Ah Hoon
Encyclopedia
Ah Hoon was a Chinese American
comedian and associate of the On Leong Tong
.
A celebrated comic in New York's Chinatown during the tong wars between the On Leong and Hip Sing Tong, Ah Hoon began insulting the rival Hip Sings during performances at the Chinese Theater on Doyers Street. Perceiving his insults as an attack of their honor, the Hip Sings declared a death sentence against Ah Hoon. Publicly announcing his death to take place on December 30, Ah Hoon came under the protection of the On Leongs.
On December 29, Ah Hoon was under the protection of a police sergeant and two patrolman as he performed and escorted back to his Chatham Square
boardinghouse where members of the On Leongs stood on guard.
The On Leong began holding parades celebrating their victory over the Hip Sings however, the following morning, Ah Hoon's body was found after he had been shot in the head and killed. Initially puzzled as the only window faced a blank wall across a courtyard, a later police investigation revealed a Hip Sing hatchetman had been lowered from the roof while on a chair and sneaked into the apartment where he shot the sleeping comedian with a silenced pistol.
The following day the Hip Sings paraded throughout Chinatown, however, the murder of Ah Hoon remained unsolved by authorities as the war between the On Leongs and Hip Sings continued for another year.
Chinese American
Chinese Americans represent Americans of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans constitute one group of overseas Chinese and also a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans...
comedian and associate of the On Leong Tong
On Leong Tong
The On Leong Chinese Merchants Association or simply Chinese Merchants Association, formerly known as the On Leong Tong , was a tong society operating out of its territory in Mott Street in New York's Chinatown. Established in November, 1893, the tong fought a violent war for control of...
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A celebrated comic in New York's Chinatown during the tong wars between the On Leong and Hip Sing Tong, Ah Hoon began insulting the rival Hip Sings during performances at the Chinese Theater on Doyers Street. Perceiving his insults as an attack of their honor, the Hip Sings declared a death sentence against Ah Hoon. Publicly announcing his death to take place on December 30, Ah Hoon came under the protection of the On Leongs.
On December 29, Ah Hoon was under the protection of a police sergeant and two patrolman as he performed and escorted back to his Chatham Square
Chatham Square, Manhattan
Chatham Square is a major intersection in Manhattan's Chinatown. The square lies at the confluence of seven streets: Bowery, East Broadway, St. James Place, Mott Street, Oliver Street, Worth Street and Park Row. The postal ZIP Code is 10038.-History:...
boardinghouse where members of the On Leongs stood on guard.
The On Leong began holding parades celebrating their victory over the Hip Sings however, the following morning, Ah Hoon's body was found after he had been shot in the head and killed. Initially puzzled as the only window faced a blank wall across a courtyard, a later police investigation revealed a Hip Sing hatchetman had been lowered from the roof while on a chair and sneaked into the apartment where he shot the sleeping comedian with a silenced pistol.
The following day the Hip Sings paraded throughout Chinatown, however, the murder of Ah Hoon remained unsolved by authorities as the war between the On Leongs and Hip Sings continued for another year.