Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1892-10-06
CHINESE FEUDs.
California Mongolians Settle a
fractional Fight.

Chinatown. The soul of the wooden
god of the Mongolians is no longer tor
mented by the quarreling of his wor-
shippers, and his repulsive eyes that look
in nearly every direction at once have
become less fiendish in their stare.
For some time the highlander socie-
ties in Chinatown have been getting
poorer and poorer on account of the
blockade of the police. When Sergt-
Price with his squad rallied and de-
stroyed all their idols and shrines, not
even sparing the famous and costly
carved gods of the Chez Kung Tong,
the leaders of the societies became des-
perate. Their followers began to COM
plain that they were poor managers;
that things were going wrong on &C
count of inattention to the affairs of
their Offices The malcontents urged
that If proper pecuniary arrangements
had been made by the police they
would not have been molested.
But, notwiths landing all their grum.
bling, the blockade was continued and
the Matchmaking business grew quieter.
After Sergt. Prices famous raid it was
almost at standstill. The highbiud-
ers, bereft of the protection of their
wooden gods, were unable to impress
the merchants with their power for in
juring them should they decline to &C
cede to the demands for tribute.
The methods that have been prac-
ticed by the yellow blackmailers for
years are as follows:
A wealthy merchant is visited and
told that unless a certain sum of money
is paid within certain time some great
harm will bcfan him. In order to Gre
ate strong impression the victim is
taken to the headquarters of the socie-
ty, where he is shown the grinning joss
and the implements of warfare on the
walls.
But after the idols were destroyed
the merchants did not seem to be very
greatly impressed. Perhaps the true
reason was that they thought that at
last the police were making an effort to
protect them At any rate the high
binders themselves declared it was be-
cause their gods had been broken up.
So it was that the Suey Sings were
proud and powerful above all the other
longs, because the police filled to mo-
lest their gods.
A very nice-looking old fellow is the
Sucy Sing joss. His smile is one of the
most terrible and awe-inspiring posi-
BILE, according to Monaghan standards.
His whislSers, long and sparse, have for
years been guarded from every zephyr
by his faithful priests, so that now they
are filed with sandalwood ashes and
dust. Still he is mighty god.
II
much less power and dimensions, but yet
o very good joss for some things. The
Suey Sings were all happy and prosper
Gus for awhile, but schism arose and a
faction led by Chan Wan seeded from
the main body.
But everything was settled peaceful
ly between the two branches of the old
society, and the seceders, led by Chan
Wan, retained the possession of the
mascot josses. The mode of settling
was n sort of lottery. The two factions
met at place on Pine street by agree
ment, and it was settled that which
ever side won should be entitled to the
idols. Both sides were anxious, and
there were some even who preferred to
fight the matter out rather than take
any chances, and for time it
looked as though there might be a
large-siZed row. But the cooler-head-
ed members advised peace, and after
the little dispute had been quoted
down the implements by which the for
tunate party was to be decided were
produced. They consisted simply of
two light pine boards about fourteen
inches long and four inches wide. One
of them was painted black on one side
and the other had one side painted
white. The method of gambling is
quite simple. The boards are held aloft
together and dropped to the floor. One
side chooses white and the other black.
Should the white side of the board turn
mp the side choosing that color wins,
and so with the black. Should both
eolors or both backs turn up ut the same
time the throw is declared off.
There was lot of ceremony attend
ing the production Of the boards. Each
side examined them to see that they
were perfectly fair and that neither of
them was weighted so as to turn GER