The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1901-11-09
HIGHBINOER WAR
SEEMS IMMINENT
Chinese Six Companies
Not Able to Bring
About Peace.
Rival longs Say That Blood
Will Alone Appease
Their Wrath.

The far-reaching arm of Chinese ven
geance was revealed last night at meet
ing of the Six Companies. Representa-
tives of the Wong family appeared before
that organization and declared that the
surrender of Wong Chut to the police
would involve a frightful loss of life, not
only in San Francisco but also in China,
where hundreds Of innocent Mongolians
would perish in retaliation for American
interference in highlander affairs.
I'VE dare not turn this man over to the
police" the Wong family's spokesman
said. His family is one of the most pow
erful in China and when we considered
the Chin family's plan to allow the Ameri-
can courts TO mete out justice we received
an ultimatum that violent death, sooner
or later, would be our fate. The ulti-
Inatum stated that the mans family would
not tolerate any deviation from The old
honored custom of permitting Chinese 10
settle their own difficulties. Death would
not only be visited upon those who would
surrender Wong Chut, but upon the wit
nesses. In fact all the members OF the
local tong would feel the force OF the ter
rlble vengeance
The threat extended further. Not only
would the Wongs Of San Francisco be-
come targets for bullets, but their rela-
tives in China would be slaughtered by
the hundreds"
Threatening Messages Sent.
This is the first time that the local Chi
nese have ever proposed the American
courts as a medium through which to
work out their revenge. Heretofore when
a murder has been committed the tong
10 which the murderer belonged either
paid the price of the crime in blood or
coin. So closely has this custom been 2d-
hered TO that the victim S own brother
would refuse TO give testimony against
the slayer were the latter arrested and
brought in the courts. Now the resent
ment for the new plan is shown in the
threatening message sent to the local
Wong Chut shot and killed Chin Chow
about two weeks ago. Chut was a mem
Der of the Hop Sing Tong, but the Chins
tong membership, and hence made the
demand upon the Wong family for his
surrender. They made a bold and novel
proposition. They ordered the Wongs to
turn the murderer over TO the police and
said that they would furnish six witnesses
for the prosecution.
The Chins extended the time for the de-
livery until midnight Thursday. If the
man was not behind prison bars by that
time they vowed to kill five Wong men
and offered large inducements to their
highbinderS to do the work. The man
was not surrendered at the appointed
time, and the hatchetmen started out to
earn their rewards, which ranged from
500 to $l5OO according to the Importance
of the Wong man who might be slain.
Efforts Made to Prevent Bloodshed.
Inc six COMPANIES look q mana IN the
trouble in an effort to prevent bloodshe6.
The officers of each of the warning fac
tons were cited to appear and explain
their cases. The meeting last night was
accordingly arranged and the parties APP
peared under special guard.
When the Wong men told of their fears.
the hope that Wong Chut would ever
reach prison vanished. 1t was then urged
that the Chins accept a sum of money Tor
the life of Chin Chow, but this they re-
fused to do, and announced their deter
mination to kill five of their rivals. as
they had previously avowed. The Wongs
In turn will send out their hatchetmen
and will attempt to retaliate by killing
Chins.