The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1906-05-02
DARK SECRETS
OF Chinatown Revealed by the
Late Earthquake
WAS HOME OF CRIMF.
The Place Was FurreWed With Numbers
of Underground Tunnels. Which Had
Been Seen by F.w White Men.
Many Prisoners We're
Held or Murdered.
Held or Murdered.

1lSlU vi Nkuk uCkr rNs
Not until the earth quake shook the
rickety houses to the earth to be de
stroyed by d!e did the authorities o1
San Francisco realize what manner o1
place was the much. advertised Chins
town, the mecca OF all tourists in Cal.
ifornia, the spot in which Is 900 Coi-
nese lived like so many prairie dogs,
s,ys the New YORK Herald.
When the high winds which came
after the FIRE blew the ashes away, the
yawning mouths OF tunnels watch the
police had long suspected, were re-
vealej. Entrances to: these passage
was so carefully hidden that only the
leaders Of the tongs, who used the
lamp dungeons for plsc: OF meeting
or TO plot the death OF victin-the
sane room often ac,ing as the e1ecu-
ion dungeon oGcs the market man
was taken below the level Of the
street-kneW.
One cf San Fiancisco's alert detec-
Jives, said to be the best-posted man
on Chinatown, stood at the corner OF
Bartlett alley and declared:
FIR years I have been trying to
rescn the tunnels, which knew to
exist under this Chinese city. What
gees on down there one can only con
jectu1e, but it is Thousand times
verse than the sins and vices which are
pracriced by these Mongolians In the
streets and gambling houses you can
see from tEis corner. Girls In the bloom
Of youth are smuggled over the Cana
dian border, brcu sht here in the night,
and corfned in dungeons. perhaps
never to lock upon the light CT the sun
again, although they may live for
years"
Very few white men have visited the
underground passages, certainly none
OF San Franctsco's police force, fof
every man in the department. vas vat
ched when be entered Chinatown and
the surveillance did not cease while
he remained there. Secretary Using.
a prominent member OF the Chinese
aristocyacy, stationed for political rea-
sons in the Chinese legation at the
capital Of Peru, was member IN h1gc
standing in a society OF considerable
political influence IN China, with a
powerful branch in San Francisco.
He took two white men to the theatre
n Chinatown and boastfully declared
that the real secret Of Chinatown had
never been revealed. He conducted
tne men to tie rear Of the stage, slid
a secret door back, and motioned Tor
the men to follow him.
For one hour, STOPPING until their
backs we're strained, the men silently
followed g. guide, to lcck upon ccm
.p!ete new Chinatown, the tunnel lead
ing past scores of doors to dungeons.
against the bars Of which some unfcf
turates pressed their faces, TO Jump
back from the e are o. a Pickering
niuer;s light which Tsirg carried.
Ulier sais Chinese city Vere huns
dreds OF wonsa aud eaiidrei. T1ei-
voices miaylei in GLAD RETAIN OF
echoed the gl>omy murmsrs OF some
who we're sufrrriI:g. Euddled IN group
about a small FIRE, made from balls Of
coal dust which Cainsse prepare, were
merchants Wno had returned from
their shops on the street esel to these
holes in the wall to plot and invent.
The oder Of opium was nauseating
The revu:sion OF feeling was oVerpoI-
ering. When the street was reached
after climbing flight OF stairs to the
kitchen Of the chop Suey Joint, the
breath OF foul air even in this hole
vas refreshing.
Hundreds OF men went to their
desths each year 10 Chinatown with
out an irklirg Of the tragedies being
known TO the police. 1t was easy to
bury the dead under the tunnels, 100
feet deep.in Chinatown. Members Of
tongs marked for death left friends
bshind, men who refused to complain
TO the local authorities, but who, in
stead sought revsage themselves In
The same fandish. manner that death
had been neted out to their fellow
menb bers.
FIR years battle Waged. Scores and
scores were killed, even in the streets
antil the citizens Of San Francisco
ssh1eatened to organ:zs a vigilance
seommittee ard wipe Chinatown from
1.-THE face OF Frisco. This had its Of,
tcct. The war vas carried below the
streets, where dying men could
scream In agony and not be heard
The slave traffic has enriched many
Chinese, suave merchants who led
simple lives above the street, but Whc
retlred to the subterranean passages
and their slave mar5S to put upon the
block the newest ARRIVAL from the
slave market in Canton.
= Gam bling has always existed there
:, The gamblers composed the bad ele
! ment. They fought for one another'i
gold, committed murder to Obtain
meaIs with which to enter games G.
fantan and other Chinese devices 0,
chance, and slept away their daylight
hours In a bunk someWhfe down be
low the street, stepped in the lume
of opium, g sordid mass OF human
itY until nature aWoke the brain Il
life.
rhare never will he such q China