open street in open day,
and the whole system Of predatory crime
Is tolerated. as verEin is, as the ordinary
lot of humanity In fact. toulness, i'm
passablc roads, defective laws. and all
other forms of suffering are borne with,
for want Of the energy to resist and over
come them, and not, rs is sometimes sup
posed. because the people really love these
things Chinese Times