CRIME: Tong

(3 of 3)

In Newark one Chin Hin, a member of the Hip Sing Tong, locked the thin door of his hall-bedroom, went to sleep. He was awakened by a soft repeated, terrifying knocking on the door. Summoning all his courage, he flung it open. There was no one outside. He returned to bed. An interval of silence; the sound began again. Once more Chin Hin, with cold sweat starting from him, threw open the door; once more he was met by vacancy. He turned his key; almost instantly, the knocking was resumed. Chin Hin, deranged by terror, jumped out of the window.*

In Manhattan in the kitchen of a restaurant, one Ho Kee, a cook, was mixing curry. A slight noise made him glance behind him; a face like a soiled lemon wafer leered at him from the shadow of a barrel; a roaring flash filled the kitchen. The shot that killed him scorched his apron; he was buried with a .38 calibre revolver in his right hand that he might be equipped to revenge his murder in the next world.

At present the only Tongs fighting, are the Hip Sings, the On Leongs. Many others exist;—the Hong Tuck Tong, made up of cigar makers; the Gum Longs, of fishermen on the Sacremento river; the Gin Sin Sear, founded by Little Pete, famed Chinese badman; the Bo Sin Sear, its rival; the Suey Sings, the Juke Lums, Om Yicks, Bing Kongs. The war of 1905 brought in twelve tongs on one side, nine on the other. Remembering this, police commissioners in all cities stationed double patrols, last week, in their Chinatowns.

*He lived.

Quotes of the Day »

Get & Share
PETER H. SCHULTZ, professor of geological sciences at Brown University and co-investigator of the mission that said it found water on the moon Friday
For use in rail of Articles page or Section Fronts pages. Duplicate and change name as necesssary to distinguish.

Time.com on Digg

POWERED BY digg

Quotes of the Day »

Get & Share
PETER H. SCHULTZ, professor of geological sciences at Brown University and co-investigator of the mission that said it found water on the moon Friday

Stay Connected with TIME.com