The fat was now in the fire with 'a vengeance. Capt. Cheng and his doughty lieutenant were prompt ly arrested, and taken to military, headquarters, where the enraged Mohammedan Commander threaten-fed te shoot them on the spot. The headman of—Lichiapu begged several prominent men in Tsangchow to intercede on their behalf, but the Brigadier refused to seo them. Finally, after nearly month's close confinement these happy victims of military injustice were released on the intervention of an officer, who extracted the following terms from hig superior. A fine of $2,700 was to be paid by the offending four into the treasury of the local "Pao An Hui" (Provention of the Peace Socity)' whose chief officers are the leaders of the local gentry, but it is common Knowledge that of this sum $700 went into the pocket of the Brigadier''s groom (ma pien), and the rest to the great man himself. The method of paying the fine was a concession to face, and fleccived Needless to say in raising such a sum, the fore men concerned have ruined themselves, but that! is a small matter in this distressful country where the military jack-boot ruthlessly stamps down all interference with the owner's sacred right of pandering to his slightest whim, and of bleeding the people white in the process. Incidentally the Magistrate, 2 nominee of the Chihli Tupan, has lost face badly in this encounter with Tocal superior but they say that his Worship is determined to take the matter to the higher courts, and hopes to have.his revenge." The desire to assuage his wounded feelings probably accounts for an a:~ tack 10 days ago, led by him in person on the Mohammedan village of Yangsanmu, a noted bandit contre, 60 li cast of Tsangchow. A man from that region told me this week that, the expedition was a complete surprise, ahd that the victorious militia burned out half the village.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.