The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-06-12
A HIGHBINOER WAR.

| SAN FRANCISCO, June 10-The Chinese
| highbinders have offered reward of $500
| TO any highbinder who will kill Christian
Chinese, and they have also sent warning
letters to missionaries in the city declar-
ing that if they continue to rescue female
slaves from Chinese brothels their lives
will pay the penalty. Such letter has
been received by Mss Margaret Culbert-
son, superintendent of the Presbyterian
Mission Home, and by several other peo-
pie active in this work. The letter also
demands that Miss Culbertson release
forty women and girls now in the home
Copies of the same warning letter were
sent to Commercial Editor Worley of the
Chronicle and his sister, who has been
engaged in Chinese mission work for
years
ST. LOUIS, June 10.-The dispatch from
San Francisco announcing that the high
binders have declared war against Christ
ianized Chinese receives confirmation from
Chinese sources in this city. In st. Louis
there is an active and aggressive highbind-
er society with in the nelghborhOod of 800
members. The warfare against the
Christian Chinese has always been bitter,
and the latter have frequently been threat
ened by their countrymen who are mem
bers of the murderouS society. Several
years ago Lou Johnson was murdered by
two highbuders, and the vigorous prose
date the members for long time, but
within the past year they have grown
more and more defiant and aggressive,
and at the present time threaten 10 make
unlimited trouble for the police.
The demands of the society upon nom
members for a tribute of D. 10 and ID cents
per week, which We're stopped after he
johnson murder for fear of prosecution
have begun to De made again, and the
blackmailing process is in full swing now.
Chinamen VINO are neither Christians nor
highbinders are the particular victims of
this practice OF late the threats of the
society have forced many to pay the trib-
ute who never paid it before, even in the
pal miest days of highbinder prosperity
before the johnson murder. Within the
past week a number of the Christian Chi
nese have been warned that they must pay
the tribute or suffer the consequences.
Refusal on the part of persons thus solio-
tied generally ends in their being singled
out for assassination, and every Chinaman
in America fears the veng eance of the
highbuder society.
A Christian, who runs a laundry on
Oive street, told a reporter yeste rdav that
a notice had recently been posted III QuOng
Sun Wah's grocery at No. 16 South Eighth
street Offering reward for any high binder
who would kill any informer on members
of the society, and thai threats were be-
ing made against nearly every Christian
Chinaman and non-member of the society
i'll the city either for turning informer or
refusing TO pay tribute.
Only IA few weeks back Lou Book and
Jeu Geng were shot In a Chinese restau-
rant on South Eighth street by Lee Qua
Laung and Ham Long. Christian chi
neSe claim the shooting was inspired by
the high binder society rs part of their
campaign against non-members both men
bN Sh holm 'bris
would-be murderers highbinders. Laung
jumped his bond and left the city soon
after he WAS released, and the society has
become more aud more defiant ever since.
Wing Ling, who runs laundry at Twen-
ty-third and Olive streets, said yesterday
that he had heard of the warning being
posted in Quong Sun Wah's place, but had
never seen it. He said lie was afraid TO go
there and always avoided South Eighth
street in the Chinese quarter. When
pressed for reason ne refused to
talk further. He also said that
Jeu Pock, Chinese mission
airy, had come here a few days
the highbinders were going to iuaugurate
and would return TO the city in few days
| Ii Is presumed that Jeu Pock is securing
evidence upon which he proposes to turn
| the conspirators over to the police
That the highbinders have been apprised
of Jeu Pock's movements is certain from
the fact that Quong Sun Wah sent the re-
porter TO him in search of information.
The latter Is Il confessed member of the
| society. and, when asked the names of
other members Of the society, said he did
not know any, all OF them being known by
Number only. He admitted having re-
Celved information in regard to the cam
pai-n against Christian Cinnamon and
non-mem bers, to be inaugurated by the
! L!ghbiudrrs Of san Francisco but denied
all kuow!eG ge OF any reward for the MUIR
der Ot iuiovmsrs in this city. From A sig
nihcant remark dropped unawares by
! Quong Hong Chcng, at his grocery at No
~ Market street, it is certain that certain
/ OF the nou-rnembers OF the society have
! been singled out as objects OF the society ;
vengeance. He Claims not to know any
/ OF tlie members except by number outside
of his uwn family, all OF whom he said
were hishbiaders. He refused TO give his
number.