The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1903-12-26
Taxa oArHs TO 90 MuRDEn

TAKE oATHs TO DO MURDER
Highbimders Are Bound By . Terrible
obligation 20 Perform Their Work.
Few people, even IN San Francisco.
have q correct idea Of the Chinese
highbinder and the cause Of the fro.
quent wars in the Chinese quarter.
The word highlander il. perhaps, Q
localism, and II has no special mean
ing. II was applied by the police to
the societies OF Chinese assassins be-
cause they did not know the names
Of the societies. According TO the
statements OF q Christianized- Chinese
to one Of the mission teachers. there
are in this city several such societies.
with membership OF from fifty to per-
haps 200 each. They have names in
dicating that they are bands Of broth.
erhood," but the members are profess
siopal assassins and VIII kill anyone
for pay.
They are bound By oaths, like the
Carbonnaira Of Italy, and q traitor
meets death at the hands Of one OF
the members. who Is selected by lot.
The organizations differ In detail, bur
the main objects of all is the same
Ito rob and murder. The organization
Of one Of the largest highlander socie-
ties in the Chinese quarter Ia partly
described by this Christianized China
man. who was certainly a member. but
who said that his cousin" told him.
They are a chief. a second chief. a Sec
rotary, an ''lntroducer' and eight
swordsmen. The candidate for admis-
sion unplalts his queue, indicating his
abject submission to his superior on
GERS.
BE 10 then led into the room BY the
ofaclal introducer, a red robe Is thrown
over him and he il required to kneel
under an arch OF eight swords. One
Of these swordsmen places the blade
Of . sword upon the back Of the can
didate's neck as an indication Of his
fate IL 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 con-
tanning the oaths, passwords and signs
OF the order. In a raid a few years
ago the police captured one OF these
books and had It translated The So
ciety then adopted a new manual
There are a number Of oaths, the prin-
eipsl one binding the members to obey
the orders Of the society without ques-
ton. and the rules prescribe penalties
for refusal
When the candidate b taking the
oath his finger 10 pierced with a 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 society and Of the
same blood relationship" The grips
and passwords are then communicated
TO him and he is now a full-hedged
highbinder-an assassin for pay.
When the society receives a COM
mission TO XIII a man a good hatchet
man IL selected to do the bloody work.
Or, II It Is q war. the society details
number Of its best shots. The blood
money goes into the common fund and
Is used for the defense of crlminala,
care OF the wounded and pensions IL
sent to the State prison. The surplus
10 divided according to the rank and
services rendered. II a highlander ID
killed while in the discharge OF his
bloody work the society gives him q
large funeral. sends his bones to China
and pays his family a small pension.
A society win not abandon any Of its
members In trouble and win fee a law
yer as long as 1t has a dollar or can
get funds by forced loans or threats
OF assassination.
These societies levy tribute upon
merchants. and II not paid robbery or,
perhaps, assassination follows. They
terrorlze the deprayed women and
collect from them sums weekly: also
from the owners Of these women. II
the owner refuses to be blackmailed
they steal or foreihly take one OF his
women and hold her for & reward or
sell her to some other bagnio-keeper.
Sometimes the bagnio-keeper hires a
rival society to protect his dens. Then
there is a war between two Highlander
societies.
OF another a war Is the result. The
rival bands OF outlaws have the Chi
nese quarter divided. and 1t is vio-
lation Of treaty to plumber or murder
In each others territory. The gam
lighthouses are also a steady source
OF revenue. paying an agreed sum
weekly to be let alone. The high
binder societies are a terror to the mer-
chants, who would gladly see them
driven out Of the city. Then peace
would reign In the Chinese quarter.
San Francisco News Letter.
hearts aud Heels.