The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-03-12
THE MOTT STREET HERMIT.
General of the Great Tai-Ping Rebellion
Living a Life of Penitence in New York.

On the top floor of the rickety old
six-story tenement in the real. of IL
Mott street. New York, lives a myster-
ious old and tine-looking Chinaman.
He is probably 20 years old, but he
looks much younger, and is hale and
hearty He has full face and a ro-
tund form, not at all bent by his many
years. The few struggling hairs Cd
the top of his head are as white as
snow. The name of this mysterious old
Mongolian is Whong Pok.
According to all accounts, Whon2
Pok came to New York and settled ip
his present quarters about seven years
ago from the crowded Chinese quarters
of San Francisco, where it is said he
led the same quiet life for nearly twen-
ty years. Nobody remembers seeing
him do anything for a living. He seem
ed to have money to obtain all the ne
cessaries of life, and he never let q
chance pass to do an act of charity.
He has a room in his apartments where
a small Joss shrine is erected, to which
he offers every article of food before
partaking of it himself. To it he kneels
most of the time during the day and
much of the night He allows no one
to enter this sacred sanctuary, and it is
always under lock aud key when he is
not at worship. Only few weeks ago
Whong Pok gave 800 to an old Grip
pied Chinaman to pay his fare back to
China, but homesick as he is, Whong
Pok has never ayailed himself Of the
same sweet pleasure
But who is hep was the common queS
ton among his Chinese neighbors, who
never dared to ask the object of theil
wonderment. and with whom he hold:
no social intercourse beyond the few
| privileged friends who are his soliC
| confidants.
| About twenty-seven years ago, there
| was one of the greatest rebellions IL
| Chinese history. 1t was the one led by
| Tien Wong, or Heavenly King" com
! monty known here as the ''Tai-Pinp'
rebellion. Tien Wong's greatest Gen
eral was Chung Wong, who was th'
| terror of China .fer eight years. He
| defeated some of the ablest European
| commanders, and finally the entire EN-
pire was nearly at his disposal, unit
the lamented Gordon vanquished th
mighty Mongolian Napoleon. at Nan
| kin. Among the great Generals 0
Chung Wong at that critical momen
was Whong Pok, the mysterious oil
Chinaman of Mott street.
He was the only one of Tien Wong
| lieutenants who was fortunate enoug
| 10 make his escape out of the terrible
| s,utcherv of Nankin. He went in dis
guise into AMMAN, and from there h
eventually creased the great waters Q
| the Pacific and landed in San Francis
&C. Ever since ne has given up his lif
to repentance for some great crime
No one has ever drawn from him
single sentence regarding the crime
that he is now reIenting. To al
questions he simply says: What
| have done in the past is more than SUI
| ficient to make me beg the gods TO
forgiveness during the remainder of m
life"
called to see him yesterday afte,
noon. writes Wong Chen Foo in th
San. but he absolutely refused to tai
about his past life. | told him ths
Christianity taught way to obtai
pardon for nrisdeeds, and asked hll
| why he did net join some Chrlstla
| church. mo, no, answered the ol
man. No one can save me, nothln
but nv own sincere repentance an
doing what good l can toward other
as have unintentEonally and othe
wise injured them in the past Wh;
difference does it make by what metho
l repent so long as do repent?"