Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-12

tress and dealt the buttons. Just at his
side stood a long rack OF money, prob
ably $1,000 in silver and gold, and he won
or lost without ever change OF ex-
preston.
In front, to the right and left leaned
the victims, their hands grasping Gag
erly at their winnings or toying fear
fully with their few remaining pieces
of money.
II was the same old story Of the god
OF the fan tan and the celestials were
crazy with the lust for play
Back and forth they moved, playing
their last dollars with the quick short,
gasping breaths Of the loser and risk
ing their very lives on the game.
Gamble Without Fear
And the dealer smiled and took their
money. He was fat and ugly, but his
hands were marvels to see Small and
shapely they we're, and the fingers we're
as slender and tapering as a girls.
Slowly he drew the cup from the but
tons and the men made their bets
The same sleepy, confident smile
rested on the face of the dealer and his
fingers worked gracefully as he drew
the buttons away with a bamboo stick.
He won and a few of the celestials
left the place with that same look worn
by some of the followers Of the Ascot
game.
on to the west end of Apabasa street
went the visitors and the click of the
fan tan buttons became more insist
ent. At one hall I'm the upper story OF
a building at Alameda and Apablasa
streets, the gamblers had opened the
windows and raised the shades so that
all pedestrians as far west as Los An
geles street might see the celestals
leaning over the table and betting their
money, while the coins were passed
back and forth and men won and lost
But the open lawlessness of the
streets was but half of the story of the
fall of Chinatown.
Terrorists in Power
Los Angeles no good, going back to
China" stated one of the Chinese, as
he looked fearfully about him to see
that no one heard. He had addressed
the visitors near the old cribs on North
Alameda where Los Angeles street
joins the railroad tracks Even then
was being watched and his anxiety
was pitiful.
Money all gone, store all gone, ev-
erything gone" he said. THE affairs
of the town have changed fearfully in
the last month or so. There are more
than forty hlghbinders or tong men in
the little settlement now and they are
all up to their old tricks.
Last week they sent out this no
tice." The celestial drew a small paper
from his silk coat and the interpreter
read as follows:
ITO all Chinese of Los Angeles: We
will offer protection from anyone who
might ordinarily disturb your gambling
games and we will guarantee that you
will not get in any trouble with white
people and will not have to go to the
courts under condition that we receive
our share of the receipts of the gam
bling money"
The paper was not signed, but had
the marks of several tongs attached
to it.
Money Demands Increase
"That only tells part of the story"
said the Chinese yesterday.
For weeks past we have been COM
PEELED to pay certain amount each
week to a Chinese here named Wong.
I will not tell his other name, for he
has been my friend. What happens to
the money we do not know, but every
gambler in the place has been COM
PEELED to pay the price and most of
them are content, for we have had no
trouble as a result.
Each month we have paid this
amount and 1t has caused several of
us to go broke. Yesterday we received
word that the tolls would be doubled
and so have got to leave. had heard
that it might be the highbinders who
We're taxing us, but they deny it. We
do not know but we may yet learn.
I'VE do know that the money is
taken from us and put in a safe in a
certain saloon and that someone gets
it from there, but that is all we know.
But we have formed league and sew
eral of our spies may get information
yet on these unscupulous Chinese or
highbinders who take our money from
us.
"I did not want to pay because I
thought the police would give us pro-
lection, but the others paid, so my
money went with it and now 1 will
know where that money goes before l
leave for China and I will tell, and IL
the highbinders want me they will have
to get me-"
Many other complaints have been
made, alleging blackmail from the
highbinders and the old improvement
leagues are drawing together to fight
the demands made by the new arrivals
from San Francisco, who have brought
| their old time methods to clean city.
---o-\S