Evidences of Plot Against the Tuchun: Curious Conduct of Feng Ywhsiang From Our Own Correspondent, Kaifeng, April 20.
The trouble in Honan, caused by the mutiny of the Ist Division of soldiers at Changteh, seems to have blown over and people are breathing more freely again. Generals Wu Pei-fu, Pao Tehchuen, and Chao Chieh, proceeded in force to Sinsiang, and there made short work of the mutineers. General Ch'en Chen-san, who is at the head of the opposing forces, disappeared, and the soldiers gave up their arms and were allowed to disperse.
General Wu Peifu has gone northward, probably to look into the situation at Changteh. General Pao has returned to Kaifeng, while Chao Chieh (the Tuchun's brother) and his men are still at Sinsiang.
Fene Vu-ustanc Opens Fire.
Not only was the railway connexion broken north of Sinsiang, but we hear that there was also trouble in the south of the province. It looks more and more as ig this was a conspiracy to oust Tuchun Chao, and the determining factor has been Wu Pei-fu and his men. Simultaneously with the movement at Changteh under Ch'en Chen-san, similar trouble took place at Chumatien under Feng Vu-hsiang, who is known to be a friend of General Ch'en, and who apparently was aware of whit was to take place in Changteh, and so created this diversion in the south of the province. Certainly it has this appearance. It was fortunate that most of the Tuchun's soldiers in the south had been drawn, away to meet the emergency in the north, so that when Feng Vu-hsiang's men opened fire on Tuchun Chao's soldiers, the latter! were so few in number, and had so little ammunition, that they promptly retired.
A Secrer Despatcu.
What seems to be conclusive proof of the conspiracy has come to light in a secret despatch, a copy of which was discovered at!than had appeared at the Chengchow. This despatch was from Feng Yuwhsiang and was ad-j dressed to high officials in Peking and to military officials and others in different provinces. In this he stated that Tuchun Chao was suspicious of himself and that he feared the Tuchun would attack him at any time, and that he was preparing for such an emergency. General Feng and his men were not supposed to advance farther north than Kiohshan, but it is significant that when hostilities broke out in the north, Feng Yuhsiang advanced his men' towards the north as far as Chumatien, and it was there that the skirmishing occurred.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.