1955-08-20 — Page 8

Fuge 8,

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 1935.

·

Their Membership is Placed at 300,000

TRIAD SOCIETIES OF THE HONGKONG UNDERWORLD

S

CENE: 11 smull,

shabby

room; #1

By Gordon Hung

co time mistake the

ing to establish a foothold here, and those were the days when triud wars were prevalent. The victors consolidated their post-

and tions,

the vinquished

awaiting belter times.

In the present day, triad wars

ONE OF THE WORLD'S STRANGEST STORIES

WITCHCRAFT IN THE 20TH CENTURY?

W

By C. Baker-Carr

In a group society, the ruling are rare because the Hongkong encyclopaedias, Adults give book

or renting price poveca leugtonga, polite, indulgent Inugh prose were about folie-jono ay was the sun polite works

•ITCHES_belong to- It was then that the chalp of unguely about bad crops desplie the mysterious and macabre coinci- good weather. They spoke of in day

old man derices began, coincidences that Walton as a strange Pagan nursery,

are dotted throughout this case, who often talked to the birds" Inspector on Meon Hill, of how ho stayed crawled back into their dens rites, sorcery and incanta- like an evil plague.

tions are mediaeval subjects Hinksman, in charge of the indoors unless the weather was to be looked up in dusty county police trame department, fino, and when he did hobble out

taken had recently

two it was with the aid of two sticks. from the local

But routine legenda

rom nearby soldiers, were taken from airmen and Italians, Germans and glavs In o a neighbouring prisoner-of-war

R.A.F. planes took serial photographs of the scene and plaster casts wore made of each footprint in

murder field.

• BATTLES

single, dust-covered

of the alructure, so that ut The original objects electric bulb shed strong hobi they have over the

Hung

it Mur were the overthrow will

member dling a dim glow in the Colony's lower classes.

fri official's position of the Chings, the spreading of an centre. On the walls are

Pacte socleties primarily prey learning and the freeing of the hierarchy.

But branch pasted strips of red paper upon people who make a lving Chinese

people.

were Inter Bearing inscriptions in large off the sticels or whose livell- rociclics

formed had only criminal

is made in- body black characters. Beneath hood is very near to this level. which

The only connection members, with the Main Route ful in keeping the ponco. Apart from actual criminal, terests. the yellow light,

the real Marshal (Tal Lo Yuen Sul) as seven

these and their members include labourers, bolweer. serious-faced men Aboutblacks, pimps, proslilules, Hung Mun -

The Second Route was the sinlar the head

Marshal (Tal Yce Lo Yuen Sul) grouped around a wooden gaming-house keepers and many Initiation ceremony.

In the head's assistant. table on which stand a other types of shody operators.

The word "irind" in Chinese

There was a time when triad The various societies within glass of wine, a rice bowl,

mcans "three harmonies" (sam knife and a live cock with

words were the group have their own off- battles flourished in the streets hop). Why the

whom the head is of the Colony, whenever the its legs tied together.

chosen, and what was the baris cials, of

choice, are things calice the Chor Kwoon (presid "old men" of the societies could agreement in their for their that defeat explanation in the ing offelai), and the second in not reach present day, even by people command-airo the treasurer disputes. And if the Police did

Tol (chairman)

not get wind of the fraens, there who have studied the subject, the Chor

was a real set-te. The best they can offer is that Char So (auditor). the term probably refers to the three harmonics

heaven, of earth and mankind.

Their principal source of In- come is derived from the ot ganisation and protection of all With #yudoch movement, forms of crime and vice, from ene of the men seizes the knife Pocket-picking to drug traflick- mid deftly cuts off the head of ing

the bid Tuining to a younger man in the company

che han

table, he

Anger andl

who has above the

•

raised nice

a prosented a fow squeezes drops of human blood into the wine. The young man takes a

And sip of the mixture,

the other six do likewise in turn.

