The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-05-15
DESCRIPTION OF WAR BETWEEN
RIVAL CHINESE CLANS.
HATCHETS ANO GUNS USED
Traveller Describes Fierce Fight Wit
messed in PortIand's Chinatown
Some Years Ago.

don't doubt that but for the timely
discoveries made by the police the
highbinders OF Frisco would have
made an awful hole into the educa-
tional society Of their countrymen at
the Golden Gate" said Harry Wilmot,
a San Francisco man, who vas in the
city a few days ago and with others
was discussing the report of arrests
made there in connection with the
murder of a Christianized Chinaman.
when the See Yups start to put
a man or a number Of men out OF the
way they generally succeed. The ram
ifcations ct that murderous organiza-
ton, extend all over the coast and
with characteristic Chinese shrewd-
ness it's leaders manage to outwit the
authorities pretty much every time.
Those who are members, OF course,
will not betray themselves, while the
other Chinese are kept quiet by the
to the police is equivalent to inviting
arrangements for their own funerals.
Such as could assist the authorities
and often would do SO gladly know
that the protection the law can give
them is as naught compared with the
power and influence of the organiza-
ton whose eamity they would incur.
Only occasionally are the peace off,
GERS able to learn something of value
in ,s~uppressing the wars that are con-
stantly going on between the differ
ent tongs, or factions that divide the
Mongolians into hostile camps. AS
a rule the 'chinks' have a contempt
for our laws and prefer to settle their
own disputes in their own way. A
hatchet or a revolver is more certain
of results and the n it, is desired
to get at can be reached easier by
lying in wait for him in some dark
alley than to go to law, and there
is not the likelihood of his escape
that is always attendant upon a trial
in court.
Some years ago, it was in '88, l
happened to be at Portland. l was
stopping at a hotel only a block re-
moved from the heart of the big
Chinatown which has it's existence
in that city. 1t was a bright, sunny
day and the street happened to be
exceptionally quiet. Suddenly revol'
yer shots were heard, accompanied by
yells in high screeching tones and
the street for a block seemed to be
alive with fighting Cinnamon. Like
lemons they assaulted n another
with revolvers and the ever present
Ratchet.
'sThe few policemen who happened
riot. but their efforts were like those
OF a zephyr trying to overcome a tor
nado. They were swept off their fee
and in the melee were used up so bad
ly that it was with the utmost diff
Guilty that they finally managed to ex
tricate themselves from the mob''
power. A riot call was sent in iron
a p~atrolbox and it seemed only a min
ute until a wagon loaded with police
men vas on the spot. Without a mo
ment's hesitation the officers dove into
the fighting. cutting, shooting, bowling
gang of devils and their clubs coul6
be heard coming down onto the heads
with a force that threatened to crush
every skull they landed on. But i,
availed nothing.
s.The sheriff's Office was appealed tC
and the sheriff and his deputies soor
were helping the bluecoats, In add
ton citizens we're pressed into service
and one could see guns, fists, rocks
and clubs flying and flashing unit
it seemed that the air was full O.
them. Still the fight continued. TIL
Cinnamon by this time seemed to b.
making a common war on the intru
ders, apparently having for the time
being sunk their own differences t,
help one another against the whit
men. Every little while you coul'
see a white man emerge from the mo-
dragging one or a couple of Chimes
and turning them over to a ~bystande1
The queues of the Celestials mad
the handiest sort of handles to dra
them with, while the feet of the cal
tors were busy keeping the owner
of the long hair engaged so that the
could not do too much harm to tn
men who had them prisoners.
For q long time the war continued
the Cinnamon evidently getting tn
better of IL and it seemed that eve