Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-08-12
CHINESE HIGHBINDERs.
The oaths They Take and tho Meth.
DDS They Employ.

The oaths They Take and tho Meth.
DDS They Employ.
Few people, even in San Francisco.
have a correct idea of the Chinese
highbinder and the cause Of the fire.
quent wars in the Chinese quarter.
The word highbinder Is, perhaps, To-
calism, and 1t has no special meaning.
1t was applied by the police to the So
cieties of Chinese assassins because
they did not know the names Of the so
cieties. According to the statements
of a Christianized Chinese to one Of
the mission teachers, there are in this
city several such societies, with
membership Of from fifty to perhaps
200 each. They have names indicating
that they are bands Of brotherhood"
but the members are professional as.
sassins and will kill anyone for pay.
They are bound by oaths, like the
meets death at the hands Of one Of the
members. who is selected by lot. The
organizations differ in detail, but the
main object Of all is the same-to rob
AMI murder. The Organization Of one
of the largest highbinder societies in
he Chinese quarter Is partly described
by this Christianized Chinaman, who
was certainly a member, but who said
hat his cousin" told him. They are
a chief. second chief, a secretary, an
''introducer" and eight swordsmen.
rhe candidate for admission unplaits
his queue, indicating his abject sub
mission to his superior officers.
He is then led into the room by the
official introducer, red robe is thrown
over him and he is required to kneel
under an arch Of eight swords. One Of
these swordsmen places the blade Of
sword upon the back Of the candidates
neck as an indication Of his fate If he
betrays his associates. The chief.
dressed in red, sits on a small plat
form, which is draped In the same col
or, and to his right Is the book con-
tanning the oaths, passwords and signs
Of the order. In raid a few. years
ago the police captured one Of these
books and had 1t translated. The soci-
ETY. then adopted new manual. There
are number Of oaths, the principal
one binding the members to obey the
orders Of the society without question
and the rules prescribe penalties for
refusal. a,a
When the candidate Is taking the
oath his finger is pierced with needle
and the blood drops into a glass of
wine held by the member who stands
sponsor for him. They both drink
from the glass. signifying that they
are Of the same society and Of the same
blood relationship" The grips and
passwords are then communicated to
him and he is now a full-fledged high
binder-an assassin for pay.
When the society receives COM
mission to kill man, good hatchet
man is selected to do the bloody work.
Or, IL it is war, the society details q
number of its best shots. The blood
money goes into the common fund and
is used for the defence Of criminals,
care Of the wounded and pension If
sent to the states prison. The surplus
Is divided according to the rank and
services rendered. II highbinder Is
killed while in the discharge Of his
bloody work the society gives him
large funeral, sends his bones to China
and pays his family q small pension.
A society will not abandon any Of its
members In trouble and will fee law
yer as long as 1t has dollar or can
get funds by forced loans or threats of
assassination.
These societies levy tribute upon
merchants and II not paid robbery, and
perhaps assassination, follows. They
terrorize the depraved women and col
lect from them sums weekly; also from
the owners Of these women. If the
owner refuses to be blackmailed they
steal or forcibly take one Of his women
and hold her for a reward or sell her
to some other bagnio keeper. Some
times the bagnio keeper hires rival
society to protect his dens. Then there
Is a war between two highbinder So
cieties.
When one society invades the dis
trict of another a war is the result.
The rival bands Of outlaws have the
Chinese quarter divided and 1t is a
violation Of treaty to plunder or muir
der in each others territory. The
gaming houses are q steady source OF
revenue, paying an agreed sum week.
ly to be let alone. The highbinder So
cieties are terror to the merchants,
who would gladly see them driven out
Of the city. Then peace would reign
in the Chinese quarter.-San Francis