The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1888-04-28
"HIGHBINDERS."
An Outgrowth Of Chinese Life in
San Francisco.
Secret Societies for Purposes OF
Murder and BlaCkmail.

this coast, as none of them were organ
lied in China. When the coolies first
began TO flock here in great numbers,
allured by the offer of high wages to
work on the Central Pacific Railroad,
the lawless element among them saw
the opportunity for blackmail and
general espionage, and began the organ
ization of tine societies that have proved
the source of most Of the Chinese crime
committed on this coast. There were
already in existence then what were
known as the Chinese Six Companies.
These were societies formed for the
mutual protection OF members, for aid
to the sick and destitute, and, most i'm
portant of all, for the transfer TO China
of the bones of those who died. The
companies represented the two districts
of China which contributed the greatest
number of coolies to this country, and
no Chinese ventured to come to this
country without joining one OF these COM
panies. The companies did much good
in early days in enforcing order, and in
Furnishing any crimes of its members,
but of late years their power has been so
much cncroached upon by the high
binders that little remaias.
Nearly twenty years ago the first high
binder society was founded. 1t was
known as the Chez Kuas Tong, and it
was regularly incorporated. This parent
society is very wealthy. 1t owns hand
some brick building on Spofford alley,
in the heart O! Chinatown, and here are
the headquarters Of the officers, the
large meeting room, and the joss, be-
fore which all new members are init
ated and all oaths taken. Oae enters the
door, which bears plainly in English and
Chinese the name of the society, and as
cending fight of stairs reaches the
main audience room. where state coun-
cils of the society are held. This is
handsome apartment fitted up in the
celestial style, with heavy old oak
ranged around the wall; large table
stands in the centre directly under a
costly lamp, while Chinese paintings
and notices from Confuciu, and other
moralists cover the walls, for your high
binder is nothing if not moral. Near
the head OF the stairs is an enormous
lockwood tablet, let into the wall, on
which are engraved the names of the
1000 charter members of the fraternity,
with the sum of money that each con-
tributed to found the institution.
At whatever hour of day or night one
may enter this room, he will find in the
small rear office some one to inquire
about his business, and to answer any
questions. 1t seems that the Chez Kung
Tong boasts of over 1900 members in
this city alone, while throughout the
United States, South America and Cuba
the roll amounts to $1,000. In all it
has 800 branches scattered over this
great territory, but each reports to the
parent society. Every six months four
'headmen" are chosen by election to
conduct affairs, and under them are
thirty-threc ''hatchet men," or active
police, who are under oath TO obey i'm
plicitly any order of the headmen. The
Chez Kung Tong for many years was the
most influential of the highlander So
cieties, but many Of its most active
members have started other associations,
and now the palm of supremacy in
local power is disputed by the Ga Sin
Sea and the Bo Sin Sea.
Whatever may have been the prin-
ciples upon which Chu Kung Tong was
! founded, it is now carried on mainly
for purposes of blackmail, like all the
other highlander organizations. Many
reputable merchants have been forced
to join these societies, to escape the
exactions of highbinders, but the lead
ing spirits in each are men who recog-
nize no allegiance to any government,
and who obey no laws but 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
nand of the consul general-the vir-
tual representative of the emperor
could stay any order that had gone forth.
The power of these societies, there
fore, is very great, and no earthly au-