Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-10-13

theirs Of the inquisitlon did in Spain in
the old days TO gain adherents. 1t is
claimed that gaining converts and new
members goes on all the time. The
more recruits the more money for the
fund Of the society. If man Is asked
to join and does not, he Il from then
markell ran ana may seen expect all
The calamifics 10 befall him, among
which are terrible beatings, arrests on
false accusations or possibly, IL the
case seems to warrant it, he is seized
and carried TO some spot where his
cries are not heard and tortured and
decapitated.
No tales invented by the enemies Of
Freenasonry can match the actual
facts Of the toitures ana horrible mu-
tilations inflicted on those deemed in
imical to the safety of the different So
cieties, and many have persisted most
miserably. 1t is impossible to know
the workings Of Chinese justice, ham,
pered as it is by the secret power of
these societies. One part of the oath
is a command to mind each his own
business, and next he is ordered under
penalties of death and mutilation never
to tell any part Of the secrets belong
ing to any Of these societies, and one
of them sentences him to the most
cruel death if he calls upon any officer
of the law or judge or magistrate OF
any kind under any circumstances
whatever If a Chinaman ever goes
into court, it is because for purposes Of
It's own an officer of the society to
which the man belongs orders him to
go there for his own reasons. Every
member Of all the societies is obliged
TO refer all troubles and disputes to the
council.
This puts a power into the hands of
these societies impossible to explain or
imagine. They hide each others crimes
and help the condemned to escape. and
often hapless innocent men are behead-
ed or mutilated and tortured beyond
recognition. After one of their upris-
ings over 1900 men were beheaded in
one day. and it is asserted that the
most of them We're enemies to that So
ciety, taking unwillingly the places of
the real offenders. AT one time an eff
fort was made to crush the Wu-Wei-
Keaou, and after months Of fighting so
many thousands were taken that the
viceroy offered liberty to those who
would break their vows against meat
Some did this. but they might better
have been beheaded at once, as they
one by one paid the penalty of their
broken oaths by the Ling Chez method
a
had it not been so tragic. 1t lasted
several months and seemed almost like
magic, and at last the whole popula-
ton was thrown into panic. This was
caused by the dropping off of their
pigtails. After several months it was
discovered that men of the society OF
u-Wei-Keaou were doing these sacri-
legious acts by means of small scis-
sors and some drug which caused the
hair to rot and fall off by it's own
weight, and they were arrested, and
as soon as the government found out
who had done it all they promptly
squelched the investigation. The 10
Lao Hwey is strong, apd 1t is more
than probable that this society more
than any other is the power behind
the present state of affairs. They
have headquarters in Human and Ho-
nan, which are the central provinces
The society is mostly composed of sol
dierS who are said to be vicious and
bloodthirsty and to claim their de-
scent from the true imperial line. This
is considered by those in a position to
know to be a military conspiracy. 1t
has caused several disturbances, the
worst being in 1901. when it was
their intention to blow up the powder
magazine.
The control which the Six Compa-
MES exercise over the destnies of the
Chinese in this country, and particu-