The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-11-08

from fifty to perhaps 200 each. They have names indicating that they are ''bands of brotherhood" but the members are professional assassins and will kill any one for pay.
 They are bound by oaths, like the Car bonnaira of Italy. and traitor meets death at the hands of one of the members, who is selected by lot. The organizations differ in detail but the main objects of all is the same-to rob and murder The organization of one of the largest high binder societies in the Chinese quarter IS partly described by this Christianized Chinaman, who was certainly a member, but who said that his cousin told him. They are a chief, a second chief, a secre- tary, an ''introducer'' and eight swords men. The candidate for admission un- plaits his queue, indicating his abject sub mission to his superior officers.
 He is then led into the room by the of- ficial 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 a 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 platform, which is draped In the same color, and to his right Is the book containing the oaths, passwords and signs of the order. In a raid few years
 
 books and had 1t translated. The society then adopted a new manual. There are number of oaths, the principal one bind ing the members to obey the orders of the society without question, and the rules prescribed penalties for refusal. When the candidate is taking tho 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 this glass, signifying that they are of the same su- ciety and of the same blood relation ship" The grips and passwords are then communicated to him and he is now a full-fiedged hlghbinder-an assassin for | pay.
 When the society receives a commission | to kill man a good hatchet man is se- lected to do the bloody work Or, if it Is war, tho society details a number of | its best shots. The blood money goes into the common fund and is used for the de- | fense of criminals, care of the wounded and pensions if sent to tn. State prison. The surplus is divided according to the rank and s.rvices rendered. If high binder Is killed while in the discharge of his bloody work the society gives him u large funeral, sendS his bones to China and gays his family Q small pension. A society will not abandon any of it's mem ters ir trouble and will fee lawyer as long as it has dollar or can get funds by forced loans or threats of sassina- tion. s=~. These societies levy tribute upon mer- chants. and if not paid robbery or, per- haps assassination follows. They terror ike the depraved women and collect from them sums weekly: also from the ownets of these women. If the owner refuses to be blackmaiied they steal or forcibly take one of his women and hold her for reward or sell her to some other bagnio- keeper. Sometimes the bagnio-keeper hires rival society to protect his dens Then there is a war between two high binder societies.
 When one society invades the district of another a war is the result The rival bands of outlaws have the Chinese quar- ter divided, and 1t Is a violation of treaty | to plumber or murder in each others ter | ritory The gaming -houses are also a steady source of revenue. paying an | agreed sum weekly to be let alone The | highbinder societies are terror to the | merchants, who would gladly see them driven out of the city. Then peace would | reign in the Chinese quarter.