The first man then brings the knife murtly down on the empty bow}, smashing it into inny Truments ut ene stroke. He then revites a number of the one with phrases, which The pricked Duger repeats after bin.

• ILLEGAL

This is the new

Initiation of a a Ariad into member

have read Society. You may "triad

society" in

of cour suports

the

the im ne what per cando lend rightly connected name with illegal and criminal

activities. There are many such societies brotherhoods of crime which have spread their tentacles over ail Hong- slimy

inte sther far cul kong and places In the Pacifle. Their origin, their organisation, and the extent of their Influence are not so widely understood.

The triad societies form the

น่าก most powerful element in underworld of Hongkong.. Their estimated membership-200,000

to 300,000ts staggering, and sufficiently demonstrates what a

Now

THREAT

Some societies control the wha:ves and waterfront coolies; others control differant districts and streets in the Colony. Dis putes are settled by the society in control of the particular aren where the trouble occurs, and its decision is binding upon the disputing porties, backed by the threat of violence from the soxicty's strong-armi

buys if it Is disregarded,

The majority of triad society members juin up because they are intimidated into thinking that they need such a type of protection while earning their living. Others jól because of the fear of violence,

Chinese revolu- under got

When the flotary movement way in 1897 under the leader- ship of Dr Sun Yat-sen, certain sections of the Hung Mun So-

It ther diety gave

support, One of the active Hung Mun leaders came to Hongkong and set up the Chuig Wo Tong, a

aum whose

WIN 10 society sollelt support trunz Oversous Chinese for the revolution.

After the success of the re oution, the different societies

or

of

The negotiating officials

societies diplomatic of- Betala, ne alteromalle ge- Fans" (Pak Tsze Sin). Their main duty is infeon with other societies. They also act as i

ermediaries in mir disputes and is revenue collectors.

• ALLEGIANCE

The strong-arm section of a soclety is led by a "Red Rod" (Hung Kwun), who is head of "the fighting elements within the These are the people

zocicly.

who take part in fights with

At the appointed time and the Righting members place, would line up on both sides of a street, armed with bicyclo chains, choppers, bamboo poles, knives and other weapons.

-ive

man anyway.

for the

the

pages,

moment, a

the At an appolated signal,

Charles Walton was found in whole street would be converted a field on the slopes of Mean into a battlefield. More often than Hi, a quarter of a mile from the not, the arrival of the Police,village of Lower. Quinton, itself duly warned, would drive the triad members into dight and estere peace and quiel.

At one time, the 14K trid society, which came from Canton

few years ago, tried to usurp! the Wo soclety's leading posi-

leader their influence has dis-i

.

formed by members of the rival societies; more often, they then, but with the death of their Lying On Side

૧.

that

A Murder

comp.

them, timing had been perfect.

Shake- by J. Harvey mi

ren

Over

and

The lore of witchcraft that the death or sight

Good Crop

and pass

on to, more im- old Warwickshire

Glancing Illy rough their portant problems,

inspector noticed But the foul, viciqua, murder of an old man in Warwickshay books straight

several

He took the passages. ten years ago brought those same And there the

to Mr Spooner. detectives saw dusty volumes down from their passages

startled, their shelves. The police were baffled,

and set the villagers ter-face and the logleat minds

Prol. Webster found that Walton man-in-the-street felt wonder wondering. ing what unse powers 10-

had been killed at noon when the villagers were starting their mained to threaten his day-to- day life. What traces of witch-

In "Folk Lore, Old Customs Walton had been a quarter of a Even though maid-day meals. craft were still left in our sombre liventieth century that cheu- and Superstitions in

11

mile away

he was stal in full matic old bedge-cutter could be speare's Land"

M. A they read of a view of the village, yet no one all struck down

ak saw

the killer. ...a weak- fiendishness of a ritual sacrifice? Victoria, murder:

