A Sure Preventive Against Looting From Our Own Correspondent Wuchang, July 2
The defeated Northern troops from Hunan are straggling to the city of Wuchang via Chiayu, Tung-cheng and Tungshan. The bulk of the defeated soldiers are encamp-at Lanhu, a plain outside the Pao-an gate, Wuchang. Many men of the famous, or infamous, 7th division, with some of the 11th division are there. The wounded are filling the temples outside the city. Already thousands of the stragglers have been gathered up and are to be taken across river en route to Honan.
There are hundreds of wounded men, chiefly head and limb wounds. There are stories of looting in most of the towns they passed through unless they were bought off. Tungcheng was spared for a payment of $20,000.
No soldier is admitted into Wuchang unless he gives up his rifle and ammunition. Then he receives $6 and a pass to Honan. It is reported that Chang Chin-yao is up at Kinkow, a riverine town some 9 li above Wuchang. The Wuchang authorities insist on all junks coming down river with defeated troops putting in to shore and delivering up their arms and ammunition. If junks try to pass they are fired on. It is reported that ong junk with about 60 men on board refused to put, in and it was fired on, several being killed. The rest gave up their arms. Your correspondent has seen car loads of discarded rifles being hauled through the city, taken from men who have claimed the $6 and the pass. There are said to be over 20,000 of Chang Chin-yao's troops encamped at Lanhu, and they would create trouble for Wuchang but for the fact that they have no ammunition. The city gates are closely watched and people are forbidden to remove property. Only one bundle and basket niay be taken out by each person and no boxes. The scholars from the many schools were granted special police permits to leave the city for the summer vacation.
Rice is very scarce, and soaring in price. Only a few days' supply remains in the shops so the dealers declare. and none. is coming from Hunan. If the supply gives out the people anticipate trouble.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.