The record-union., 1899-04-21
FRESNO'S HIGHBINDER WAR.
THE END BELIEVED TO BE NOT
YET IN SIGHT.
More Hatchetmen Sent for BY the
Leaders in Wednesday
Nights Tragedy.

| FRESNO, April 20.-Chinatown was
all excitement to-day and business
men over there were afraid to move out
of doors. 1t is hard to get them to talk
about the affair, but one Chinese mer-
chant was found who expressed him
self without fear. He says he saw Hop
Lee, the laundryman who is in Jail, de-
liberately shoot another Chinaman.
Hop Lee, it is alleged, is the leader
or manager of one of the societies here,
and is the one man that the merchants
fear as they do the devil
Tis merchant says that after Hop Lee
had killed his man he rushed into his
house and took off his coat of mali,
and telephoned to San Francisco that
| the war was on, and to send fifteen
more hatchetmen on this evenings S
train. 1t is said that all of these high
binders will not come directly to
Fresno. While perhaps five or six will
come directly here, others will drop off
at MADEIRA, and some go to Hanford by
the Valley road, from which places
they will drive to- Fresno this evening
under cover of darkness.
The officers have found three China
man and two Chinese women who will
swear that they saw Hop Lee kill one
man.
That the end is not yet in sight seems
to be the general opinion among the
merchants in Chinatown, and the po-
lice and county officers, under the di-
rection of Marshal Morgan and Sheriff
Collins, are working hard to avert an
other outbreak.
There is little to add to the China
town shooting tonight. All is still
confusion in the Chinese quarter. Busi-
ness is practically suspended, as the
merchants are afraid to keep their
stores open. Every man, whether
Chinaman or white person, who enters
one of the stores is watched closely The
companies held a meeting late to-day
and requested the authorities to furnish
more pol.cemen fer the Chinatown quar-
ter, as they claimed more highbinders
were on the road from San Francisco
So far as known, however, none came
in tonight.
This afternoon the Coroner's inquest
was held ON the remains of Leon Tung
The principal witness was Night
Watchman Hi Rapelji, and he OCCASION
ed a surprise by testifying that he had
caught a man at random, and that he
was not the murderer of Leon Tung
Wong Duck, who is under arrest for
murder, was captured by Rapelji To-
night, however, Rapelji confessed that
he had attempted to shield the China
man, and that as matter of fact Duck
held Leong Gee down while Leon Tung
shot him, and that he (RapeljD had
killed Leon Tung. Rapelji will take the
stand tomorrow and testify to those
facts.
While the hatchetmen were at war
in Chinatown last night, the newly
elected Board of City Trustees were
welding the official hatchet with dead
ly effect on the police force. The board
stands three Republicans against two
Democrats, and Policemen Smith,
Hennelly, Walton, McSwain and Morss,
all Democrats, We're removed, the board
appointing L. p. Timmins Tony Rice
and w. d. Parker to fill the vacancies,
leaving two officers yet to be appoint
ed.
Considerable Indignation was ex-
pressed around town to-day that the
board should let Morss go, after his
gallant stand against the highbinders
last might, and a petition will proba-
bly, be presented to the board asking
them to reinstate him as a reward for
his act of bravery
In other departments where the board
has the power to appoint, Democrats
made room for Republicans.