Some days after the murder Charles Walton was the victim, minded young man killed an old and his killer is still a free woman named Ann Turner, with another strange killing was dis-

a hayfork

covered on Meon Hl. A black because be believed she had bewitched him. ..At dog was hanged by lis collar on Alveston, a 18-year-old plough the branches of a large bush not from whore Walton's body n for mot a lact Charica Walion

margad black dog on his way home nine had lain. This cruel and peculiar times in successive evenings. The crime was just as inexplicable,

During the investigation eight miles from Stratford- last time it shopged. Into

police patrol-car on-Avon, at 7 pm, on St Valen- beadiess woman that rustled by

silk dress, The killed a black dog in one of the tine's Day, 1945. The 74-year-old in a black

day the lad's sister narrow lanes. The next day a hedge-cutter should have been following

helfer calf on a nearby farm died in by four o'clock and he was died.".

*suddenly—and for no apparent At ence the police tried to always on time.

establish whether Charles Wal- son too, the dead man, had been states the plough-lad. And it did stem of a black dog spells tragedy. certain, though.

The detectives began to hunt They found him lying on his left side, near to a ditch and the out all the old books they could

On another occasion, not many Trizd societies at one time.

felk-lore on had been trimming find

and legends. days later, policemen watched a hedge ho into schools, that warm February day. even

discovered His They

that Ann Tur- The runners

or messengers infiltrated of the triad societies are called where youngsters considered to pitchfork pinned him down by ner was one of 18 "witches" in boy chase a large black hound "Straw Sandals"

an hancur to be accepted into (Cho Hal).

called out: "After that dog, and it is their duty to summon one society c: another. But the the neck and his long-handled, the Long Compton area (a day's across Meon Hill, A detective as active, the others being con-

combined efforts of the Police, OR WIS thrust eavagely into walk away from Lower Quinton) Inddle?" The boy turned. "What

his chest. the "Red Flods And as many

and that her murderer had

a bo asked. The officer be- tent with the protection they

possible parents and teachers have slop-been slashed in the shape of

to kill them all. At his receive from their respective

to explain, but the lad's free Thཔ "Wo" group of

fighting members ag

ped the rot. societies,

when occasion requires,

confessed the handle of the harfor trial he

to pinning had gone a deathly white. "I Or the 148 triad sveletles-the oldest und

cross; was thrust over

There was and wedged down Ann Turner with a hay sw nocieties known to be existing powerful group of these legal All these umcials in Hongkong, there are

owe their

under In Hongkong altegiance to some organisations

the hedge, forcing his fork before slashing her throat saw no dog, mister." the governing

head back and letting the blood with a billhook to leave the raw fear in his eyes as he turned.

end ran for home.. which have been formed by was established sometime be body, Just as the ordinary mem-

seep into the earth where it left -merk of the

The death of a dog and kill- of male

Professor J. M. Webster the ing by pitchforking are linked tried fore the First World War, and bers owe their loyalty to their it became known in the under respective leaders or "Chor

Numerous crimes, with triada brown stain.

Superintendent Alcc connections have come before

Home Office pathologist, examin- W. world as the "Meh-tsu (way- Kwoon."

Walton's body and was in at least one ancient Romant the Colony's courte on many Spooner, head of Warwickshire d

een rite of "Lupercalin." This b mouthed) tong. In time this

he too had been occasions. One of the most police C.I.D., arrived that even- certain that

ential festival begon on February became split up into

and then *** notorious was the murder of

14 end continued through the separate triad groups,

Police constable in Hunghom Scotland Yard. Chief Inspector stashed to death. When of following day. Goats and a

terror in Walton's eyes were sacrificed the man Bob Fablon (later promoted to sheer

The victims He had tried bird had to drip into the earth, A spoke for itself. last December, when

retired to died of knife wounds and a superintendent and now

defend himself the came with his assistant,

deep so providing the necessary Life beating with a bleycle chain. A

Albert Webb,

chier gashes on his arms and hands bleed to ensure a good summer triad society member was sen- Sgt. tenced to death for this murder: inspector

himself

Motives were picot enough of that. seemed to be non-existent, for

too. The Druids, The power of the triad socle Charles Walton never carried

and It any money ties lies in their numbers and ar

established:

his that Hengkong Police Force has been watch had been stolen.

