Morris tribune., 1901-06-15

B lSs ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ III u u
| people encountered tine ynlnese wer
the worst for trickery. There are plen
4 ty of honest Chinese traders located a
!; Singapore, as honest as the same mum
Der Of foreigners, but as to the Chimes
afoat I never met asquare man. Ifount
beach and every one to be the slickes
kkind Of liar and swindler. What pur
ported to be silver bars would, turn GU
TO be- lead thinly coated, gold ingot
would be a deception and snare, ant
they would even go to the pains O
c0unterfeitfng such cheap coins that
takes % Of them to make an American
cent 1t was stipulated In my bono
that I should make good all losses arts
ing, through any carelessness Of count
ing or handling, and there was never, /
moment when my vigilance could b
relaxed .'r*y ~ tS-.-''s-,ti-'s'''s * *
Almost at the beginning OF my career
I had business with a Chinese trader
named sWhhng Ton. That was The
name he gave, and he pretended tx
deal Ia honest goods. but Il have INK
doubt he was an ont and out pirate
He came into. the port about three
times year, and he had ten times toe
much money aboard for an honest trad
er. He never disputed my count Of
tried to work or bad coin on me and
in this was an exception. He won my
gratitude IL not my respect In this mat,
ter, and after having dealt with him
three or four times ] ceased TO watch
him for tricks 4. 3.,., s,.s l3..ss-aq VI
In three years he came into port al
least u times, and he never brought
less than $4,000 worth OF stun. He
did not always have, the same junk,
but his men were always the same.
His money was OF all nations and all
coinage, and It was fair to believe that
he robbed all alike. ~ there were no
charges against him l did not think
best to say anything ashore, and so
Whang Ton arrived and departed with.
out let or hindrance. On what turned
out to u thfs last visit, so far. as
know, he brought only about $40. 600 to
be exchanged and he informed me that
he had decided to leave the. sea and
settle down ashore. He was more COM
municatiYe than had ever known him
to be before, but there were only two
or. three points remembered after
ward. One was his retirement from
trade, ana the other was about Phil
lpptne craft lying astern Of him. She
had brought III $4,000 to be ezehang
ed and I was 70 put the money aboard
iBf hEF that evening. He asked many
questions about her. as I remembered
later, and ! answered an as far as I
could and gave 20 weight y ~ The en- mat y.
Ter. 1850 ,5 So !. 1.s.Az ..t
] While ! reserved and shipped mostly
between 8 O'Clock a 10. and o'clock p.
nj, It happened now and then that "a
craft wanted b sail after hours and
50 stretched q point IL her favor and
charged percentage. THIS percentages
Sxa1ss 80 cover nay. increased risk. ~ In
the case OF the Philippine craft the
money was 10 be on board at 8 o'clock,
which was an hour. after dark at that
season OF the. year. It was placed In
the launch at 4:30, and steamed cut
to a MnAay craft and counted and re-.
sealed the $4,000 she. had aboard
Then / spent 15 minutes talking with
the captain Of an American Whaler and.
was ready % run down and get rid Of
my cargo. had to pass Whang Tons
junk en- route, and he was on the look
out for me. He said be had overlooked
a box containing about q thousand dol
lars and was anxious to have It count
ed and credited with the rest As he.
had basket Of wine and q box Of ct
gars for me, could not well refuse,
and I went aboard with my two clerks
to rush the count through. Five armed.
men were left Ii the launch, and had.
no anxiety. We had counted half the
money and old Yhang Ton was stand
ing ~ With d grin on bis face when
five or six natives who had sneaked In
to the cabin suddenly flung themselves.
upon us, and we were made prisoners.
At the same moment q dozen OF the
crew dropped over the rail into the,
launch and made fierce attack, and
in two minutes she was cartured and
her crew passed ND. Then followed the
treasure, and as the launch was &C.
cured alongside the junk lifted anchor
and set sail for the north. The bold
ness Of the trick compelled success;
The old pirate smilingly Informed me-
that no one would be hurt and that his
only object was the money, and after
| had got over swearing and threaten
ing and realized my helplessness We
got along fairly wen together. TWAS
no ones business to- question the junk,
and as SIZE india fair Wind she&reeled
OFF the miles until midnight and then
ran close to the SpaA ish island and set
us ashore and towed cur launch after
0s. Our boat was stripped Of arms and
coal. and all we could do was to find
an anchorage for her and wait to be,
taken OF. 1t was 8 o'clock next day
before this event happened and SIX
hours later when, we reached Singa-
-