The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-27
FIERCE HIGHLANDER FEUDS.
,r,DIY BATTLES WAGED IN SAN
ER1yCISCO'S CHINATOWN
r,v., secret Societies which Demand LIE
mr. Lire--Four Murders In = Fortnight
Tbc Request Of the Police for n Station
y q, The Heart OF the Chlpeso Quarter.

FAN FRANCISCO, NOV. lo-lhe euort OIL Snle1
=, Police Crowley to secure tho establishment
n a police station in Chinatown. rs tho best
s..ars of overawing the Chinese highbinders
snJ preventing the bloody feuds TINT arc con-
family being wagcd between rival bands Of
,hese Monaghan despcradoes, will be success
mi He declares that tho founding Of sta
,ion in the heart OF tho Chinese quarter would
h.y, n greater moral effect on tho criminal
aloment of Chinatown than hundred extra
no,jcemcn Tho presence OF n large force.
niobt and day. in tho centre OF tho district
rould deter even the boldest highlander from
committing q crime within hearing OF the sta
zion. As 1t is now. even with q force OF six
toen men in the worst quarters. murders
sre committed. and before the police reach
,hc scene every scrap OF evidence has been
,emoycd Although the street may be swarm
INC with coolies, not ono will give any informa-
ZION II pressed. all fall back upon the stereo-
trped mo sabbee!" with which tho Celestial
bars any further progress in cross-examina-
.jon, With n central station Chief Crowley
argues that ho can throw several men at onco
into any disturbed district, and can thus
rather evidence OF q crime before tho willy
Moncolians have covered up all traces. His
argument appears to be plausible. and he re-
cniorees it by tho additional reason that tho
station will exert q strong moral influence
over the Chinese dcspcrndoes. The highbind.
ers recognize 10 law but force: any other in
auenco is thrown away upon them. Tho
rresencc OF the police station would be
standing reminder to them that tho strong
arm of the law was there ready to reach out
and grab them in any evil doing. It is es-
timated that the establishment OF tho station
would reduce by one-half tho bloody crimes
that grow out Of feuds between the rival bands
ofhighbinders
For ten years tho police have been trying to
maintain tho same control OF Chinatown that
they have Of other quarters Of the city. but
until recently it has been a losing fight.
The Chinese quarter is about seven blocks
long BY three blocks wido. intersected by many
small streets and alleys In space which
would accommodate not moro than 5000
white people are crowded 10000 Chinese. All
the alleys are lined with tenements: all the
cellars and sub-cellars OF old business build
ings on Dupont, Sacramento. Commercial. and
Clay streets arc tcnanted. Nearly every story
In the tall buildings which used to be good
hotels and lodging houses has been sub
divided. SO that four-story house is
converted into eight stories. All the
yards in tho centre OF the blocks have been
with life. Without seeing it no one has any
idea Of the capacity OF these people for stow
ing them selves away in small spaces md for
living with the minimum oflight and air. Ac-
eording to scientific men certain amount Of
fresh atmospheric air is necessary to life. but
the Chnaman gives the lie to this statement
BY iourshng under conditions which science
declares is deadly to health and stamina.
The city authorities passed an ordinance
making 1t imperative that every lodger in
Chinatown must have certain amount Of
cubic air. but tho ordinance couldn't be en-
forced. for arrest has no terror for the Chinese
Smilingly he went to jnil. and with great
cheerfulness he endured imprisonment, know
ing that his society paid his wages Just as
though he were at work. The city prison and
the county jail swarmed with these violators
OF the cubic air ordinance. and within u week
the police had to acknowledge they were
beaten. 1twould have required two or three
extra prisons and large extra appropriation
to maintain these Chinese. So the arrests
were stepped. and the coolies were allowed to
bad Or the police think they can break up a
In the main the effort to enforce this Whole. BE.
some sanitary ordinance has been total
Many Of these big houses in Chinatown ara
connected by underground passages known
Snly to the lnmpates while there are secret
crime Be- eonmitted and chiaama eap disap.
pear IN one Of these houses it is we'll nigh i'm
S5 the to him unless they
who have eseapod almost q un %der'ef tIs
nj p0e en4ahce They oS TT hes SO
vast lodging houses. but there all clues ended.
The hunted men were helped by friends into
smother street and safely made their way vi into to
the country. In tearing down old buildings or
N repairing houses these secret passages are
he SS sliP9ed through their fingers. '"''
mn Ine chi Chinese are inveterate gamblers. and
police efforts to shut UP their gam bling dens.
r ran tan and other games arc carried on in
em ae q as an the pobss
and asi when the officers burst into tho room
ling headGpnrters not one bit OF evidence Is Is at
Psss rlaeidIy smok Ing t Water pi if have
tiger. Several years 'A aee tho N Gambiing
aens were defended 10y great iron doors Tho
Ta mn Ind fe raa Se 4odm
hallway barred by II solid iron. or oak door,
trnnaa had e be- battered down before an en-
NoHee Coulu Do eHectgu. vi course IN tho
mean time every one in tho room had ample
Time % escape. Then an ordinance was passed
prohibiting these iron doors. and tons OF cast
IRON We're conllscated by the police. but it Is
GiouuDtlul whethcran reform has been wrought
IN me morals OF Chinatown.
riM would be easy to maintain control OF
G;ihatowp however. II 1t were not for tho high
olnders. These fellows form small but dan
EvJious class that Is always preying upon the
iTn 1i Chinese They claim to DO Chinese
rsee ias0ns and they assert that their organi-
sa.ipni Il legal but tho fact Is they are pro-
T.; i"tlbed In China and fully half OF the members
1tIsr .s country are made up OF murderers and
e ncHs Kong or Canton; Tho Highlander So
tua ebSm nnnsit formed n early days for mu
pps ajnes h M large halls and to them
ons , The men from Canton form
at " and 50 on. The company undertakes
- EeeDa general club room where the mem
. eer may get The latest news from China. ro-
.SnNe MS letters. send money home to Ills peo- |
pe; ana IN case OF sickness receive attention |
s aG IN ease OF death DO assured that his bones
MI ~, To Transported to China so that his reia-
nas may perform the ancestral worship that is
necessary tor tho welfare OF tho soul. These |
"a, ~ pahlos have done great work and their |
g u,rers are among the richest and most in |
""vntiol Chinese In the state.
A. .nSoauiaily the gold discovery and the great |
r rrmaaIu Tor lahorers on the trans-continental
irphdas attracted to California great numbers OF
.Hluese. many OF them from the crlminnj |