The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-03-15
The aa1ieha nai1y Eagle: Sunday orne aareh a. 1903
control all the funds

control all the funds
On the first or fifteenth OF every Chi
nese month-new moon or fun noon-se-
cret meetings are held TO discuss the af-
fairs of the society and to initiate new
members. These meetings always take
place at night. in some out of the way
spot. generally ravin' uear the noun
tains or the top of a plateau which COM
mands an extensive view Of the country;
they are carefully guarded by sentinels
and outposts and as soon as the alarm is
given the members scatter and return
quietly to their homes.
Although sometimes as many as four
or five thousand men assist, it is almost
impossible TO take them unawares, as
they are always warned in time by send-
nels posted nearly mile away.
The meetings are announced TO the
members by planting branch of a tree
in the fields around the villages, and
accordingly as the twigs are bent the mi
tiated know exactly where to meet. The
Sam ITEM have secret language Of
their own. and in their writing employ
special characters. which no other China
man can understand.
Alyl the members swear TO help and
protect one another and. under penalty
OF death. never to reveal thesecrets or the
they are known hereafter to the society
The oath is taken by cutting the neck
of chicken, whose blood drips into
sup from which every member takes
sip. Immediately after this ceremony
they are given new name. by which
they are known hearafter TO the society
The Sam ITEM owe the dread they IN
spire and the control they have over the
country outside OF the large cities TO
the awful way they avenge themselves
and punish those who do not obey their
orders l have never known person
who has informed against them and who
has remained in the country who has not
been murdered shortly after, in the most
atrocious manner.
The pirates are all without exception
fishermen and are 10 be found all along
the coast, sometimes ten in one VI
lage sometimes over hundred IN an
other The boldest and best seamen and
those who by their families have the
greatest influence over their fellow SAIL
ors are appointed lighting chiefs by the
heads of the Sam ITEM and are the ones
who conduct all the expeditions.
They receive their arms and ammunl-
tions from the society, besides being sup
piied with opium and rice alcohol. ana
in return must turn over one-halt OF their
booty or one-half of the ransome paid
nv their prisoners II would take vol
,,,nas to relate all the methods pursued
DIV the Chinese pirates, but they may all
ne reduced 10 this one tactic: To acquire
the most plumber while running the small
est risk.
According to the object they have in
view. they employ either fleets OF twenty
or thirty junks. with crews amounting to
more than four hundred men, or else
single Junk and even the smallest sam
nan or fishing smack. carrying only from
four 10 FIVE persons. Although well arm
cd with Mausers. WinChesters, SnlderS
and all the old models of breechloaders,
tbav are far from brave and VIII al
WAYS avoid fight with a wei armed
and determined foe. Nevertheless they
are so shrewd and cunning they rely so
much on their perfect knowledge OF the
coast and on the rapidity OF their move
ments that they seldom fail even IN their
most risky undertakings.
When the pirates want to make pris-
o,ers in order to obtain heavy ransonis
tbav conCregate in large numbers and
set sail in fleets of twenty or more Juiir>s-
Toward nightfal they approach as near
as they can to the coast ana lahu 'iie
most men possible. These march throush
tho rice fields. and when they arrive
,,aar the villages where their spies have
told them that rich people i've theE I'll
vide into two groups, one surrounding
+bo villages. while the other penetrates'
sr;,e off bombs and firearms ana setting
60 - tho houses in order TO terrlfy the
abitants and to prevent the peasants
80 the other villages from coming to
their rescue. -,
o,oa the pirates have secured all the
~ man women and children they could
End these are hurried on board ana
,o,aad on an island or some far away
Mt Of the coast Sometimes the VII
io.-ors try 10 resist. but nearly always
without success. as they are surpilSeN
during their sleep and the onlS aIiiiS -
os-oSs are old matchlocks. spears anu
ewords and the result is an aw1ul mas
sacre of old men. women and chlidieH'
The natives are turned over 10 the mem
tars of Sam ITEM. who keep them III
hiding until their ransom arrives IheS
80 b1in5tolded and their place OF cap
,,,-;tx is changed very often, but as soon
= +ha ransom is paid they are immediate
l,.-sa1 free. II the parents fail 10 seho
tho amount at the time stipulated tAIe
,,-isoners are then invariably murdered
- r. nirates have lost their junk or
have sold il because il had become too
We'll known and wish 10 get new one
they adopt quite different tactics 1heS
30, sat ont in small numbers, not more
.b., ,wentv or thirty; In five or SIX llsh-
;,,., e,,acks. and prtend to FISH In some
,-a--o,r strait or channel where they know
that trading junks are obliged TO pass.
and where. hidden among hundreds Oh
-. ,isb;ng smacks they cannot be no
ticed. -
u the weather is calm. or If the wind
i in their favor. they keep fishing untH
a iink arrives within easy reach heh
,bs,, see that it cannot possibly escape
,ba,- surround it and in few minutes
80 o,er its sides and masters OF the
vessel whose cowardly crew. although
Generally we'll armed. has not offered
the least resistance
O,ca Tho iunk Is captured it is taken
- Some village nearby. where the con-
+s.7e-,-es of the pirates easily dispose OK
the cargo among the INSCRIPTIONS ule1-
chants who live in their midst. and the
INK continues cruising with its crew OF
ro-ers until il becomes too familiar an