Doyers Street in the early 20th century was notorious for its gang violence and brutal murders. The street’s sharp bend allowed the On Leong Tongs and Hip Sings–rival Chinese street gangs–to sneak up on their victims and attack without being seen. Some of these gang members struck with hatchets, giving birth to the phrase “hatchet man.”
In 1905, the Bloody Angle saw more gang violence at 5-7 Doyers Street, which was the sight of a Chinese opera house. One night during a performance, the Hip Sings opened fire on the On Leongs, killing four of them. This episode, however, was only one in a series of bloody disputes between the two gangs. Until 1913, the gangs chased each other through the Chinatown streets, murdering their rivals. The only thing that could stop the Tong Wars, as the attacks were called, was a truce mediated by the US and Chinese governments.
In 1994, law enforcement officials said that more people died violently at the Bloody Angle than at any other street intersection in the United States.
| sight | Chinese Theater on Doyers Street |
| internal | gDoc TBC |
| internal | Wikipedia |