How He Got Past the Police Disguised as a Monk: A
Coolie Passenger We are indebted to an intimate friend of the forme: Premier, General Tuan Chi-jui, who docs not wish to have his name mentioned, for the following version of ex-Premier's escape from Peking, where he has been virtually a prisoner since the defeat of the Anfu party, of which he was the leader, by General Wu Pei-fu last year.
The reason why Genera) Tuan had refused to receive visitors since. the arrival in Peking of Marehals Chang Tsolin and Tsao Kuan was because he did not wish to be inyolyed in the political struggle. Another reason was because he had become deaf, as the result of excessive weeping at the memorial service of the late General Chiang Kuei-ti, who was a very close friend of his.
Gonoral Tuan, since his downfall, had been studying Buddhism, and on the day of his escape, which was Fen Shao Chieh (Feast of Lanterns), a number of monks came to his home. When_ these monks left at 8 o'clock in tha evening, an extra monk following their leader was not noticed by the police guards who had been stationed at the former Premier's doors. This was General Tuan, Leaving his home, General Tuan, who had shaved off his moustache, left or Tientsin in a third-class railway carriage.
Fruisiess Saxncu iN TIfNTSIN.
No intimation of his departure was received by the Metropolitan Police until 10.30 p.m., when the Chief of the Police Bureau, General Wang Huai-ching, learned of the matter personally and made inquiries. Telephone messages were sent to the Civil Governor of Chihli, General Tsao Jui, asking him to prevent the former Premier from going to Tientsin. However, it was too Jate for the Civil Governor did not receive the message until 11 o'clock, after the train had arrived at Tientsin. Detectives. were sent out by the Civil Governor, hut no trace of Tuan was to be found.
A report was handed the Chief of Police the following day that General Tuan had left his home, accompanied by his son, Tuan Chun-liang, Li Sz-woo and a servant, but had not returned.
General Tuan is remaining Tientsin for the present, states our informant.
It is also reported that General Tuan escaped from Peking in he left for Tientsin in a special car whi had been prepare] by the Ministry of Communications for the Peking delegates, who were going to Tientsin to attend the Chinese Bankers" Conference.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.