The herald., 1897-01-31

izations, which are a law unto them
selves, it is necessary to first under
stand the nature of this peculiar race.
They are excessively clanish, and jeal-
ously preserve their family relationship
through all its various ramifications.
Each family has it's own especial gods
or josses which take particular care Of
their affairs, although, of course, the
great spirits Of the universe are supreme
and are worshiped by all alike. When
Chinese leaves his native land and comes
to this country his first act is generally
to ally himself to one Of the great Six
Companies, as they are called, whose
headquarters are in San Francisco.
These companies were originally form
ed years ago by emigrating Chinese for
the purpose Of mutual advantage and
protection to members. Each company
is composed of celestials coming from
certain district or portion Of the Flow
cry kingdom, and the newly arrived
coolie naturally seeks the organization
where he will find friends from his own
section, who will look after his in terests,
aid him in securing employment, etc.
AS the great bulk of Chinese immigrants
are densely ignorant and utterly unac-
customed to the ways Of the new world,
they place themselves blindly in the
hands Of one of the companies and are
sent in squads to work at various occu-
pations wherever there may be a call
for their services. The leaders, thus
accustomed to the handling of large
forces of men, in time grew to have great
power and became influential and
wealthy.
While there are but the six great COM
panies, their success stimulated the for
nation of others, which are also pros
porous, but have not attained the magni-
tude of the older organizations. The
original companies bear the names of
Soon Oak, Won Hoy, Poon Yue, Kong
CHOW, Min Yung and Hop Wo. From
this latter organization there was de-
fectlon some years ago and the seced
Ing element formed a new society to
which they gave the name of Show
Hing. In the struggle for precedence
among these organizations they grad
ually separated into two sides and hung
together In any matter which might
arise over which there was any dis
agreement. At stated intervals the lead
ers of the companies met and considered
questions which were laid before them,
but up to a couple of years ago there
was no open rupture.
AS stated there are really seven in
stead OF six great companies and as they
gradually lined up in opposition they
were given the appellations of the Sam
Yups and See Yups. In Chinese. Yup
means district. and the prefix designa ties
the number Thus the See Yups COM
prise four companies, the Kong Chow.
Min Yung, Hop Wo and Show Hing: and
the Sam Yups, or three districts. en-
brace the Soon Oak, Nom How and Poon
Yue societies. There are also several
smaller but independent companies who
took no sides and threw their strength
as to them seemed best in any DISPUTE
which arose. These are the Yen Wo and
Young Wo tongs or societies.
A little over two years ago a. coolie
belonging to the Sam Yup faction was
murdered in Chinatown, and in the
search for the murderer a See Yup man
named Mock Tai was arrested by the
police and jailed. He asserted his inno-
cence and evidently convinced the lead
ers of his faction that he was not guilty.
for they began proceedings looking to
his release. The Sam Yup leaders were
vigorous in the prosecution of Mock Tai
and were called upon by delegation
of the See Yups, who protested that the
wrong man was being prosecuted and
asked that this be stopped. The Sam
Yups would not listen to their proposals
and stoutly maintained that the right
man was in jail-that the murder had
been committed By See Yup. anyway,