Evening star., 1940-01-01

women, all were by conflicting
gambling interests.
Wah Kee, inscrutable gambling
overload, was the first to capitalize
on the Chinese fondness for fan tan.
So great became his power, and 20
rapidly did his wealth mount, that
others opened dives.
During this golden age Of fan tan
and pi gov, Tom Lee headed the On
Leongs, then the powerful tong, and
Hip Sings of q rival tong were
meek. Lee controlled the six Chi
nese votes then in New York and he
voted them early and often.
But just as the century turned,
Lees peaceful mastery over China
town was interrupted by Mock Duck,
one Of the most f1ctionized of China
towns denizens.
Mock Duck, q bland, fat, moon
faced and inscruptable heather,
was a curious mixture Of bravery
and cowardice. He wore a shirt of
chain mail and he carried two guns
and hatchet. He used the guns
with great frequency but little sue
cess.
Mock Duck was afraid Of no per-
son but his wife, Tai Yu. Once she
invaded the fiat of Chinese
woman and, finding her husband
there, led him home by the scruf1
Of the neck, pausing at each corner
to kick and slap him. After that,
Mock Duck had to go blazing away
with his two guns for a long time
before he could quiet the laughter
that this disgraceful incident had
inspired.
Duck formed an alliance with
Wong Get, head of the Hip Sings.
and soon ousted him from power.
When he felt strong enough he de-
manded of Tom Lee a quarter in
terest in the gambling privileges,
but Tom Lee smiled.
A week later that smile turned to
frown as two of Lees Chinese
votes were found dead in fire of
incendiary origin.
In retribution an On Leong
hatchet man slew the first Hip Sing
he met in Doyers street and the
first tong war began.
Treaty Signed in 1906.
The war continued until 1906,
when a treaty was signed and a
great celebration began. Tom Lee
drank LOT mugs of rice wine but
when the party broke up Hip
Sing shot an On Leong in Doyers
street and within a week the rusty
revolvers were banging away again.
Not until 1909 was this uprising
put down and by that time the
Gerry Society, then delving into vice
in the city, investigated a report
that Ha OF. Mock Ducks adopted
daughter, was white child.
They took Ha OF away and Mock
Duck was frantic He left China
town, gambled his way across the
country, amassed an immense for
tune and again returned to Doyers
street.
Immediately the tong guns
hatchets and snickersnees came out
and murders were daily occurance
Finally, in 1912, a conviction was OBJ
tanned against Mock Duck and he
was sent to Sing Sing. Liberated
he took up residence in Brooklyn,
forswore tongs. and never again
visited Chinatown.
The Chinese Theater, which took
Do q
favorite battle-ground of the Tongs
1t was in this low ceiled, close, dis
NAL building. furnished with low
backed, high seated benches. with
out footlights. curtain or scenery,
that Tongmen slit the throats Of
rivals as the squeaky performance
progressed.
Plays Historical and Noisy.
The; plays were always historical
| and noisy. Actors entered on i'm
aginary horses slashing the air with
imaginary whips and tying their
imaginary steeds to imaginary trees
as cymbals crashed and sitars
squeaked cacaphony of mournful
sound.
1t was here that All Hoon, fore
most of Chinese comedians, taunted
rival Hip Sing and -Four Brother
Tongmen. So sharp became his
barbs that he was marked for death
and even notified as to the day and
the hour when he would be slain.
Police were literally scattered
| through the audience on the ap-
pointed day and the sworn killers
postponed their act All Hoon,
trembling with fear, got through his
performance and then locked him
self in his one -windowed room. On
Leong hatchet men guarded the
premises, yet, the next morning All
Hoon was found dead in his bed, a
bullet through his heart. A Hip
Sing had lowered himself by bosun s