Did fin Mine taking energetic action against detectors were used in searching made

Fabian and his murder team supposed to revitalise the soil for

other odd discoveries. these law violators. The cam-

Was that why Charles, Walton's for it, but the police could not They met with stubbornness head had been forced back by palga has been successful, and it

be certain that the old man was, when questioning the 493 in his own pitchfork--to allow his is going, on relentlessly.

It that fatal habitants of Lower in fact, wearing

Quinton, blood to drain into the earth? many of the country-folk spoke

(COPYRIGHT) (COPYRIGHT)

Despite the large membership, regarded only about 2,000 ure

the womenfolk members.

Triad societies in Hongkong originated from the Hung Mun

In China Society, formed

In the 17th century by five monks

In revolt and others

ugairst

un Mun were infiltrated by criminal elements, who gradual- by gained control to further their own ends.

• POWERFUL ◊

triad mast

many,

The governing body of the rule of the Manchu Dynasty, trind society is a rather simple

To

MANILA

in

4

are used to "put the screws on" an outsider who is unwilling to sipated. join.

sa

Omcials of the various cielies hold office for one her and at the society's get-together new officials are elected by the

If members.

they ordinary think that an official has done his job well throughout the pro-

year, he may be

те

vious clected.

One thing that counts a great deal towards election to a Te sponsible post is the members fighting ability, not so much his intelligence.

There

time WAR

when various triad societies avere try-

• MURDER

the threat of violence. But the

The Lure Of The

Even The Americans

2 Hours 40 minutes A country, so I hour, are

by

CPA

DOUGLAS

T

THE FASTEST SERVICE

ᎠᏟᏮ

billhook

Walton's neck

had

the C1083.

ing and be

he at once called in planed down first

day.

a

was never

erop

sucrificed

Old Discoveries human beings every February

14. Once again the blood was

the coming year.

Middle-Aged Englishman- Are Trying To Copy Him

utlend

pect,

London, really good at like leather, The prevalent type is tall, matter how long and faithfully Hendy, who MERICANS in

nappies, has the lean, tailoring, this cars, tweed,

horses lean, graying at the temples, at he has been married.

Dried brooding hand- country, so I hear, are Man comes very high on the dressed to sit on

and cricket the Middle-aged his breath-taking best when nurseries and National

horse or

leave him quite unscarred. He someness of joining local sports clubs list

a Renaissance never loses the wistful, Peter- white-lio-and-taile

prince for the purpose of being The vintage Englishman, to dinner. He has the far-away, Parnish, yet slightly buccaneer-

de- and also hap- able to wear the club tie. gether with port, Stilton and cold, blue-eyed gaze of a while ing appeal of the eternal

dicated bachelor, Women re- pong to be ex hunter on the lookout for an- Also highly favoured are Wellawn, matures

He just keeps quietly other piece of Empire, or at cognise at once that they have Director of the English tweed jackets; probably, soon, even bowler g better and beter. The least another set of anklers for been bom only to dam his National

in his

the the hall. face and hats will be adopted.

wrinkjes in his tweeds deepen.

Both are built to last, and to A military man, you might be seen at their very finest think by his tailoring, though this after a certain

the tima has cinpsed un- to allow for

This complimentary, burst of Anglophilia-or at least, unspoken admiration for Englishman comes at an expected moment, Just precise weathering. ly when

America has given us And if charm

by AMANDA MARSHALL

Д

varthin

the bloom on

woman,

socks.

