By the last mail news arrived in Shanghai of the death, in tragic! circumstances, of two former Shanghai residents, in the persons of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Groundwater, both of whom were found dead at' their residence in Westbourne, near Bournemouth, Mrs. Groundwater dying as the result of injuries inflicted upon her by her husband, who subsequently took his own life. The Harbin, March 8.
The career of Simionov as Cossack Chief and freebooter of Transbaikalia has been brought to an end by Genera) Voitzehovsky, the Polish General who at the head of the Kappel troops recently arrived at Chita, the capital of Transbaikalia. The reason of Simionov's downfall is not difficult to understand, it is due to his persistent refusal in the past to go with his troops to the front, at a time when his force meant a good! deal to the White command.
Simionov appeared to be satisfied to rest on the laurels he had won during the latter part of 1918. To evidence given at the inquest show- 2 great measure the Reds of ed that Mr, Groundwater was of Transbaikalia were dispersed by! unsound mind at the time of the him, once this had been accom-occurrence, plished +his task in this district was completed, but the Ataman pre-On the morning of January 21 the ferred to argue otherwise sayin bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Ground-that if he and his Cossacks left water were found in a bedroom of for the front disorder woul their house, the latter having apain reign in Transbaikalia, Dur-parently been killed by blows from ing the past year his troops have a hammer, while the former had only caused terror among the local apparently died as the result of a! population, pillaging, robbing and self-inflicted wound in the throat! murdering to their hearts' content done with a razor, and from the! for there was no one to prevent! evidence it would seem that Mr. them.
Groundwater attacked and killed his It is, therefore, but natural that wife first and afterwards cut his Voitzehovsky, whose troops have own throat. had to fight continually for several Evidence given by friends of the! months and who have undergone' deceased showed that Mr. Ground-numerable hardships, should abso-water had been in a very depressed solutely refuse to be. dictated to and melancholy condition for some by the stay-at-home Simionov and three weeks prior to his death and to insist that the latter comes off one friend stated that the day pre- the pedestal he has himself erectvious'Mr. Groundwater had appeared. No doubt the Ataman has his ed to him a changed man and quite Japanese friends to thank that he, unable to think or discuss business. has not suffered arrest.
Mr, Groundwater was well known! in Shanghai as was also his wife.
Tue Banpvir's Hour He was connected with the late According to Czech official tele-firm of Messrs. 8. ©. Farnham, grams the whole of Simionov's Boyd & Ca., Ld., predecessors of the troops are now collecting at Shanghai Dock' & Engineering Ca., Daouria which lies 20 miles away Ld., as a marine engineer. He re. from the Manchuria-Mongolian tired with his wife about 10 or 11 frontier. It is difficult to state years ago and during the war both with any accuracy the total of them were engaged in war work. strength the Ataman has now at They were described at the inquest his disposal. There have been as being a very devoted couple and many desertions during the past at the time of their deaths Mr. two months especially among the Groundwater was 65 years of age Cossacks drawn from the district. and his wife 54.
A moderate estimate is 3,000 men including his "savage" (Dikey)
Desta or Dr. Burce. detachment who are operating News has also reached Shanghai along the Verkne-Udinsk-Chita of another former resident. Dr. F. J. section of the railway.
Burge whose body was found by a Since the coming of Simionov postman on his rounds in Bourne-War-Lord of Transbaikalia, mouth on Boxing Day, Dr. Burge; Daouria has become famed as the had apparently left his house at 6/ spot where all travellers orb p.m, on Christmas Day to post searched and robbed, and the letter and did not return. At the execution ground of all those who inquest medical evidence was given are openly antagonistic to the to the effect that deceased died a!
Simionov regime. The number of natural death, due to cerebral ap- innocent persons who have been apoplexy.
Dr, Burge, who was 75' shot without trial at Daouria are berg is alleged to be mainly responsible, Simionov giving him a perfectly free hand.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.