The morning call., 1895-01-25
WAR GODS In PRISON.
The Police DethrOne Them in
Chinatown.
TO SUPPRESS HIGHBINDERS.
Chinese Merchants Menaced by the
Hatehet Men.
so MANY RAIDS ARE MADE In TIME.
Headquarters Of Seven Gangs Of DeSper.
ADDE'S Demolished in Presence Of
Their Occupants.
50 MANY RAIDS ARE MADE In TIME

The Chinese god of war was made to bite
the dust last night in more places than
one, while Mortified highbinders looked on
in amazement. 1t was the grand inaug-
uration of New Year festivities in China
town. The streets were bright with COL
ored lanterns and the pungent odor of
burning punk assembled from hundred
shrines. Every nook and corner was
packed with Mongolians and white visitors,
and the many highbinders were preparing
for veritable harvest of blackmail and its
inevitable accompaniment in Chinatown
murder.
In seven places these outlaws were
gathered. Some of them had built affairs
and enthroned idols decked with grotesque
metal ornaments, urns and gorgeous orien-
tai embroideries. Only the war god, the
fierce unconquerable hero who presides
over the destinies of all belligerent Chinese,
was thus honored by them, but hardly
were the affairs finished before squads of
policemen with axes in hand dashed in
and demolished them.
This wholly unexpected action of the po-
lice created CONSERVATION among the bind
ers. Sergeant Gillian and his men made
similar raid about ten days ago when in
formed by Chinese merchants that unless
prompt measures were taken to suppress
the desperadoes an outbreak might occur
any day before the present festive time came
to close. Several signs and insignia of
the highbinders were then confiscated. Ser
geant Gillian was told early yesterday that
the respectable element of Chinatown was
greatly excited by an influx of well-known
highbinders from Stockton and Fresno.
81 received notification" said the SER
geant, "that gangs of desperate characters
had arrived and systematic blackmail of
merchants was in order. The object was
to support several highlander societies. So
made an investigation quietly and found
that the highbinders had hung out signs
and opened headquarters. I also saw
enough to convince me that these fellows
meant business"
The police waited for night to come be-
fore making simultaneous raid on the
Ratchet mems headquarters. Policemen
McManus, Lynch and Ellis raided the
Dock Tin Tong, at $40 Clay street, and cap
tured war joss, which the Mongols tried
to hide. The altar, code of laws and other
paraphernalia were confiscated. AZ 35
Waverly place the Say Teen Tong resort
was broken into and denuded of its signs
and papers. The Hig Sig highbinders, at
70l Spofford alley, were next raided.
At the same time Sergeant Gillian and
Policemen Tuite and Duane surprised the
Sam Ducks at Ross alley, the Ben On
Tong at S15k Jackson street, the Wah
Ting Sang Tong at 1913 Dupont street, and
the Kai Sen Shea Tong at 819% Washing
ton street. The Kai Sen Shea highbinders
had an elaborate josshouse. Their affairs
were decorated with costly metal vessels,
vases and candlesticks and draped with
magnifcently embroidered silks, and all
around were condemnatory pictures and
signs in frames.
While the police were gathering up every
thing portable the highbinders hid their
war god beneath an ebony table. But the
police knew from experience that it breaks
the spirit of the ruffians to carry off the
joss and hunt for the god followed. A
howl of imprecations burst from the mad
dened outlaws when the joss was found
and confscated.
| No more desperate society exists in
Chinatown than this same Kai Sen Shea,
which. the police say, has a bad record.
The Ben On Tong is similarly dreaded by
the peaceable Chinese, for its Ratchet men
bear reputation for absolute disregard
| for life and law.