Buhaidu, Aug. 16.
At about 11.30 on the evening of the 4th, the Buhaidu gar-risen, consisting of three battalions of the 3rd Regiment, 4th Fengtien Division, and numbering some 1,600, mutinied. The reason of this outbreak was the unpopularity of their Commandant, who was a very strict disciplinarian, as well as a martinet in his behaviour towards his officers. The regiment had only been at Buhaidu for 12 days, having come from Mukden and it had previously been at the Shanhaikuan front. It is alleged that their Colonel would not serve out the autumn uniforms, though they were on the spot and, as the weather had begun to get cold at night, this aggravated the men.
The Commandant was murdered in the barracks, situated a little way from. the railway settlement, where previously the Red Cross Hospital had been located, both officers and men taking part in the deed. The murdered man's heart was cut out and the body was then burnt. When this act had taken place the soldiers made a rush for the powder magazine and, getting possession of the keys from the guard, took away as many cartridges as they required. They fired the place, the explosion causing a great deal of alarm among the population.
At the same time other soldiers their way into the settlement, ing up into parties. One lot attacked the station building, first opening fire on it and ing several windows and then raiding the place. As they had but scant knowledge of the building, they overlooked the strong-box, but smashed two telegraph instruments and some telephone apparatus. The militiamen on-duty at the time, as well as the railway employees, made themselves scarce before the building was entered and the only one who remained was a Russian sergeant, who, at the point of several rifles, was relieved of his sword. his watch and cash, as} well as a pocket-knife and handkerchief, which were taken out of his pocket by an officer, As other rioters passed the building occupied by the settlement police they open.) ed fire, but, receiving no reply, they passed on. towards the quarter occupied by the shops. These are located across the railway-line from the station and extend along a frontage of about a half verst, consisting of 100 or more wooden, buildings originally put up by Russians, but now~principally. occupied by Chinese traders.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.