The Portland daily press., 1897-06-02
SLIPPERY SAM YlCK.
A Slick Chinese Robber, Who Started for
the Orient in a Box.

(From the San Francisco Chronicle.)
If Sam Yiok will apply for it, he can
easily obtain from the postal authorities
diploma for being the subtlest celestial
| they have ever had to deal with.
| For weeks he robbed the mails without
detection, for ten months he eyaded the
active search that was made for him,
and finally he had himself boxed up as
| freight, and right under the very eyes of
customs and postal officials shipped
aboard Chinese steamship and so safely
reached the Flowry Kingdom, where the
little matter of forgery and robbing the
United States mails do not count against
mans social standing or put him in
jeopardy of San Quintin.
Sam Yick came to this country early in
life. He attended the public schools Of
this city, and by the time he was 90 years
old was accounted one of the shrewdest
and most capable young Chinese in
Chinatown. He became member Of the
well known butcher firm Of Men, Yick &
Co., and was looked upon as rising
young business man and one Of the pillars
of his tong.
In the early part of 1890 series of post
office robberies was committed which
baffled the keenest Investigations of the
Postal Inspectors. A post office employee
was suspected, but he was able to clear
himself, and the mystery seemed insolu :
| BILE. Letters containing drafts, money
orders and currency, directed to number
of Chinese and even to one or two Ameri-
can firms, were rifed of their contents
somewhere after they were placed In the
post office and before they reached their
destination. Success made Sam Yick
vain and boastful, and he told friend of
his misdeeds. An attempt was made to
arrest him on the night Of Jan. II, 1896,
but Yick was warned just in time and
escaped over the roofs with the officers
in hot pursuit From the Investigations
made at the time it was found that he
had in some manner secured keys to the
post office boxes Ct the firms he robbed,
and, with daring and audacity almost
unparalleled, he took the mail from the
boxes, rifled it of its valuables, and con-
verified these to his own use. Of course,
this made forgery necessary, but Yick had
not gone to school to no purpose. He
was an adept with the pen, and initiated
both Chinese and English chirography
with skill. 1t is said that the net results
of his felonies during the few weeks he
| was Su2dgGu LII Uu6ll W6T6 dU ltttSU Pt,OUU.
When suddenly forced to leave his bed
to escape the officers he made his way to
the int rior of the state somewhere and
remained concealed for about ten months.
At the end of that time friend made up
his mind to go to China, and Yick con-
cluded to go with him, but he was SO
well known and the postal authorities
were SO active in the search for him that
he did not dare risk any ordinary dis
guises. Even to attempt to get to San
Francisco was attended with danger. In
this predicament he had himself boxed
up and shipped by rail to this city. Here
he was entered at the Custom House for
export as freight and put aboard one Of
the outgoing steamers.
When safely out at sea his friend who
was aboard as one of the passengers,
helped him to get out of his packing case
and he made the rest of the trip in com
FORT But just how his friend managed
to see that the box was kept right side
up with care while it was being handled
in the process of shipment, and was moi
slowed away in the lower part of the
hold with tons and tons of freight or
top of him, is one of the mysteries thai
has not yet been cleared up. 1t seems
however, that he did, for word has beer
received that he arrived safely on the
otherssside, and is now drinking tea ant
} eating bird nests with rice in Canton il
the elegant leisure his $4,000 affords him