Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1908-03-13
IN FIRST DEGREE
Eight Cinnamon Are Convicted
of Murders In Boston
NINTH MAN AN ACCESSORY
The Latter. a Rich Merchant, Found
Guilty of Matching Plot Which Re-
suited In Brutal Slaughter Of Four
of Their Countrymen

Boston, March 9.-Warry Charles.
the wealthiest and one of the most in
huential merchant Cinnamon of Bos-
ton, and eight of his countrymen be-
lieved to be notorious "hatchet men"
were found guilty by jury in the SUI
perior criminal court of murder in the
first degree on four counts. alleging the
killing of four Cinnamon in Boston on
Aug. , of last year. \ tenth defendant.
zee Wat, who had also been on trial
on the same charge. died suddenly in
his cell last Tuesday while the trial
was In progress.
The men found guilty are Min Sing.
HON WOon, Leong Gong. Wong Duck,
Wong How, Joe Guey, Dong Box Ling.
zoe Jung and Wary Charles. The
men were accused of the murders Of
Chin Mong Quin Wong Shu Chung.
Chin Lee and Lee Kai Nom.
In each case Charles was accused of
being an accessory before the alleged
murders, in that he "feloniOusly and
maliciously invited. moved. procured.
aided. counselled. hired and command
ed others to commit crimes" This calls
for the death penalty. as in the case Of
the other eight men.
The case had been on trial for thirty
three court days. the first four days
being thrown out on account of IL mis-
trial. owing to the sickness of Juror.
over 1000 typewritten pages of testi-
mOny was Taken and the cost of the
trial is estimated at $4,000.
The murders for which the China
men were found guilty marked one OF
the worst Chinese slaughters which has
ever occurred in the east in the feud be-
tween the Hep Sing Tong and the On
Leong Tong. rival Chinese societies.
Early in the evening of Friday, Aug.
.. 1907, a number of strange China
men suddenly appeared in Oxford
place. in the heart of the Chinese quar-
ter of Boston. and upon the signal OF
the discharge Of a frecracker. lighted
by the cigar one of the strange China
men was smoking, Immediately began
firing from revolvers of heavy calibre
upon scores Of Chinese merchants and
laundrymen who were lolling about in
the rear Of their stores. Over forty
shots were fired. and when the police
appeared they found three Cinnamon
stretched lifeless in the alley and doz-
en- others badly wounded.
The Cinnamon who had done the
shooting scattered in all directions
Several were arrested. however. before
they were able to leave town. Two
were captured in Worcester. one in
Quincy and another in Portsmouth. \.
H., until finally the police had rounded
up ten men whom they believed were
the ringleaders in the slaughter.
The murders reused the Cinnamon to
a high pitch Of excitement and the ut
most vigilance of the police was exer-
cised for many weeks after to prevent
| recurrence OF trouble between the rival
| Tongs. Two Of the men killed were
Chinese Masons Of high degree and
their funerals, which were held public
ly week later, were of the most pic
| turesque, though solemn. scenes ever
witnessed in the city
That the murders We're of the most
! brutal and deliberate character was
brought out during the progress Of the
| long trial. 1t was shown in evidence
that the murders had been instiyated
in the councils Of the Hep Sing Tong TO
create fear of that society and that
its membership and influence might he
increased as result OF the proposed
slaughter.
Shoy Tong one Of the principal GOV
/ eminent witnesses. testified that Wary
Charles, n rich and influential Chinese
merchant OF Boston and president of
the Hep Sing Tong. had instigated the
killing. During his testimony he stated
Charles said that we would have Ia
do some killing and make the Chinese
business men so afraid that all of them
would join our society" He also said
must kill someone"
Tong testified further that Charles
proposed sending to New York. philo.
delphia and Chicago for "hatchet men"
who were unknown TO do the killing rs
they would be better able to escane
He said that Charles offered to nav fine
expenses of the men; to give them SoOO
for each man killed, and that if anybody
got caught to hire attorneys for the de-
| tense.
Cinnamon Want New Trial