HISTORY: Chinatown gang feud ignited one of SF’s worst mass homicides

[yuiyoshida]

The interior of the Golden Dragon Restaurant on Washington Street in Chinatown in 1977, seen from the mezzanine level.

Horror struck Chinatown at 2:40 a.m.

The Chronicle’s front page from Sept. 5, 1977, covers the Golden Dragon massacre, a middle-of-the-night gang shooting in a packed restaurant that left five dead.



“Three masked men sprayed a crowded Chinatown restaurant with gunfire early yesterday, killing five people and wounding at least 11,” the story read. “The attack at the Golden Dragon Restaurant, 822 Washington St., was called the worst mass murder in San Francisco history.”

The front-page photo shows customers calmly conversing and chowing down just hours after the blood of innocent diners was spilled just feet away.

None of the victims were the intended targets or gang members. Five men from the Joe Boys Chinatown gang were arrested and sentenced in the shooting. They were on a mission to kill rivals, who all escaped unharmed.

MORE...
http://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Chronicle-Covers-Golden-Dragon-massacre-39-9196352.php?t=5ef2656953

[kimbutgar]

1. I grew up in the city during this time

More people were afraid of the Asian gangs than the Black people in Hunters point. I remember a guy telling me that you did not mess with the Asian gangs in the city.

[RandySF]

3. You still don't

I took my newborn son for a stroll through Chinatown one Saturday evening along Grant when I saw a car pull up and a guy literally thrown out of the car.

[yuiyoshida]

4. As an Asian American I have no problems

walking though our Chinatown. Infact, most of my neighbors were Chinese American girls, who would grab me and we would take the bus downtown and over to Zhonggou Cheng (China town) where we would shop for hours, looking at all the great shops and stopping in for some Fried Rice or Chow mein for lunch at some local place they all knew. We also would visit the great tea shops picking up Oolong or PuErh teas to bring home, and in later years having a boba tea (My favorite is Taro root!) There were also many Chinese medicine shops to visit, as well as the clothing stores, where I could pick up a decent pair of flip flops for cheap. I collected many Japanese dolls imported from Japan there as the ones at Nihonmachi (Japantown) were too expensive.

A couple of Asian girls could spend the entire day walking around and getting a good workout walking the many side streets and main streets of that area. I never once ran into gang members while I was there. Of course in any major city, one has to be some what street smart, but we never ever feared for our lives, nor would we walk about sliding behind cars like it was a war zone, its not. I still go there and visit my mom who now works at a Tea shop there and my dad who works as a Butcher for one of the local shops. I once bumped into Mayor Ed Lee at one of the Bank of America's there in Chinatown. He seemed very nice and was with Gavin Newsome.

[kimbutgar]

5. I have never been afraid to walk in Chinatown

Only at night. And in the early 1970's in the Richmond District there were some Asians you did not mess with.

[yuiyoshida]

6. I live in the Richmond

maybe four blocks from Nihonmachi (Japantown). Japantown is great and there is even a great Korean Karaoke place that also has a restaurant. I have lived there nearly most of my life, with a few years exception. I had a friend who used to live at Haight and Lyon street and would hear gun fire in the park near by!... the Haight Ashburry!! Love and Peace.. and all that. I have only ever seen one assault and that happened within the eyesight of a Police officer who arrested the idiot for being Drunk.

I have never been afraid of any where in the city, with maybe the Tenderloin being the one exception since there are problems with drug addicts in that area. During the day its fine. I Have never had a problem with going to Japantown at night, hitting up a restaurant or going to the video place to purchase a DVD movie to bring home at night. The Kabuki theatre is there as well on Post at Fillmore.

The best is the Asian fairs on Post street next to Japantown. They have some great eating there, and lots of cool trinkets from all over Asia. I even picked up for 20 dollars a jacket from the San Francisco Taiko Dojo, the money going to their worthy organization. I always wanted to learn Taiko, and even picked up some Taiko drum sticks to play with.

[kimbutgar]

7. I love Japantown also

Love going to eat there and visiting shops.

The inner Richmond in the avenues though in the early 70's was when the gangs were around. After the Golden Dragon thing really woke up the police who cracked down on the gangs. Before then there were few Asian police officers now they are pretty representative of the city.

[RandySF]

2. If I ever believed in hauntings

Then Chinatown is Ground Zero for negative spiritual energy. Ever read the story of the Cameron House on Sacramento?

This building was once a place where many Chinese women - those sold into the sex trade and servitude - could be given a chance at a better life..............

This proved to be a blessing for those hidden within, sure with the security their new lodgings provided, until they were safe from the traffickers and sex slavers. Unfortunately it would also prove to be the place where many of them would die.

Tragedy struck the mission again -a fire started in the building and those hidden in the basement were trapped, suffocating to death, as the smoke filled this underground place of safety.

After the fire it was believed that those trapped in the basement still lingered. Voices have been heard in the lower floors and strange moving lights have been glimpsed through the windows. The basement is said to be sealed with Chinese charms to keep evil spirits at bay.

http://www.theparanormalguide.com/blog/donaldina-cameron-house

[vinny9698]

8. Chinatown came about because of the Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire

The city had much more damage than was reported. The city leaders wanted to minimize the reports because they were afraid that people would leave and investors would not rebuild. City hall burnt down, all property titles were lost. All you had to do was to claim that a parcel of land belonged to you, if no one disputed that claim it became yours. A lot of owners died and some owners just abandoned their properties. There were a lot of Chinese laborers there from all the laborers that were recruited to build the Transcontinental Railroad. They applied for those plots and since there was no one to dispute them, they got title to the land.
The city leaders just wanted anyone to own the land in order for it to be rebuilt.

[Brother Buzz]

9. Chinatown was thriving long before the fire destroyed it in 1906

And because it was sitting on a very choice area of the city (between Nob Hill and the financial district), the city, on the behest of the fat cats, tried to move Chinatown to Hunters Point, but the Chinese fought back. And they fought back hard.