The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-02
A HIGHBINDER COURT
It's Sentence Nearly Causes Riot
Among Chinese.
SUSPECTED iNFoRMER FINED.
Rivalry Between smugglers Of Contra-
bands Enrages the Factions-Ter-
rfble "six Companies."

There was great excitement among the
Chinese of the city last evening, and for
time bloody scene was threatened be-
tween the TWO factions Of the highlander
element. A Chinaman named All Jim
was accused by All How of informing the
customs officers of the arrival in the city
Thursday of four of their countrymen,
and last evening he was given hearing
before the Seattle branch of the six
Companies" of San Francisco. He was
found guilty as charged, and fined SIS.
All How is one of the srnartest China
men on the Coast and at one time was en-
ployed by Henry L. Yesler as domestic,
but now he is in business for himself on
Washington street. All Jim has not lived
in the city long and is with Gee Lee, the
Jackson street Chinese merchant. Because
of the competition in the contra
band opium and Chinese smuggling
business, fierce rivalry has sprung
up between the Washington street and
Jackson street Chinese merchants. When
ever batch of smuggled Cinnamon ar
rives in the city ''steerer" is informed
and he purchases tickets for them, and for
q handsome ''rake-off" pilots them to the
depot and sees that the officers are eff
fectually hoodwinked. All How had this
business all TO himself for long time, and
ii is said that he is backed by Wa Chong.
So profitable a business, however, in
duced All jim, new arrival from
San Francisco, to enter the field as All
How's competitor. All Jim was backed
by Gee Lee, and for several months All
How and All Jim have been plying their
nefarious vocations. and the rivaly has
been intense. Last Thursday four China
men arrived in town from over the Brit
ish boundary and were met by All How,
who piioted them about the city, bought
them tickets for Chicago and. tagging the
Northern Pacific train On the Grant street
bridge, succeeded in putting them on
board.
In some manner the customs officers
learned of the paneuver and Deputy Col
lector Mckenzie and Inspector Mum
went in pursuit of the Mongolians. Nc
Kenzie overlook them at Spokane and had
them arrested, but they were subse-
quently released. Their arrest caused All
How to become wild with rage, and
he Immediately went cunning for All Jim,
who, he declares. had watched his move
-'ents and notified the authorities. All
Jim complained to Mr.. Mckenzie yester-
day that his life was in danger, and re-
quested that he go down and assure All
How that he got his information from an
other quarter.
Last night at O'Clock the matter was
brought before the branch of the "Six
Companies. and meeting of the society
was called and All Jim was summoned to
be present and stand trial. An Jim, being
q member of the society and bound to
obey the call or suffer death by the treach-
erous knife, appeared, and his hearing
took place in the hall over Wa Chong's
store on South Fourth street. The
hall contained about 800 China
men. Wa Chong controlled the meeting
Great excitement prevailed, and as Wa
Chong's following is far greater than that
of Gee Lee, matters looked very black for
All Jim. and All How was with difficulty
kept from inficting bodily punishment on
his rival. The hearing was concluded at
10 O'Clock and despite All Jim's protesta-
tions of innocence he was fined SIS.
AT the close of the trial nearly all of the
Cinnamon filed sullenly out of the hall,
down the stairs and into the street. They
armed themselves with knives, rocks and
clubs and awaited All Jim's appearance,
intending to give him an unmerciful beat
ing. All Jim was surrounded in the hall by
about dozen of his friends, who were
AFRAID to let him 60 lest he should be
killed. Finally one of the Cinnamon
hunted up Inspector Mum, who escorted
All Jim through the threatening mob to
Gee Lees store on jackson street.
The six Companies" is a Highlander
organization with headquarters in San
Francisco, and all the branch societies in
North America are subordinate to 1t. 1t
is required of every Chinaman TO
become a member of the order.
and this means the taking of many
solemn obligations. The branch companies
have power not only TO assess fines upon
breakers ofthe rules but can infict capital
punishment, and there is no appeal from
their decisions. After sentence of death
has been passed all the members of
the order are required to consti-
tute themselves committees of one
aid in carrying it out The workings of
the order are SO complicated and deep
that it is impossible for the authorities to
break it up or get at the bottom of it.
Whenever Chinaman is killed his body is
hidden. but if the police find it the re-
mains are buried at the expense of the
county, for even his relatives are afraid TO
claim them and his slayers are sure of i'm
r..