New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-08
OPIUM RAID
AvERTS TONG OUTBREAK
Customs Officers Find Arsenal,
Following Murder Conviction
of Chinese Gunman.
HIP SINGS WELL PREPARED
Feared Vengeance of Rivals, the
On Leongs, Because of Yer.
dict-Drug Seized and
Prisoner Taken.

Following the conviction yesterday OF
Jung Hing an On Leong tong gunman.
of murder In the first degree before
Judge Mulqueen. in General Sessions. an
other outbreak in the feud long existing
between the On Leongs and their rivals,
the Hip Sing tongs, was averted by ac-
cident when federal officers from the
Custom House invaded a house at No Il
Pen street and found Il half dozen Hip
Sings gathered there. Seven "A calibre
revolvers and a rife with a sawed-oft
barrel, all fully loaded. were found behind
a door OF the room.
The men from the Custom House, under
the leadership OF Deputy Surveyor Nor
wood, had entered the premises at No. Is
Pell street in a search for smuggled .
opium. They found some Of the drug, and
took Ong Fong, said to be the secretary
Of the Hip Sings, into custody, charged ,
with receiving struggled goods. 1t was
after this I'm making a further search OF
the place. that the federal officers dis
covered the small arsenal behind a door.
Although none Of the men besides Ong
Fong was arrested, the police took charge
of the gunware and turned the guntoters
out into the street.
II is the belief of Captain Tierney, OF
the Elizabeth street station, that the
Hip Sings. anticipating rouble with the
On Leongs over the conviction OF Jung
Hing, had armed themselves in prepara-
ton for a battle with their deadly rivals.
1t Is believed the visit of the customs
men was all that averted bloody set-to
among the Chinese gunner"
Had Sought Ons Fons in Vain.
Deputy Norwood and his men have been
looking for Ong Fong for several weeks
They had heard that he had his agents on
various steamship lines, who have been
smuggling opium and cigars into this
country, but they could never corner the
willy Chinaman until yesterday.
When Norwood and his men mounted
the rickety stairs leading 10 the tiny
cigar store Of Ong Fong, the bland pro-
prietor was ready to receive his visitors.
He had evidently seen them approaching
from Pell street through one of the mar
row iookouts cut In the walls Of his shop
for just such purposes.
The proprietor and a half dozen evil
looking gunner OF the Hip Sings were
sitting idly about in the stuffy room. Ong
Fong knew the customs men and what
brought them there. He rose from his
seat and bowed low. a smile playing over
his face. The federal officers started I'm
TO make search of the place for opium
Ong Fong and his countrymen stood about
with looks of panied surprise on their
haN know
reason for such rude conduct.
No opium could be seen, and Norwood
was baffied for a moment. Then he saw
a small safe in one corner OF the room
He ordered Ong Fong 20 open 1t. The
Chinaman made rapid motions with Ms
hands. indicating that he did not know
what Norwood was saying. The Deputy
Surveyor then sent one Of his men Out
70 find a professional safe man. HI q
fav minutes an expert came back WIN
the inspector and started 10 drlll the saAe'
Considerable Opium Found.
vvho, the door was taken OIL and the
- Commandment opened several bum
as If opi,Im were found. neatly wrapped
IN packages. Ong Fong INSISTED II was
not his and that he knew not ho" ~
came there. but Norwood turned MN over
IN Detective Murphy, OF inspector lazy
sta1 who had followed the customs men
into the place. The Chinaman was locked
nm in the Elizabeth street station.
more thorough search or the cigar
s,ors then revealed the presence Oh '"o
revolvers and rifle. 1t was evident thse
Tho chinese gunner. being warned OF 'hs
onrroach OF Norwood and his men, hso
hastilv thrown their weapons oehino the
door. roor.
hung Hing. a gunman OF the on Leons
rong was found guilty of murder IN the
s-st dearee Yesterday before Judge Null
oueen in General Sessions al'er 'hs 49,
bad been out for nineteen hours nc
the first of his race, according 10 1A'
racords at the District Attorneys on'es'
a. ha convicted OF murder in the hrst oe-
gree since Chinatown was touhueu' -
g. Ch,raman was convicted Of murder
in tns second degree. but that was 'H'
last ChInaman convicted OF hoihieiue he'e.
prooklvn detectives were BUSY ias'
,ioht investigating the case Oh Ch''ia-
80, found dead in closet in en- uhoc'
ornied house at No 1877 Monroe street. au-
ioining the Bedford branch Oh the hou"s
Mems Christian Association. An aihou-
lance surgeon said the man had oeen
dead three days, and the police had an
idea that he was a victim Of tong
feud No marks of violence showed Oh
the body In a cursory examination, ,,a
bottle OF roach poison was near tue
man hut the police did not believe tnet
he had committed suicide; Detecuge
Manning took some sGsr sUTn S 20 Chinatown
late last night and began an investlga-
ton.