The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-05
MILLIONAIRE Jim"
GOES TO CHINA.
Man Who Began Life as Cool!e
Mine Laborer. Builds Up For
tune in Thirty Years.
NOW FEARS THE HIGHBlNDERS.
Intends to Obtain Gambling Mo-
nopolv i'll Empire by Methods
That Were So Successful
in San Francisco.


REPUBLIC STECTAL
san Francisco. July 4.-Chan Tin Sin. bet
ter known as Big jim" miner. cook. gam
bier merchant and capitalist. sailed on 'he
Gaelic for China with his white wife. his
falf-caste boy and slcCo.o00 in American
gold and securities.
These are the fruits OF thirty years con-
tact with Occidental civilization. and the re-
rnainder CT his life ard his immense fo--
tune will be devoted to the introduction OF
American methods in his native country.
To that end he is negotiating with Chi
nese -landarins 81 Canton and other cities
for gambling monopoly. and has already
expended about s3or9o in brides. which he
expects to double before he gets the profit
able privilege he enjoyed in San Francisco
for so many years.
Big Jim landed II this county 4 big.
raw-bored coolie from the Ning-Yung dis
trIct. an importation OF the See Yup Sc
ciety before the days of the exclusion act.
HIS importers found work for him ceep
down IN the shafts on the Comstock. and
there he laid the foundation Of his fortune.
He saved little money from his wages
and obtained more congen!al employment In
the cook house There he laid the foundation
CT his home.
He met a pretty white waitress. won her
affections and married her. They both saved
money and. like others who made money on
the Comstock came 20 San Francisco to
reside.
GAMBLING IN WEST.
big Jim" had acquired taste for gam
bling while living In the mining camps OF
Nevada. so he naturally turned TO that &C.
cupatioa in San Francisco.
He bought an interest In several lottery
companies and opened a fan-tan game. An
other thing he had learned in Nevada was
that American officials were often suscepi-
bic TO monetary influences. and he soon
Brought that knowledge into practical use
As result his lotteries and fan-tan games
enjoyed immunity from police raids while
his rivals were driven out Of business.
There vas but one result-'Big jim had
& monopoly Of Chinese gambling in China
town. He Gid an immense business. and
the profits were great.
AT one time he had several tons 81 blank
lottery tickets on hard. but he received In
formation long enough in advance 70 enable
him TO keep them out of the hands of the
police. until one day somebody blindered
and all were taken 10 headquarters.
Big jim blamed Detective Chris Cox
for no; giving him the tip In time and
sour.ily be-ated him in front of the office OF
the Cpief of Police Tor breach Of faith
LITTLE PETES'' FRIENDS
That vas only small loss to the gam
bier, for his games continued unmoiested
until ne had trouble with Little Pete
Soon afterwards his diminutivc enemy
= was shot TO death By fighbtnders. and II
was The general belief that Big jim" had
procured his assassination.
The friends of Little Pete" believed II
and declared their intention Of killing Big
Jim" He hastily sold out his interests in
the gambling games and fed TO China.
Big jim returned 10 California about
year ago. and commenced disposing of all
his property preparatory to taking UP his
permanent residence al 4 safe distance from
the friends OF Little Pete
He owned large interests In various mer-
camille enterprises and farm or two. When
all had been disposed Of he found himself
II possession of round million dollars. and
IS the richest Chinese who eye- lett this
city to spend MS American gold in China.
Besides the gambling monopoly which
Big jim IL seeking. he is interested in
project 20 build a railroad from Canton into
the San Sun Ming district.
The only communication now IS by river
and occupies from twenty-four to forty
eight hours.
The railroad will reduce the time 20 three
hours and open up a country Of great
wealth.
That Is the story Of the man who began
life in America a cooiie laborer and left
It millionaire in thirty years because he
manner Of putting them to practical use.