Many Communists To Their Deaths in Campaign by Authorities From Ove Owx Consrsro:
Hankow, Aug. 25.
Following the executions by beheading which took place recently in the streets of Harkow, the authori ties now seem to have adopted the' new riverside road in the neighbourhood of the Customs House as the [scene for public executions.
Nineteen were executed there dur-Ing the week-end, the method being to place an automatic against the back of the neck and ensure immediate de The proclamation announcing the crimes of the prisoners states that one was an armed robber and tke other 18 were Communists, The ages given run from 26 to 47 years and this would seem to indicate that the authorities have caught some of the leaders of the movement, for hitherto most of those executed have been in the twenties.
It is becoming increasingly clear that these public executions are debasing the people, for large numbers. of neer-do-wells assemble at the!
Customs jetty and watch the laun-_ ches in the evident hope that some prisoners will be brought over for execution, Discussing the question why these Communists continue to yell their slogans right to the end with an intelligent Chinese, one learnt tha: Communist spies are] supposed to be present at all execu tions and that financial help is given to the families of those who die] and that all silver and gold are being taken in exchange for notes' issued by the communists. A short time ago a large number of the country people were, admitted into the town, but they brought tele food with them. The maj states that the supplies of food in the town cannot last more than a fortnight and begs that troops be sent to break the cordon. It is further reported that all persons in the' country-side who can dai educated are killed, and large Houses are looted.
Jagers are enrolled in the peasants' army, though still left in their homes.
till the fields, and the children fare enlisted for training in the|s" Daves Plan. might afford a Children's army.
Jcounties an effort is being made to real need, however reorganize the train-bands in the villages, Ce of these bands made a raid on two boats archered in a lereek far away from ordinary trade killed one of the men on! Jeuard and drove eff the others. They released three men and 14 women who were being held captive, all but one of them being residents of Hanchuan who had: been in capri for sume time. The remaining was the daughter of a wealthy shopkeeper in Hanyang. without betraying fear.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.