Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-07-20
Promiscuous Shooters.

1NOW, us a ldaCy l1SL WIFI u WISH.
tub Chinaman may be a peaceful
enough citizen, but mention to him
the name of rival tong and he bris-
ties with artillery like an armory. He
is promiscuous shooter and will turn
loose in crowded theater, an open
street or almost anywhere that he
gets sight Of his hated enemies The
usual preliminary Of Celestial shoot
fest is the setting off of bunch Of
flrecrackers, the report of the guns be-
ing not so noticeable amid the popping
of the fireworks In one New York
war the members of the rival tongs
bowed their legs. squatted as low as
possible and hoped about like toads,
all the time emitting bullets like q
suffering. asthmatic Calling gun.
They are not remarkably accurate
marksmen, as in this particular fusil-
lade, in which something like 100 shots
were fred, only two brown men bit
the dust. The only reason that more
execution was not done by stray bull
let's was that Pell and Mott streets
were as empty as the tomb, the first
reports starting an array of streaming
pigtails from brown men, who fed in
mad stampede.
The tong members are also quite
handy with knives, and during these
hoshlides many yellow faces with FIX
ed eyes have been discovered by the
police in back alleys or Railways, the
owners Of the faces having long and
deep Sits in their backs. To make the
shadow still darker over the reputa-
ton for peace Of our friends Of the
cue and the fatiron the most pro-
life source Of trouble between their
tongs is plain graft. It is the case Of
the "man higher up" Gambling is an
offense against the laws, and in order
that it may be carried on somebody
has to be paid for immunity.
In New York 1t is generally believed
and stated in print and otherwise that
the police and Tammany are regularly
"sweetened" by the keepers of gam
bling joints in Chinatown just as they
are, according to the wiseacres, in the
Tenderloin. But it is not this that Gre
ates the feuds. The head men Of one
of the tongs likewise get rakeoff.
The head men Of the other tong object
to this shameless iniquity unless they
can share equally in the fruits thereof;
hence the shootings, informings and
trouble generally.
Noted Celestial Chieftains.
The two tongs in New York. also in
Boston and most cities Of the United
States, are known as the Ong Leong
and the Hip Sing. In Gotham the head
OF the Ong Leong is Tom Lee. mayor
of Chinatown, man who has enter
tanned Ii Hung Chang. not unlike
whom he looks, and is counted per
sonage of parts. The most active man
in the Hip Sings is the redoubtable
Mock Duck, who has been on trial for
murder once or twice in New York and
at whose dread name section OF
Chinatown turns shade more yellow.
These two Celestial chieftains are as
different in appearance as two Chinks
can well be. Both are mild looking. OF
course, and both are possessed of slant
eyes and other regulation oriental fea.
lures. But with these marks resem
blance, also friendship, ceases. Tom
Lee is old. with sparse white beard
white tie and patriarchal demeanor
which he can well afford since he is the
husband Of a German wife and hal
two strapping sons. Mock Duck Ii
smooth Of face and looks like boy
| Yet they whisper-they scarcely tan
these things out loud In Chinatown
that mere nod from this boyish head
IL enough to set highlander to SILT
some ones throat or to start a tong
war that may result in shooting up al
of Pell and Mott streets and even q
section Of the Bowery.
| The Chinese minister at Washing
ton and consul general at New Yorl
were greatly exercised in the fear tina
the Sigel murder would cause tons
war, and they publicly warned tn,
state department, the police and China
town itself in consequence. As a re
suit, large detachment Of blnecoatl
and plain clothes men invaded the ole
battle-ground and the threatened hos
: Titles did not materialize. With al
these precautions, however. two mel
who were thought to be importan
witnesses were found murdered.
The population Of Chinatown prope,
In New York is about 1900 to 5000
while there are twice as many China
usn ~ the greater city and its On
g. 3 Il o. y