Ah Duck's Fate.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4395, 3 February 1883, Page 4

Ah Duck's Fate.

The .gentleman whose name heads this article is.only a Mongol, but one whose record is not to be beaten as a miscreant

of the blackest dye. He was a highbinder, which means an assassin, and belonged to a society of. highbinders named the Buef Sing Tong Society. When he was 18, he murdered two men in China, and then escaped to North America, where he added nine more murders to the list. Still he was at large, protected' by his fellow highbinders. Again he took a human life, and this time, being convicted, be was sentenced to life imprisonment in San Quentin. While there, he bad a quarrel with another Mongol convict about some opium, and, having sworn vengeance against Ah Mow, which he, did by purchasing a chicken, and, while killing it, registering the usual ' Chinese, vow .done by decapitating; the fowl with joss-house ceremony, and meanwhile prayiog that as the chicken died so might his enemy die within a moon. Shortly after, seeing his enemy asleep in his cell, he went in and stabbed him again and again, the lastvtbrust leaving the knife blade buried in the breast, and breaking it off at the handle. For this horrible murder Mr Duck was hanged on the Bth of this, month,; the affair causing much excitement, on account of the disperate character of the man. He tried to commit suicideprevious to his death, but failed. He did not fear, death,; but disliked the hanging mode, as most people do, strange to say. The scaffold dress of Mr Duck was elaborate' and rich-^-black beaver pantaloons, with spotless white underclothing, *nd overall a,costly purple silk Chinese blouse, belted in with richly embroidered satin ribbon, a black silk skull cap, having a red button on the top.to show his,high caste, "white silk stockings, and new Chinese slippers.. His .belief was that he was " fated" to do as he had done, and for hi» doings to die But then he was sure of being released from prison as/soon as the rope had; done its fatal work, when, he would, return in the flesh : . to visit; his. friends—the . other highbindersr-rfoft behind' him. •- After the visit: to terra firma he woald be placed in .a heavenly prison, to be tried by a Chinese god,;when he expected, to be acquitted and sent back to earth; He requested the sheriff, to write him a " pass " to the Celestial gaol, which; beingdone, he stowed it away in the pocket! of his garment. He took his sentence in a philoso*

phical light. He viewed his cofßn, and hoped it would be a "good fit." There was one man against whom he bore ' deadly enmity. This was the officer whose^teatimony eonrieted him. During the pinioning of his arms and legs, he assisted as msch as possible, and shook hands with hilarity with each and all of the officials, but his, eyes wandered ne'rfbiMiy in search of tome .one. After saying;' f '(ioo<t-by..Sll (r people,'' he comnenc^d. a curse against his enemy, as he 1 considered. The drop fell in the midst, and,.;with the half curse on his lips, he went.bTer, to the other side. So ended the life of one'of the most hardened criminals ever taken amongst as. He was buried by the highbinders with honors. —Weekly News.