Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-12-26
TAKE OATHS TO DO MU.OER.
Highbinders Are Bound by a Terrible
obligation to Perform Their Work.

obligation to Perform Their Work.
Few people, even In San Francisco,
have a correct idea Of the Chinese
highlander and the cause Of the fire.
quent wars in the Chinese quarter.
The word highlander is, perhaps, a
localism, and 1t has no special mean
ing. It 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 a Christianized-C Chinese
to one Of the mission teachers, there
are in this city several such societies,
with a membership Of from fifty to per-
haps 200 each. They have names in
dicating that they are Glands of broth
erhood," but the members are profess
SiOnal aSSassins and will kill anyone
for pay.
They are bound by oaths, like the
Carbonnaira Of Italy, and a 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
of one Of the largest highlander socie-
ties in the Chinese quarter Is partly
described by this Christianized China
man. who was certainly member, but
who said that his "cousin" told him.
They are chief, second chief, Sec
rotary, an 'introducer' and eight
sWordsmen. The candidate for admis-
sion unplaits his queue, indicating his
abject submission to his superior Off
GERS.
He Is then led into the room by the
official introducer, q 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 can
didate's 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 con-
tanning the oaths passwords and signs
Of the order. In q raid few years
ago the police captured one Of these
books and had it translated The So
ciety then adopted new manual
There are a number of oaths, the prin-
cipal one binding the members to obey
the orders of the society without -ques-
ton, and the rules prescribe penalties
for refusal
When the candidate Is taking the
oath his finger is 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-fedged
highbinder- assassin for pay.
When the society receives COM
mission to kill man a good Ratchet
man is selected to do the bloody work.
Or, If 1t Is war, the society details
a number of it's best shots. The blood
money goes into the common fund and
is used for the defense of criminals,
care Of the wounded and pensions If
sent to the State prison. The surplus
is divided according to the rank and
services rendered. If a highlander is
killed while in the discharge of his
bloody work the society gives him
large funeral, sends his bones to China
and pays his family small pension.
A society will not abandon any Of it's
members In trouble and will fee law
yer as long as it has a dollar or can
get funds by forced loans or threats
of assassination.
These societies levy tribute upon
merchants, and If not paid robbery or,
perhaps, assassination follows. They
te1rorize the depraved women and
collect from them sums weekly; also
from the owners of these women. IT
the owner refuses to be blackmailed
they steal or forcibly take one Of his
women and hold her for a reward or
sell her to some other bagniO-keeper.
Sometimes the bagnio-keeper hires a
rival society to protect his dens. Then
there Is q war between two highlander
societies.
When one society invades the district
Of another a war is the result. The
rival bands Of outlaws have the Chi
nese quarter divided, and it is vio-
lation of treaty to plumber or murder
in each others territory. The gam
ing-houses are also q steady source
Of revenue, paying an agreed sum
weekly to be let alone. The high.
binder societies are 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.