Story of His Capture and Release:
Captive's Ingenious Pretence of Hunger Strike"
Peking, Feb, 6.
Dr, Thompson, who was recently. captured by bandits in the} 5 Paotowehen district, arrived in Peking yesterday mneming lot ing very well considering After the death of General Pereira, Dr. Thosnpsely continued the journey which the General had intended to make, and eve tually reached Lanchowfu. From there he struck down the Yellow River in the direct' towehon, where he take the train to Peking. He was travelling in a cart "drawn by two mules; and accompanied by boy. The journey was uneventful until he came within 60 li of Paotow, when 200 mounted band. ite suddenly appeared as he was} approaching tin top. of rising Thompson to mount a pony and round. The bandits wanted Dr.'
abandon the cart, but this he: emphatically refused to do, After' tome argument. the bandits gave way, but harnessed another mule to the cart, 40 that greater specd could be made, About thi Dr. Thompson managed to get a rmeasage sent to the Chinese authorities giving brief notice of his capture, saying that his cart could be aeon from a. consider: able distance has a white th top, and urging that the bandits should be pressed at once, WILD JOURNEY, The arrest occurred on January]
and for the next eight days the bandits caxeored over the country as fast ae the ear' could be driven up and down dale. They intercepted und looted' several camel caravans, but committed no murders, From houses they took only what they quired.
Ocusionally they indulged horse-play intended to create a tmitablo "atmosphere. One of mi' Muir favourite practices was to gather around Dr. Thompson. in night, ond frp. thei exhibition sot. this nature: they "ctrto: to see whether hho hnd been frightened and seem ed surprised that-ho had not been They informed Dr. thompson that they intended to hold him until they: obtained a satisfactory aagurance that they would be taken into the regular forces, A MUNOKK STRIKE, GottingVired of the ceaseless travelling, Dr. Thompson. decided to bring matters to a climax by' going on a hunger suicko fusing to ent Chinese food. Atter a fow days the bandits began to hho alarmed, and he urged them to carry out their negotiations, for hin release quickly, thought he could oot awe tha his dead body' would be. of two days, pointing out
uso to their purpose. Then they took him to a small village, where a Bolg: was stationed, viflos, four machine-guns and large quantity, of ammunition well a " large ransom in many ae essentials for the release of Dr. "Thompson, but they oom unanimous regarding ex the the general terms, the amount of
enrolment, yang om oF the eotitions of their After the departure of the priest, and it may have been through Is ction, it was an nounced by" he bandits that Dr. Thompson's release had been ax-ranged. Ho was then hastily] marched off without overcoat gloves, in bitter cold weather and taken to a farmhouse where ponies wore waiting. From there a day's ride brought, them toa point where 600 Chinese eoldicrs were waiting. One _of the bandits gave Dr Thompson 'n-coat on the journey, but ho still suffered very severely until they!
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.