Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1907-07-19
NOTORIOUS RATCHET MEN WHO
\ ARE NOW HERE
ice Department Using Every En-
'avor to Delay HostiIltieo, but
Chinese Criminals Swear En-
4 emies Must Be Killed
Fear reigns in Chinatown.

ee hired assassins are held.
lore than dozen of the most no
GUS Ratchet men in the world are in
Is Angeles. This fact Is known to the
plice, ard Sergeant Sebastian and men
erling under his orders are doing all in
Yr power to find them before other
E.ese are found lying with cloven skulls
blood-staired bodies as evidence of
rage of the murderers.
We Ratchet men, feared and dreaded
ever Chinese live, are in Los Ange-
hnd in the pay of the Hip Sing tong,
riding to information which was given
he police last night.
lese men are not members of the Hip
tong, but are said to have sold their
Vices to the society, and taken the
Nth that all orders given them will be
obeyed.
Identity of Several Known
These men are said to be Ng Pc and
Jew Chuck, two men whose names carry
with them terror to the hearts of all
Chinese who have received word that
their death has been decided on; Charlie
Joe, king of highbinders in San Fran
cisco during many years past, and leader
In many tong wars in the past; Wah Ling
and Lee Yup, said by San Francisco Off
GERS to be two of the most daring Ratchet
men with whom they have ever been
called upon to deal
These men are SAID to have been called
upon by the Hip Sing tong to come to Los
Angeles and defend its members from at
tack, as well as to revenge the tong upon
its enemies. Against them are arraigned
a formidable array of fighters under the
leadership of Dong Leah, fighter of note
who has led his followers to victory in
1..any fierce battles in the underground
world of the old San Francisco China
town.
By boat. train and wagons these men
have drifted into Los Angeles during the
last few days. Several of them came to
Southern California from San Francisco
at the first signs of an outbreak Into
smaller towns near Los Angeles they went
and then drove into this city in the guise
o. peddlers, mendicants or laborers
Their presence was soon known to their
enemies, and as the news spread revolvers
ard knives were strapped on while hatch
cts were taken from hooks where they
have long hung, and attached beneath
the Sleeves of their owners blouses.
Is San Francisco Fighter
Dong Leah. the leader of the Ratchet
men, imported to fight those employed
by the Hip Sing tong, is member of
the Bing Ong tong, one of the most
notorious factions of the old San Fran
cisco Chinatown. In former days he
was known throughout the Chinese
Wrfd as a power to be reckoned with,
but about eight years ago he was
superseded by the present leader of the
Bing Ongs.
Dong Leah then became a Ratchet
man, and soon word of his attempts to
bring about a war between his own
tong and a rival society reached the
ears of the police of the northern city.
For weeks they sought him, but with
out success, and despite the fact that
Of no ShraU6aSf Of he
San Francisco police force hunted him
they were unable to place him behind
prison bars.
This is the man who has been en-
gagged by the 30 Dong and Bing Gong
tongs to carry on their fight for them,
and those who know the dreaded leader
say that only too well will he fulfill
their commands.
Anaheim Murder Excites
When word reached Los Angeles yes
terday that Law Mot Fat, the Anaheim
merchant and member of the Hop Sing
tong, had been murdered, it was at once
surmised by the members of the police
department that the threatened war
would at once break out in the local
Chinese district.
Patrolman Willets. for several years
a member of the squad which has ruled
that district, at once hurried to the
geles street. There everything was in
an uproar. Chinese We're talking ex-
citedly while revolvers and knives were
much in evidence. Springing to chair
Willets began to address the crowd.
He cautioned them to remain quiet, and
said that the murderers would be pun
ished by the police, and then every
effort would be made to run them down
at once.
The Chinese made no move to put
away their guns, but Willets drew his
revolver and said that the first man
who attempted to leave the room with
q gun on his person would be shot.
Whose who could understand English
\spread the news to their friends. Sui
Nen looks at first greeted the order, but
when Willets explained that the police
would do their best to protect the
peaceful Chinese they slowly took off
their belts and stored the arms away
IN the private quarters of the tong.
Police Plans Explained
Then Willets explained to the Chinese
the plans of the police, and the Chinese
answered that they would allow the Of
ficers to handle the situation for
short time, but If any more Hop Sing
men were murdered and the assailants
were not caught they would refuse to
allow the lives of their friends to go
unavenged. They said they would put
on guns themselves and then blood
would flow in the Chinese quarter.
The Hop Sings say that their enemies
are the Bing Keuns, the Bow Wons, the
Juk Inns and the Bo Oongs. They say
that these three tongs were the ones
which caused the death of Fat and his
death must be revenged.
Law Mot Fat is said to have been shot
by Coon Tong, a member of the Bo Dong
tong, a short distance from his store at
Il I'D, 1n.x 1--I.L
the body was mutilated almost beyond
recognition. The head had been hacked
with Ratchet, while knife had been
left sticking in the back.
When news of his death reached the
local members of the Hop Sing tong they
at once decided to seek revenge. Accord
ing to the tong laws, when a Chinese
is killed by the members of a rival tong
all the friends of the murderer must be
killed, as we'll as the assassin This is
the law the local men intended to follow
when Willis sprang into the breach.