New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-07
TORTURED BY HlGHBINDERS
A CHINAMAN's TERRIBLE SUFFERING.
THREE OF HIS ooUNTRYME1N ALMOST KILL HIM
HE REFUSES TO TELL WHERE HIS EN-
PLOYER,S MONEY is HIDDEN-LEET

HE REFUSES TO TELL WHERE HIS EN-.
PLoYER's MONEY is HIDDEN-LEFT
BOUND, GAGGED AND UNCONSCIOUS.
Lee Lang prosperous Chinaman, keeps laun-
dry in the basement of the tenement-house at No.
2O7 Fifth-st He has several Chinese helpers,
one Of whom, Lee Hing, lived in little room in
the rear OF the laundry. Lang is bright and in
telligent well posted on Chinese affairs, and
power in the government in Chinatown. Among
his fellows Lang his long been rated as wealthy
man, and he has often boasted among his friends
about the large amount Of money which he kept
secreted in his room. Saturday night was busy
one in Langs laundry, and it after midnight
when the place closed. Lang and two of his
helpers went downtown after the business was
over for little recreation, leaving Lee Hing in
the laundry.
Hing had been alone only few moments
when there was a loud knock at the door. lie
was suspicious, and would not open the door
at first but he was reassured when he heard
voices in his own language He took down
the bars and three Cinnamon entered. One of
them was Lee Cling, one of Kings friends. Hing
did not know the other Chinamen and Cling
introduced them as Lee Hi and Lee Ling and
| said that they were good fellows. As soon as
| the visitors we're seated Hing put the teapot on
the fire, and soon had cup Of tea ready for them.
! They drank the tea and ate q piece Of Chinese
| cake, and then Hing gave them each On American
cigarette They protested against smoking these,
and said that they would only use Chimes tobacco.
| Hing had some Chinese cigarettes in his room and
went for them.
When he had got out Of sight one of the
| Cinnamon turned down the gas, and Ling, Hi
| and Cling rushed into the back room and knocked
| Hing down. Hing is nearly six feet high, and
unusually strong for Chinaman, and he struggled
| desperately with his assaiants. He stood
| good chance of gaining the street until Cling
| dexterously slipped moose around his neck and
| pulled it taut The struggling man was then
easily Overpowered, and thrown upon the floor
Cling sternly demanded that he tell where Lang
kept his money hidden in the store. Hing refused
| to answer. They gave him three chances to
tell where the money was, with the alternative
Of being tortured until he opened his mouth
| Hing was loyal TO his employer, and told his
prosecutors to do their worst, for he would never
reveal the secret hiding place.
The infuriated men then deliberately began
| their work Of torture. They took ropes from
their pocket, and tied their victims hands behind
his back and fastened his legs at the ankles His
feet were pulled backward until there was nearly
|
jerked downward as far as possible. The ropes
were then made fast with the body in this position
Kings suiTerings were terrible, but his tormentOrs
were not satisfied. The unfortunate mans long cue
was passed through band around his waist and
pulled until the back of his head rested on his
spine. The agony was more than Hing could bear
| and he cried for mercy. This pleased the mad
men as they danced around their victim, as it in
dicated that he would make known the Sc
cret Hing was made Of sterner stuff than they
t.,ra,iued and persistcltly refused to give any
information about the money He begged them
| instead TO loosen the ropes, and made 80 much
noise that Cling and his companions became
alarmed and stuffed a gag in his mouth.
/ The pundcrers gave up torturing Hing and
started 10 hunt for the money They tore up
boards closets and examined every conceivable
| place They broke open n trunk and found 81 60
! Of Lane's money in the lining. This did not sat
sfy them and they went back to Hing who was
writhing on the door nearly dead. They hunted
around and got three feathers with which TO con-
tiuue the torture. Each Of the Cinnamon took
a feather and while Ling and Hi ticlllcd Kings
feet Cling paid attention to his nose and ears The
terrible twisting that Kings body received was
bad enough. but the tickling was the
acme OF torture greater than human endurance
could stand, and he soon became UNCONSCIOUS.
The thieves left him in this condition and Went
| away without closing the front door OF the Aul-
dry. o
Joseph Butler, who has room at No. 2O7
Fifth-st went to Lang's laundry at o'clock yes
terday morning to get some clothes. lie found
the laundry open and walked Ill. No one ap-
peared and he called in Il loud voice for Lang.
! The only answer he got was FAINT groan thht
came from the rear room. Butler looked IN the
room, and, seeing Hing lying upon the floor bound
and gagged he became alarmed and ran to the
Fifth-st. station and told what he had seen. De
tectlve Rissert hurried to the laundry, cut the
| ropes and released Hing. lie was unable to speak
! for more than an hour and his neck had been
strained so that he could not hold it in its natural
position He finally told the story of the assault
| and robbery and was taken TO the station Tor
safety Hing said that the highbilders would
| kill him if he told who robbed him. tie was IN
duced to give the names Of Cling and his COM
| paniOns. ~
Detectives Bissert and Hogan got a description
| Of the men and hunted in Chinatown all day lot
| them. Their search was finally successlul, ana
| last evening they found the three Chlnamen IN
| a room back of the tea-StOre at No. II Alott-st.
| Lee Hi and Lee Cling showed fight, and each drew
| n Chinese dagger 1t was battle Of clubs against
| knives and the clubs were victorious Inc prIS-
oners were taken to the kilth-St station ana were
identified by Hing.
A breast-pin and ring the property OF hlng,
were found on Cling. They refused TO tax ana
made threatening gestures TO Hing in the statlon
! house. They will be taken to the Essex Market
Court this morning.
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DESTTTUTION FBARED IN NORTHERN ALAShA'
san Francisco, oct speclaD.-J. C. Greene
mana 0cr of the Fish River Mines In Northern Alaska,