Gal- tory. Even the selentiae world, where hair tradition.

collars

in

And always there, is about ally unkempt him, an unproved but utterly und Irresistible hint of the rake.

boasts that glamorous He is to be found in all pro Blackett. And fessions even among dons. In politics, Sir Anthony Eden has Yesterday's Alms,

Aubrey been almost personally respon- Ropald Colman sible for popularising the British

and

all a new popular hero-type: is the crazy-mixed-up-kid,

the his hair, un-oiled and revealing Smith on Brandio-James Dean figure with Middle-aged Englishman it tho contours of a beautifully represented the romantic essence Type abroad.

is. perhaps a of the breed blossoming under a set of drums, a motorcycle, 4 positively

runs riót like moss modelled head,

None of them, you notleo, is Californian the army, the

Today's. Bun T-shirt and jeans and a per-

allow. He is a casual- best exports are Michael Wilding exactly young. Goodness knows cares how they looked in sonal rebellion again society. A on the best kind of stone wall, rifle longer than wild,

xture. Indeed the obvious reason why meming dandy, and conconis an, and Stewart Granger, a little or

Ago cannot smouldering

twenties. romantic in a trife their very for removed from the

wither them; they are just com- the English woman is so sadly unexpected fondness for after wickeder, British ideal of understate inclined at an early age to give shave lotions, colognes and ex- more daring, worldly manner.

Film directors David Lean and Ing up to their prime: ment, correct behaviour in, the up. worrying about clothes, pensive tollet preparations dono

are both splendid, Footnote for those who do not club, and conservative, quiet facials and sex-appeal, is that up in severe but gilttering Jack Leo

slim, fine boned vintage speci- happen to be ravishingly tall. competing with her husband is

mens, Rex Horison, smooth as Joan, greying Englishmen simply not worth the struggle, The oldest and most carefully the contours of a Rolls Bentley, around 50: It has nearly always and sprightly as a been the international type of As she ages, so he blossoms. preserved, things about him are spruce

buttcahole, really small, roly-poly, dynamic But all the time the unchang- From his prep school days, it his shoes and his beliefs. He bachelor's

Ilko Napoleon, Churchill and ing English dreen-boat, tho has been made clear to him gives off an intoxicating aroma just about says it all.

Archaeology has the fascinal Picasso who has actually made. Unating by hls own that the world is his oyster, and of good tobacco, whisky, in- countrymen but envied by the England In particular is by seed oil, tweed, ozime and gun- ing, cruel-moustachioed Sir mountains move and rivers ruj Cavalier backwards. But don't let it get of the world, presses nature a man's country. That's powder. He knows his power Mortimer Wheeler, a alegantly on. Among the what God and Nonnie sald in over dowager duchesses, char- Colonel disguleed as an intel around.

No Iectual. Art hop Sir Philip. that this country is the beginning.

ladies, children and dogs

tailoring.

hero

rost

things

JOHNNY HAZARD

boitier

By: Frank Robbins

(COPYRIGHT),

of

mar

DEPARTS EVERY

WEDNESDAY & SATURDAY · 8.m.

** Alio SKYMASTER Servicos every SUNDAY

Cathay Pacific Hirways Ltd.

BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE (HK) LTD., and major toular agents.

Passages, call #3410, 66078, #7160, Festakt pull 0409), S4D4U.

HKS

372

THIS ISLAND, IS THE ONLY. PLACE THEY CAN ROSSIBLY BEZ · · REMEMBER, I WANT SHARI UNHARMED AND THE OTHER

TWO DEAD!

"HERE THEY COME? HOW ANN IF THEY'RE AS, NERVOUS AND JUMPY, AS I THINK THEY ARE, THEIR IMAGINATION "MAY ROUND.

"OUT MY ACT....

50 MAYBE MY "AMMO" IGN'T AB LETHAL, AS THEIRS STILL, YOU CAN'T KILL A GUY: FOR TRYING

MORE CAN YOU?

this situation

calls for

Miquel

..