The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1900-07-17
CONSUL The
FORMER
Yang Wei Pin Branded
Bow Wongs,
He ACKNOWLEDGES II
Chinese 0fficlaI Says he Only did
His Duty in Marking
out Members.

Yang Wei Pin. Consul General of
China to Hawaii. says IT Is 50. lie dld
send to the Chinese Government the
names OF the members of the Bow
Wong Wui of Hawaii. He did brand the
local refUrmers as adhercnts OF the So
ciety tor the restoration of the EN-
perur, kwaug Hsu, to the throne OF
China and tor the overthrow of the
rule of the Empress, who has proved
such bitter enemy to reform.
Yang Wei Pin was accused by the
Bow Wongs in Honolulu of marking out
9heir families in China for ruin. And
now Yang Wei Pin acknowledges the
charge.
II am the Consul of China" says he.
land it is my duty to obey orders. When
the Bow Wong Wui was organized here
i warned all of the Chinese TO keep out
OF 1t. | told them that they wouIu be
marked men, that they would earn the
stern dislike of China, and that they
would suffer If they became members
of the reform society. ! was directed
to do this by Minister WI Ting Fang.
who wrote me from Washington. These
societies had been formed in China for
some time previous, and while there
might have been some excellent ideas
Incorporated in them, there was much
that was pernicious and against the
CnlneSe NIONeIIlIDelil, anu nuNuIdlly IL
was thought wise to discourage my
countrymen from joining. These facts
were set forth in me proclamation
which issued. Shortly after this how
ever, the Bow Wong, which had or
ganized. sent their circulars broadcast
over America and even to many places
in China. These circulars gave the
names of the various officers of the
society. Naturally the Chinese papers
nj, 11a nf the QnriatV in
this place. and our Government soon
took cognizance OF 1t.
1.-THE Chinese Government communi-
Gated with Minister WI, and asked If
it was true, as stated by the circulars,
that the Bow Wong had been organized
in Honolulu. He turned to me for in
formation upon this point, and in Janu-
AIRY ! received n communication upon
the subject from him. He requested me
10 provide him with the names of the
officers and members of the society, and
also to keep him posted regarding the
progress of the organization. / had no
choice in the matter, as 1t was an Of
ticial communication, so / at once pro-
vided him with the information he
sought.
Now as to the claims of the mem.
bers of the society that their faml-
lies are being imprisoned by the Chi
nese Government, have no information
and know nothing about it, Certainly,
if such is the case. the members of the
Bow Wong have no one but themselves
to blame for their trouble, as 1t was
their circulars that first provided the
Chinese Government with the names.
/ can say. however, that 1t is the custom
of our Government to place under ar
rest members of the family of those
who are engaged in working against
the Government, If, of course, it is i'm
possible TO apprehend the real offend
ers. / regret that the people should
be in trouble. and l wish that il lay
within my power to aid those who are
in need of assistance. l specially eau
1ioned and advised them in my procla-
nation. however, against having any
thing to do with the reform association
and have also used my personal intlu-
ence to prevent their joining"
The Bow Wongs here are bitter
against the Consul. News of their fam
lilies being seized and imprisoned has
worked up the members to high pitch.
Each mail brings information of more
arrests, and though for a while the
sufferers here We're disposed TO hid"
their grief now they are telling publicly
OF ii. The Bow Wong Wui has acted
with very little secrecy. 1t has printed
and distributed broadcast circulars
with names of members, and have even
ilGAu tiitlt plIAbiGS III a blpup
with each portrait signed with the auto
graph of the original. They are proud
of being Bow longs, and say they have
nothing to hide.
l.. Y. Lamsai, assistant secretary of
The Bow Wongs, has received startling
auvices from friends in Hongkong In
regard to the seizure of members of his
family by the Imperial Government,
and their Imprisonment.
Mr. IamSai. when questioned VnGtpr-
day by an Advertiser reporter about
the messages he had received from Chi
ma, said:
1.-THE Chinese Consul here has written |
the Chinese Minister at Washington to |
notify the Government in Canton of my |
connection with the Bow Wongs, and |
asking that my family there be ar
cested.
''Thc Magistrate of Canton sent eighty
soldiers to arrest my family, which re-
sides at the village of Tong Gar, out
side the city. They made and arrest,
thinking ii was my father, but they
took the wrong man. When they start
ed for the village the second time my
father received word OF their intention
and fled with my mother and their chill |
dren. The troops. however, found my
grandmother and took her, with a SER |
want girl of the family aged Is years |
TO Canton, where they have been put |
in prison. My grandmother is SIS years |
Of age, yet she has been cast into prison /
as If she were a person who could in
jure the Government.
THE troops broke into the family |
residence, looted II and carried away
everything of value-all the wardrobes |
Jewels and trinkets. My brother and /
cousins, who live in Canton. have sent
"A petition to the Governor of Canton,
asking for the release of my grand
smother and the servant. but further
than this l have not heard"