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returned emigrants and robbing them. He belongs to the Society. After a vast concourse of his clan went to Complainant and to the Boarding House Keeper, and they agreed that if the witnesses did not appear the property should be returned. The case was dismissed. I have based my return (A) on personal inspection of the houses. I know the head men. They know that the Chinese Government has offered rewards for knowledge of certain persons. I know this by conversation with them; they have visible knowledge about ten of them. I also know that they are aware of the existence of persons for whose arrest rewards are offered by the Chinese Government.
I consider that nearly all the lower criminal classes of the Colony are members of the Society, and that they have become so within the last four or five years. I have known two Triad Society Clubs at litigation, and in that case they opposed each other; if they were not members, they would not have done so.
As to the wine murders I refer to, I consider that the murderers were all members of the Society, and that they (or some of them) were Hakkas.
As to brothels being under their charge, I speak from personal knowledge. In one case, I found a loaded revolver in the mistress's room, and a quantity of loaded cartridges hidden in the mistress's bed. I have heard that some Government officers are members of the Society, possibly as many as 100 or 200 of all classes.
Chairman: I should think there are about 60 or 70 Chinese Police members. About 10 of the Surveyor General's Department, Harbour Master's Department, Registrar General, and District Officer's Department are members; about 15. I think there are one or two in the department itself. Supreme Court, one or two; Magistracy, one or two.
By Mr. Gordon: I should think 1/3 of the prisoners in Gaol are members.
By Chairman: There are certainly some in Norval's Yard, but not many.
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