The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1889-01-26
HIGHBINDERS.
Chinese Organization for Muir
der and Blackmail.
Crimes Of the Hatchet Society
in America.

operations have puzzled the police OF
San Francisco, st. Louis and Pitts burg,
nd whose operations in New York
.sve so far been carried on with great
kill and secrecy are an org animation
' Il Cinnamon dating back to the Tai
Ping or long. haired rebellion, which
vas entirely subdued, it was thought,
pme thirty years ago in the Flowery
Kingdom. The Highbinders belong to
he Triad Society, which has
been compared in China to the Nihilists
IN Russia On entering it
khe Chinaman renounces all obliga.
ions to his family, his gods and his
hllow-me Thencsforth he is the
rreature of his superiors in the Order.
Political conspiracy and the raising of
hnds to tring about restoration Of the
Chinese dynasty in place of the NIanchoo
Emperor now On tho throne are or were
The prime objects of the Highbindcrs
ibrou5h their parent order. the Triad
SOciety. Hence its close relationship
10 the Nlhilists.
But blackmail pure and simple, en-
ircei with the scourge and the long
knife, has long been the main object of
the Hi CYLINDERS in the Uuited States.
The trial of six Cinnamon in St. Louis
Iior blaclsmail and murder year or two
since brought out this fact clearly. In
st. Louis every Chinaman not affiliated
with the Triads was assessed IS cents
IMackmail a week. Tie assassin ation
ir which the six Highbiuders were
tried in St Louis was peculiarly afro
|cious.
The term Highlander, as originally
used in San Francisco, where 1t was
first heard in this country. meant thugs.
The Triads were then supposed TO be
Iia the land of the Celestials what the
Thugs are or wero in India. But 1t was
discovered shortly that whereas religion
lis the prime motive of ThuyCism, pol
tics started High bindery, which speed
lily devoted itself to the congenial task
of Matchmaking. By and by the High
binders became known as the Hatchct
Society, and murder for money was
Recognized as the chief object of Its
Existence. Cinnamon were rom owed By
The Hatchet Society il San Francisco at
1900 head. Tho oath and the ritual
d the Highbinders were demoniac in
heir ferocity. The cult came east to
beaver, then moved on, numbering, to
st. Louis, then to Pittsburg aud then TO
New York. Ia New York its operations
nave been conducted with the ut ost
screcy and success
The case OF tho six Highbin ders tried
hr tho murder OF Low johnson in st.
loui, called the attention OF the entire
ountry to the spread of this hideous
rler.
The murder of johnson grew out OF
\ bis assisting the police in breaking up
lae gambling business of the Chyo
COON, or Joe Gong. the leader OF the
Chyo faction in St. Louis. Coon and
bis friends agreed to pay 5000 for the
nmoval of Johnson. 4 distinguished
member of the IIatchet Society in
Frisco, All Lung 10y name. and 4 High
Under. who had served a term in the
S. Qacnta Penitentiary. was sent for
10 DO the removing, but, there being a
hitch in the matter, h diia't start il
ime, so that Chyo Chiagk, Quong
Nng and others not so e:nlncnt lii the
Profession undertook thu task. They
buad Johnson asleep in bel, chopped
him almost TO pieces and then stood the
body on its head in bucket Of rice and
locked it up in a closet. They sent
UQloug Seng away with SIS, promising
send him more, but he was captured.
lie gave the police the cutire story in
The case, and through fear at having
iOlltcd the oath of the Ratchet S)cie-
~ and dread OF their vengeance. he
went CT in jai. joe G)ag and Chy
Ems k were scntra ced II death. The
hlacsc element II New York aEd ;
ransisco has never since been quietc T..
h. feeling in Mott street was such that
be Hichbinders were liable TO be called
any time, the presence Of All Lug,
be past Grand Highlander, being an
edicItion that the UAtchet Society is
lady for business.
Az. L. ..nra nf Ill, :, Ain.. !,