The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-12
GIRL IS BEHIND
GREAT TONG WAR
Ninth Chapter in Story of Strife
of Rival Chinese Written
in Blood.
GRAND JURY OF FRISCO
MAKING INVESTIGATION
Abduction of Woman From the
House of an On Yick by a
Yee Started Strife.

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 1.-THE
murder of Yee On, whose body was
found in Oakland s Chinatown early to.
day with four bullet wounds in the head,
furnished ninth chapter in the history
of one of the fercest tong wars ever
waged in the state. There is no clew
TO the murderers. but the police learned
today that several strange Chinese, be.
hcved by leaders Of the Yee tong to
be Highbinders imported by the On
Iick tong, wero seen In the vicinity
of the tragedy yesterday.
Attempt to Make Treaty.
For several weeks the Chinese con-
sui general in this city and officials of
the Six Companies have been trying to
effect treaty that would prevent repe-
tition of such feuds in the future, as
we'll as end the present one. Several
conferences already have been held be-
tween white attorneys and yellow lead
ers of the rival tongs, but owing to
the intense feeling between the two
families and their numerical strength
throughout the country these have failed
Of result
IS Inst resort, representations have
been made TO the new Chinese minister.
Chang Yin-Tang, who arrived here yes
terday en- route to his post at Washing
ton, in the hope that he could effect
compromise,
Daring Methods Used.
For more than month hundreds of
"guuhghters and 'hatchet men y have
stalked marked victims and have skulk-
4 A.. -bnra
Chinese servants are employed, waiting
for opportunities TO do murder.
According 10 the testimony of prom
inent Chinese before the grand Jury,
which is investigating, there is a wom-
an at the bottom Of it,
About six weeks ago, Yee Hong.
youthful member of the powerful Yec
family, of which there arc branches in
many cities from New York to San
Francisco, abducted Bow Cue, a slave
girl with whom he was in love, from
tho house of an On Yick. The On Yicks
are equally, if not more, prominent than
the Yees, and the abduction created
sensation among the 10000 denizens of
the Oriental quarter. After Gee and
laid the matter before the leaders of
the Yee family. 1t was suggested that
the least the Yees could do was to pay
a fair price for the girl, who was high.
~ priced because of her beauty.
Quarrel Over Price.
Several family consultations were
held on both sides. Finally word was
sent 10 the On Eicks that the Yees
would not pay the sum demanded. This
was a declaration of war, according TO
tong etiquette, and the first shot was
fred November 2, when Yce Fun Wah
was murdered in San Francisco and
Nee Gee fell with an assassin IS bullet
in his heart in Oakland 8 Chinatown.
So far the Yees have suffered most
severely, seven of their number having
fallen 10 two of the On Yicks. The
prominent merchants and leading laun
drymen Of both families, upon whose
heads prices have been set, are ter
rorized and seldom venture out after
dark Many of them have bodyguards
of one or more white detectives.
Leader Closely Guarded.
Yee Sing. the aged head of the Yee
family, for whose death it is said Sl0,-
900 would be paid, has a guard of ten
men, and has not ventured from his
home for several weeks.
Another leading Yee is said TO be
ouartered in n fashionable hotel. con-
stantly attended by white guards.
As a result of the grand jury's in
vestipation of the first murder In the
series, six tong leaders are under in
dictment as accessories before the fact.
Two OF these are among the most prom
inent Chinese in the United States-Gee
Hong On, president of the On Yicks, and
Ting Cbong. head of the Supreme lodge
of Chinese Free Masons, editor of a
Chinese daily newspaper IN this city,
and lieutenant of DR.. Sun Vat Sen, the
noted revolutionist.