The herald., 1897-01-25
THE MURDER OF LITTLE PETE
Promises to Result In a High.
binder War
THE RASCAL HAD FRIENDS
And They Swear Vengeance Against the
See Yup Men
Six Cinnamon Are Under Arrest, but
Their Conviction Is Not at All
Likely.
Associated Press Special Wire

muruer OF Llttle Fete, the DOSS OF China
| town, who was shot by highbinders last
night, has caused sensation here Little
Pete was a power in San Francisco
among both whites and Cinnamon. In
| many respects he was a remarkable
man. He was born in China about 81
years ago, and came to this country
when years old. His first employment
was as an errand boy in shoe store,
where he earned $40 a month. He was
ambitious and attended night school for
several years. He then got a position
as interpreter for firms doing business
with the custom house. He saved lit
tie money and started small shoe man
ufactory. The business grew, and at
the time of his death the factory was
one of the largest in San Francisco 1t
is known that Little Pete had $100, 900 in
vested in China, and his fortune is es-
timated at from $150.000 to $500, 900. Little
Pete, or Ching Fong, which was his
Chinese name, is credited with having
organized the first highbinder society in
San Francisco. He got together some
years ago all the dissolute Chinese
characters and criminals he could find,
and under his direction they levied tri-
butte from Chinatown. Little Pete get
ting most of the money. He was very
successful in securing to his adherents
immunity from punishment by law, but
finally got into trouble He was charged
with attempting to bribe two police
men and was convicted and sentenced
to five years in prison. The supreme
court, however, granted him new trial,
and he was acquitted.
The murdered man was credited with
being at the head Of every shady trans
action in Chinatown. He owned
gambling dens and brothels and landed
many Chinese illegally. He was a true
gambler and the game was not known
that he could not beat His brief but
lucrative campaign at the race track
here surprised everybody. Two years
ago Little Pete commenced to play the
races. At first he bet legitimately. but
found he could not win fast enough.
He soon found means to work a sure
thing, however. Three of the best jock
eys at the track were secretly in his
employ, and the Chinese plunger COM
menced; murders have been frequent
with having cleaned up 100000 before
his scheme was discovered and he, with
his Jockeys, ruled off the track.
The murder was undoubtedly the re-
suit of bitter quarrel between the Sam
Yup and See Yup companies. Little
Pete was the leading spirit of the Sam
Yups, composed of merchants. The See
Yups, comprising the laboring element,
declared a boycott against the Sam
Yups, and a war Of determination COM
menced; murder have been frequent,
and generally the victims were See Yup
men. These crimes were credited to
Little Pete's influence, and the See Yups
set price on his head. Three thousand
dollars was the amount offered, and a
proclamation to that effect was posted
in IN q OF I,;r
guard and for months never went about
unprotected. Last night however, he
sent his bodyguard out for a newspaper
while he was being shaved, and the mur-
derers, who were on the watch, seized
the opportunity and did their work
Six Chinese have been arrested for the
crime, but it is extremely doubtful even
If the police have got the right men,
whether they can secure their convic-
ton. Little Pete had many friends and
already they are vowing vengeance. An
extra force of police has been detailed
to maintain order in Chinatown, but
even their presence, it is feared, will not
restrain the warning clans
Probably the most uncertain man in
town is King Owyang, the Chinese vice
consul. He knows that he, too, has been
marked for murder, and, with Chinese
stoicism, is calmly awaiting the end
King Owyang is graduate of Yale, and
for several years he has been vice-consul
at this port for the Chinese government
He has been active in trying to maintain
order in Chinatown and has sided with
the Sam Yups in the fight against the
See Yups. Although no price has been
publicly set on Owyang's head, as in the
case of Little Pete, it is we'll known
that the See Yup men are after him. and
that 1t Is only question of time when
they will get him. Little Pete and King
Owyang, it is stated, took contract to
break up the See Yups in this city
Private detectives were hired who dog
ged the See Yup men constantly and
broke into their meeting places and,
destroyed their furniture The See
Yups appealed to the courts and the
detectives were enjoined from further
operations. King Owyang, when asked
today what he thought his chances were,
said: "They haven't got me yet, but
they got Little Pete" AS Little Pete
was the most feared man in Chinatown,
and was supposed to be invulnerable,
there is every prospect that the vice con-
sui will soon follow him. Wong Sing
and Chin Poy, the two Chinese arrested
last night for the murder. have begun to
tell contradictory stories and the pub
tic are certain they have the right men.
The men are said to have been import
ed to avenge the murder of Gew Sing,
who was shot because he owed money to
one of Little Pete's gambling houses.
The Chinese code demands life for a life
and 1t makes no difference who is killed
SO long as he is sufficiently prominent