Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1889-12-28
CHINESE HIGHBINDERs.
A Reign of Terror Established in the Ma
Iaysian Colonies.

Reign of Terror Established IN the Ma.
Iaysian Colonies.
News from Singapore, India, shows
that a veritable reign of terror prevails
in that portion of the globe-especially
among European residents-on account
of the renewed activity of the Chinese
secret societies, and there really seems
TO be danger of a renewal of the troub-
lous times of several years ago
Throughout the whole Malaysian coun-
try and colonies these societies have
greatly increased in the pastfe years in
power and numbers, while in China they
almost threaten the imperial govern
ment itself. The laws againt them
have not relaxed their severity, for in
China it is a capital otfense to belong to
one of these societies, while in adjacent
countries, whether under native or En-
ropean rule, it is a serious penal otfense.
But, notwithstanding these strict laws
and severe penalties, Cinnamon join
these societies as naturally as they eat
rice with chop-sticks, and no law which
has vet been enacted can prevent them,
as the membership in China alone is
numbered by millions, while in the col
onies it is proportiOnately to the entire
population, much larger still.
These men are all outlawed, or would
be if their connection with the societies
were known. AS counterblast to their
own outlawry, the societies have de-
creed that all Cinnamon who do not join
them are their enemies, and have cOnse-
quently outlawed all persons not men,
beers. so that between the two evils most
Cinnamon prefer to incur the wrath Of
the government to that of the High
binders, and unquestionably the choice
is wise one.
In China it is not an uncommon thing
for some of the societies to create con-
siderable instruction. They will sack
a whole city, or throw an entire prov
ince into anarchy, and such outbreaks
have lately increased in frequency.
They are of course, suppressed with
unsparing severity, all the participa-
tors that are caught being
put to death, the ring leaders
with torture added, but even this does
not seem to deter other revolts, as
scarcely a week passes without some
outbreak and in some provinces society
and business have been in a panicky
condition for the past two or three
| years.
Only the presence of large bodies of
British troops and several ships-of-war
has saved Singapore from being sacked
by one of the largest of these socities,
the Ghee Hin, and the city of Bangkok.
- FOL %
ago was the scene of two days battle
between one of the societies and the
authorities in which 700 of the outlaws
were slain, together with about 200 gov
eminent troops.
The news of these doings will be re-
earded with interest in America, be-
cause probably One-half of all the China
men who have settled here belong 60
some of these societies. The notorious
Chez Hin is the most numerously repre-
scented. Nearly all of the San Francis
co Highbinders belong to the Chez Hin,
a body that numbers hundreds of thou
sInds of members in China and the
Malay countries, and whose history
reeks with crime and outrage. Ostensi-
bly, these organizations have religious
or political character, or are formed for
purposes of mutual benefit. Actually
they are formed for nothing else than
tho sake of la4vIessness, and their mem
bers are Extensively and defensively al
lied for criminal pursuits. They are
all oath-bOund to secrecy, often in the
most fantastic or repulsive manner. In
American and European courts, in TAX
ing the oaths of Cinnamon such practices
as cutting off fowls head or burning a
bit of paper. have sometimes been al
lowed in lieu of kissing the Bible.
Some have supposed that these were
the regular forms of judicial oaths en-
ployed in the Chinese courts of law.
Such, however, is not the case. They
are merely some of the milder and less
loathsome forms of swearing employed
by the secret societies. In the White
Lily Society a tooth is drawn from the
members jaw at the moment of taking
the oath of initiation, and others pre-
scribe still more abOminable physical
mutilatiOnS. The fate of a member who
betrays his fellows is terrible in the ex-
IRENE. In the Ghee Hin he is starved
to death, his agonies being intensified
by his being forced to drink blood
drawn from his own veins, and eat flesh
cut from his own limbs.-National
Tribune