Ep. 172 | The Tong Wars of New York Chinatown (Part 2)

In this Part 2 episode the Tong Wars begin in earnest. This episode will feature the events leading up to and following the First and Second Tong Wars of New York Chinatown. This series is based on the excellent book by author Scott Seligman, “Tong Wars: The Untold Story of Vice, Money, and Murder in New York's Chinatown https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017SCQKHY/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_W31J8Q99P02YSSBVF3SA

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Terms in Episode

Pinyin/Term	Chinese	English/Meaning
Ah Hoon	-	An On Leong who was also a Four Brothers member. A well known comedian in his day. Shot and killed in 1909
boo-how-doy / futou zai	斧头仔	Term was used to describe hatchet men contracted from out of town. Also another name for a highbinder
Bow Kum	包金(?)	A China-born consort whose murder in 1909 sparked the Second Tong War between the On Leongs and the Four Brothers Society
Charlie Boston	李观长	One of the top guys in the On Leongs
Cheung / Zhang	张	One of the four clan names of the Four Brothers Society
Chu / Zhao	赵	One of the four clan names of the Four Brothers Society
Chu Gain	-	Proprietor of The Port Arthur Restaurant who was carrying on with Bow Kum at the time of her murder
Chu Gong	赵昂	High ranking On Leong officer
fan tan	番摊	The game of games for Chinatown gamblers…a game of skill and guessing. Also called Chinese Roulette
Gin Gum	-	Another high ranking On Leong and later right hand man to Tom Lee
Gong Wing Chung	-	The On Leong soldier charged with Lung Kin’s murder
Gun Kee	-	Four Brothers member shot and wounded in front of On Leong headquarters by a cousin of Tom Lee
Hip Sing Tong	协勝堂	The rival of the On Leongs, led by (but not established by) Mock Duck
Hongmen	洪门	A secret society formed in China during the Qing who pined to restore the good old days under the Chinese Ming dynasty (as opposed to despised Manchu Qing). It later inspired other similar secret societies and fraternal organizations
Hop Lee	-	A Hip Sing laundryman brutally killed by the On Leongs in a retaliation murder
Kwan / Guan	关	One of the four clan names of the Four Brothers Society
Lau / Liu	刘	One of the four clan names of the Four Brothers Society
Lau Shong	-	The other Four Brothers member charged with the murder of Bow Kum
Lau Tong	-	Four Brothers member charged with the murder of Bow Kum
Lee Sing	-	An On Leong highbinder from Dedham, Massachusetts. Tried to bump off Mock Duck in 1904
Leon Ling	-	Charged with the murder of Bow Kum but escaped and was never found.
Lung Kin	-	a Hip Sing member who was the first to get shot in the First Tong War
Lung Kong Tin Yee Gong Shaw / Longgang Qinyi Gongsuo	龙岗亲义公所	Early name of the Four Brothers Society
mo mentai, mo menta	没问题，没问题	Cantonese for no problem, no problem
Mock Duck	麦德	Top guy (but not the founder) of the Hip Sing Tong. Directed and took part in a lot of Chinatown violence
On Leong Tong	安良堂	The Tong led by Tom Lee
pi-gow	牌九	A Chinese domino-based game of chance
See Sing Tong / The Sixing Tang	四姓堂	The Four Surnames Society
Shah Kai-fu	夏偕复	The Chinese Consul based in the US
Sin Cue	-	An On Leong, first a suspect in a 1900 murder and later a victim of a Hip Sing hit to prevent him from testifying against Mock Duck
Sixing	四姓	Four surnames
Sue Sing	-	a Hip Sing charged with the murder of Ah Fee, got sentenced to life in the Sing Sing Correctional Facility
Tom Lee	李希龄	Chinatown elder credited with the formation of the On Leong Tong and other NY Chinatown organizations
Zhongguo Huiguan	中国会馆	The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association

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