Amador ledger., 1906-12-14
The Ambition of Chin Fin
[Copvright. 1sOs. bx c. ]. Hirt. !

SIln tlH WAS DOTH Oh lue lSlduu
of Hainan, in the China sea, and he
was content with his lot until arriv-
ing ut the age of sixteen. Then he he
gan to ache to do great things. He
was precocious youth and fairly well
educated.
At the age of eighteen, when Chin
Fin sailed for Singapore to broaden
his mind, he was as well posted on
the subject of piracy as the average
American consul. His father patted
good boy and do all the grating he
could, and his mother fell on his neck
and wept and cautioned him that she
was badly in need of a pair of dia-
mond earrings and chatelaine watch.
The young man arrived at his destina-
ton right side up and began to look
around for tough people to consort
with. He found about 10000 of them.
He figured that to become pirate he
must first become tough man. He
bic. He became a swindler, thief,
robber and worse He passed the first
six months in learning his A B C's and
the next six in Jail. When his Singa-
pore record was finally looked up it
was found that he had had a hand in
about 100 different "jobs" In three
years and that these Jobs" ranged
from gold brick swindles to Sitting
threats. How many of his little
curves the police failed to get on to
can only be guessed at.
When Chin Fin reached his majority
he was ready for piracy on the high
seas. He had passed through all other
grades of crime, and even the police
had paid him the compliment of being
a crackajack. In spite of his youth
he could lead men, and, as for plan
ming, no one could equal him. He had
saved his cash instead of blowing it
in, and he had induced certain other
tough chaps to do the same, and SO
when the time came he was we'll heel
ed. That time came when he learned
that certain merchants Of Singapore
were to ship large sum of money by
a sailing vessel to Manila. 1t was not
only in the way Of trade, but the mer-
chants were going to make corner in
the hemp market.
Chin Fin got his news straight. He
hribed a confidential clerk to get it,
and then murdered the clerk to get
his money back and prevent any case
of conscience. An agent was instruct
ed to purchase a ship and fit her out
with guns, while Chin Fin attended to
getting a crew. The day came when
his craft was all ready and only wait
ed the sailing of the other 1t had so
happened that on an occasion Chin Fin
had desired to burglarlze the house Of
the parents of one Of his gang. The
son filed objections He thought it
was carrying a good thing too far.
Chin Fin got mad and stabbed the
young man and then went on with his
burglarizing. The victim proceeded to
get well, saw wood and say nothing,
but when the time came he gave away
the piracy snap. Being forewarned.
the merchants and authorities put up a
job of their own. Just as secretly as
Chin Fin himself had worked, they
had brig fitted out at another port,
armed with six guns and manned by
eighty men, and when the treasure
ship finally sailed for Manila she was
followed by the brig. The latter
looked as peaceful as an old hen.
Chin Fin was in waiting at the An
amba Islands. That was piratical
stronghold before his day, and the
young man had an eye to the eternal
fitness of things. The treasure ship
made her course up the China sea, fol-
lowed by the slouchy looking old brig
at respectful distance, and one morn
ing about 10 o'clock was within five
miles of the islands. The pirates were
waiting for her. They not only came
sailing out from the lee of the group,
but they raised the black flag to show
their hand. Chin Fin wasn't going to
play any baby business by sailing I'M
der false flag. The brig was sighted
in the distance, but treated with con-
tempt. The treasure ship naturally
tried to get away. She turned ON her
heel and put back to meet the brig,
but the pirates pursued with yells and
great waste of ammunition They
saw that they could capture two ships
where they had counted on but one
By and by things got to work, and
Chin Fin felt his back hair curl. The
brig began hammering away with six
guns to his two, and at the end of
eighteen minutes thirty of his fifty
rascals were dead or wounded and his
craft In a sinking condition, and he
had to cry for quarter. 1t was granted
him, and his men were taken aboard.
While the treasure ship pursued her
voyage, the brig started back for Sing
apore. She had had seven men killed
or disabled. The pirates were shackled
and confined between decks, and for
two days they were as humble as
cats. There was no need for Chin Fin,
who was natural orator, to telAthem
how the case stood They wereSgoing
back to the straits for trial, conviction
and execution. Had those pirates been
able to get professional jury and
weeping lawyer from the United States
they could not have been acquitted.
One day, fifteen months after the rails
ing Of the black flag to the music of
the band, the five pirates stood on the
gallows with ropes around their necks.
Chin Fin had done no talking since
his capture except to claim that it was
all mistake and that he was a good
young man. When he saw that there
was no longer any hope, however, he
made a speech. He admitted that he
had hpan q hOSc bad man FROM, hood 70