The San Francisco call., 1899-04-30

the object of the society is blackmail. and
although all members are not expected to
serve as assaSsns he is well aware of
the fact that if murder be necessary to
enforce or emphasize his demands 1t is
an easy matter to hire certain members
of his own gang of cutthrOats to perform
the deed for comparatively reasonable
sum.
The following list of questions and an
swers | have copied verbatim:
Any person wishing to join this society must
listen to the instructions of the headmen, who
teach him, above all. obedience to parents.
All must obey the companys law and the
orders of the headmen. If a brother through
disobedience or inattention to the orders of the
headmen gets into trouble, he must manage
for himself. the society will have nothing to
do with it.
Any member being about to marry, if ne ap-
ply to the society headmen they will present
him with ST.
Any member dying and leaving wife or
children here without of subsistence,
If they come and acqusint the headmen they
will receive 81 and fifty cattes of rice
If a woman belonging to a member of the
society away with another man. he must
not secretly call together the brethren to come
forward and break the laws of the Government
by fighting; il is his own business and he must
manage it; the headmen will not interfere If
his lawful wife away with another man he
should acquaint the headmen, and II he has no
money TO take proceedings in court they Will
provide him with sufficient sum to pay costs
and so let the Government punish the offender.
A member must, above all things, honor and
obey his parents; If any brother abuse curse
his parents on the headmen being acquainted
with 1t they will dismiss him from the So
ciety.
Any member (whether headmen or merely
common member) running away with broth
er's lawful wife or concubine will be dismissed
from the society by the headmen on acquaint-
ance with the fact.
If any member go abroad and quarrel, or
commit murder, or even shed blood, the head
men will not interfere; he must go before the
police and be punished.
1t is not permitted for member to intro
duce into the society any person employed by
the Government: any MEMBER breaking this
rule will be dismissed from the society and
severely punished as the headmen may direct.
Any member of the society wishing to borrow
money must conform to the rules of the
ciety as to interest, period etc; he must not
charge ask more than the rate fixed by
the headmen.
Any member who shall shelter hide the
runaway wife of a brother member will be
dismissed from the society ard punished as the
headmen may direct.
Any member who may be arrested for quar-
reling. gambling or any other minor offense
against the laws of the Government under
headmen for bail If he is tried and sentenced
he must pay his fine or suffer imprisonment,
the headmen will have nothing further to
do with the case.
Any member guilty of striking. cursing or
abusing his father or mother must be brought
before the headmen. who will reprove him and
fix punishment as they may think proper.
All these rules the candidate makes sol
emn promise to obey, and in order to more
securely bind him to his word he is
obliged to take oath to the following in
junction:
Il swear to obey my parents. I swear to
obey all the instructions of the headmen of the
society and should / forget my vows may I
within one hundred days die by icing cut to
pieces or in the five seas, my flesh floating
the surface, and my bones sinking to the bot
tom.
II swear after entering the tong gate to be-
comes one of the tong family, and should 1 see
a brother of the tong family fighting with my
twin brother who is a tong brother to do
all in my power to separate them. but to
no violence against my tong brother. If L
break this oath may my intestines fall out or
may thunder strike or fire burn to
death.
Il also swear that were 1 to see one of my
tong brothers in the custody of the police or
other Government officers to do all in my power
to him (without breaking the laws of
the country p. Should l disregard this rule
and pass the matter over of no consequence
may within one hundred days thunder strike
me down dead in the road and may my bones
perish in the rivers and
After entering the tong gate 1 promise not