The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-10-05
THE TRIADS OF CHINA
oLpE9T AND MOST INFAMOUS
OF SOCIETIES.
Their Long Career Of Lawiessness ana
Piraoy-Cause Of the Tai-Ping Rebel
iion-Goverument aud Ceremony Of
the Society.

The oldest and most Infamous Of the
many Chinese organizations is the
Triad secret society, which, according
to late reports, is in league with the
Boxers. The origin is so remote that
the society's book Of rites contains the
statement that II has existed since the
foundation Of the earth. The society's
teachings are exalted to such an ex-
tent that many seem to come boldly
out Of the Sermon on the Mount. I'm
fortunately, however, their practice is
different from their teaching. A more
disreputable organization was never
created to become a thorn in the flesh
Of all workers in the cause Of law and
order.
About $50 years ago the Ming dynas-
ty was overthrow by the T~artars.
Shortly after this event the Triads
r%eorganized to oppose the Manchu con
querors. Since hat time the league
has enjoyed a reputation for lawless-
ness unparalleled even in the history
Of China. It's members spread over the
whole Of the far east. Manila knew
NAIAAf ~ nEA oUAAUMs I he ANANEM EUl-
Oaies suffered from their d%epredations.
At length, when the residents Of Man
lila had endured long enough the out
RACES OF the society (which had made
necessary many times the calling out
Of the g%arrison), members of the Triad
League were by law forbidden to come
into the colony. The Dutch followed
the example Of the Spanish without
loss of time. Thus driven out from
their former happy hunting grounds
the Triads looked for fresh fields. and
found them, as they supposed, in Sar-
awak. They descended, 1000 strong,
on the Malays, burned their houses,
seized their ships, and were about to
embark on what promised to be a ca
reer of bloody piracy, when Rajah
Brooke appeared with a force of Dyaks
and defeated them. Singapore has suf-
fered as severely as any colony from
the outrages of this society, and more
than once the Triads have taken pos
session Of the city. They were official
ly suppressed in 1873, but practically
existed until a much later time. In
Hongkong they were from the founda-
ton Of the colony forbidden to enter,
but they have from time to time crept
in, and have required the full force Of
the law before they could be re-
strained.
There is practically no doubt tina;
the TAPPING rebellion was due to the
Triads, About the time of the instiga-
ton of the rebellion the Triads had SO
, openly opposed the government that
armed resistance was the only course
open to them. They were then as law-
less a band as at any period Of their
history, but the leader Of the revolt.
Hung Sau Tsun, obtained some knowl-
edge of Christianity, and ~endeavored
to purify the society and to urge the
establishment of a dynasty that would
rule according to the high principles OF
Jesus and Confucius. king of the
Heavenly Kingdom of Universal
Peace" was the title he rave himself.
To the standard focked enthusiasts
and malcontents OF all classes; to pre-
vent desertion these we're branded on
the cheek with the words Tai Ping"
But the good resolutions of the leader
came to naught, as history tells. The
morals Of his followers and the i'll
success of his armies d%isheartened
him. He became crazed, and the com
ing Of Gen. Gordon to command the
Chinese army completed the overthrow
of the rebellion.
J The society is governed by five grand
masters, equal to one another in power.
The lodges are ruled by subordinate
masters, whose power is absolute.
Members are required to take an oath
of implicit obedience; they also prom
Use to support M another, even against
the law. Members are known to fell
low members by an elaborate system
Of signs. These are so many and ex
press such different meanings that