Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-07-29
PRESCOTT FEARS
FULL PLEDGED
TONG WAR
in Arizona City All Go
Heavily Armed and Ratchet
Men are Said to eB Coming
From Frisco,

Prescott. Ariz.. which has a large
and hourishing Chinese settlement, is
on the verge Of a full ftedged war OF
highbinders, according to the Prescott
Journal Miner. which says:
Deadly fear and CONSERVATION
reigns supreme in Chinatown today.
~Momentarily an outbreak Of a FULL
iedged Tong war is expected. Every
Chinaman in the local colony is said
to be going heavily armed in anticl-
patton of such an event, and longs
men in Phoenix. Tucson and Douglas
are being dragged into the local fight.
Members of the Tong to which the
late Quong Yuen. the aged Chinese
merchant who, through fear of tho
hatchet man who had been sent here
from San Francisco to XIII him. COM
mitted suicide last Saturday morning.
are preparing to avenge the death Of
thelr leader n as a consequence the
entire Chinese settlement here is I'm a
turmoil of excitement.
Members of Quong Yuen's Tong in
this city are i'm the minority, and con>
sequently are afraid to make a direct
attack until their Tong is reinforced
by members from Phoenix where the
Tong Is very strong. Already several
Phoenix Cinnamon belonging to the
above Tong have made trips to this
city, but owing to their interests in
the Capital city have been forced to
return there after a short stay here
TO a%cquaint themselves fully with the
situation. When the Phoenix longs
men are in the city the Quong Yuen
partisans are brave and resolute IN
their determination to wreak ven~
geance for the death of their leader
but when their followers return to
Phoenix they again become the mi
nority and are apparently afraid of
the consequences should they make
an open move.
In substantiation of this Il is pointed
out that the same Chinese friends OF
Nucn, who a few days ago approached
the police for "a warrant for the ar
rest Of a certain Chinaman. a mem
her Of the Quong Hing Tong. who.
II Is alleged by members of the local
Chinese colony. urged the passing of
the death sentence on the aged mer
chant. and even boasted. openly. later.
that he had gone to san Francisco and
hired the hatcnet man who came here
to execute the death sentence, now
fear to divulge the name Of this Chink
and Il IS not expected they will do SO
until their members are reinforced by
.Tongsmen from Phoenix and Tucson.
I'm the meantime. the Quong Hing
Tongsmen, opposed To the other local
Tong. are not idle. and are making
move against them, even Ia the cN-
tent Of arranging the importation ~
some of the most notorious and des-
perate Ratchet men In the United
States, now known TO be quartered
in san Francisco and Los Angelic.
In which latter city a Tong war is now
in progress.
n Is even said that efforts are being
made by the warriH&-~,ongs here tn
bring In Nc Po and jew Chick. two
Ratchet men whose very names strike
terror to the heart Of every China
man who has received word that his
death has been decided upon. and who
are now In To- Angeles. Charlie joe.
king Of the highbindcrs I'M san Fran
cisco g. known to be IN correspond
ence with one Of the local Tongs. look
ing TO the sending here Of several
Ratchet men. should Tho need arise.
The Ratchet men, or highbinders.
are nothing more or less than hired
assassins. OF a professional order. who.
while not necessarily belonging 10 any
of the Tongs engaged In the war. allv
themselves with the Tong that hires
them and take the Tong oath ia carry
out implicitly All orders given them.
under the Tong laws death being their
portion should they fail. Then 70 can
be- seen why the mere mention OF e
notorious Highlander. with numerous
successful demonstrations 10 his credit.
brings fear no The heart Of the Chimes
who have been 50 unfortunate as 10
receive the death warning.
While the story OF The happenings
which led up 10 the death sentence be-
ing passed upon Ouong Nuen has been
told in these columns. previously. YES
tcrday a Journal-Mimer reporter sue
ceeded IN securing additional anthem
tic Information concerning the death
Of Nuem which throw some interest
ing side lights upon the strange and
mysterious ways OF these Oriental
Tongsmen.
ON August rs. 1905. three Cinnamon
set fire TO a boarding house in Hum
hoidt. from which one ~ their cour-
trymen. a cook. had previously been
discharged. These men were Charley
lee. now working IN e restaurant on
.Curfez street. On this city. Smiley Lung
Lee Ding. AL three were arrested
end smiley Lung turned states eli-
in~cendiarism. duplicating his tive
companions. Attorney LEROY Anderson
defended the other two Cinnamon
and they were declared not guilty hv
"a jury QunnE Nuen looked after the
Interests 20 the chinaman who con-
.fcssei. and since that dav 90 O. srfa
be- has been looked upon with more
nv less disfaVnr ~ the local Chine
Who DECLARED that luasmuch ns h had
aeslsfea the Chiuaulan who turned
hefraver. he was. at heart himself n
hetrayer and informer,