Los Angeles herald., 1907-02-03
CHINESE TONG
WAR AVERTED
FOR A TIME
Husband of Pretty
Bigamist Arrested
Chinatown Threatened with Disruption
Over Loves and Marriages of
Little Almond-Eyed
Yen Say

Mig Yet now occupies a cell in the
city jail. BY his arrest yesterday
afternoon a tong war in Chinatown was
averted for the time being, but how
long peace will prevail cannot be
stated. While he Is confined in the city
prison his fellow tongsmen are wait
ing, prepared if any injustice is done
their comrade, to take up arms in his
behalf.
Already they feel that Mig Yet has
been injured, and deep oaths of ven-
geance have been taken against Lee
Tsu, the man who is responsible for
NlS Vets confinement in the city jail.
The trouble arose shortly after the
great disaster in San Francisco. At
that time Lee Tsu and his pretty little
bride were occupying apartments in
Chinatown. They had been married
year previous at wedding cere-
mony which is still talked of in the
haunts of their people in the northern
city. Feasts which lasted for days
had been spread to celebrate the glad
event and the best wishes of the gods
had been called down on the heads
of the two young persons.
Little Wife Is Gone
When the disaster came Lee Tsu was
absent from home. He was a powerful
tongsman and his presence was ever
necessary at the meetings of the So
ciety. When he made his way to his
home on that awful April morning he
found his place vacant and his soft
eyed wife gone. Hastily through the
ruins of San Francisco he searched.
Everywhere he asked for Yen Say, but
she was nowhere to be found. Coun-
trymen gazed at him with pitying
eyes, but could not help him. Their
time was taken up with their own
sorrows and losses.
In the meantime Yen Say had been
told that her husband was dead.
Killed in the earthquake, his former
comrades said, and the little woman,
unable to find refuge among her own
people, at last boarded q train and
came to Los Angeles.
Here she met Mig Yet This young
man bears an unsavory reputation
among all but his own tongsmen. He
Is suave, of manner and proved good
| to look upon to the young woman, and
thinking her husband dead she soon
gave him her heart and their marriage
was celebrated.
The young couple lived together un-
til December. Then, one day Lee Tsu
walked into their parlor. AS a spirit
returned from the dead he seemed, and
little Yen Say gaZed at him with hor-
ror.
In stern voice he demanded his
wife of Mig Yet, but the young man
refused to give her up and bade Lee
Tsu be gone. The bereavel husband
was driven from the house, while his
former wife remained behind, weeping
for her former lord.
Lee Tsu Vows Vengeance
Then Lee Tsu took an oath of VEN
l., e..
and Mig Yet were taken to white
mans court and Lee Tsu appeared be-
fore them, demanding his Chinese wife
in an American court. Justice Rose
of the police court listened to his plead
ings, but at last told him to go, as
the mystery was too deep for him to
unravel.
For month Mig Yet and Yen Say
lived together and were not bothered
by Lee Tsu. Nevertheless the young
husband knew that the man whose wife
he had taken had not forgotten, and he
watched each move of his enemy with
sharp eyes, prepared for any action he
might take.
Gradually the feeling of unrest spread
among the tongsmen in Chinatown un-
til recently the police have feared an
outbreak of some sort. Chinese who
were formerly friends have, during the
last week, passed each other without
speaking, and a feeling OF unrest per-
meated the air. Yesterday it was de-
cided that matters were reaching
crisis and it was decided to bring Mig
Yet to the station to see If this would
cause a cessation of trouble. 1t seemed
to do so for the present, for both tongs
will now await the outcome of a trial
before judge before taking any def
mite action against their enemies.
Each man is wealthy and both are
members of the most powerful tongs.
In case a war starts it will , a bloody
one as revenge is dearer to the hearts
of the Chinese than any other senti-
ment