Ichang, Mar. 90.
Armed robbery in the country districts around Ichang is becoming unpleasantly common. Yesterday, Mr. Cheng, the head of the Electric Ca., and a member of one of the richest families in Ichang, wag on his way to a place 18 miles from the city, accompanied by an armed soldier. When about four miles out, they were surrounded by about 20 armed brigands, who shot the soldier and wounded Mr. Cheng on the face so badly that he has lost the sight of one eye. Not content with that, they stripped him of most of his clothes, his money and a gold watch,—and this in broad daylight.
To-day, an army captain who belongs to some Kueichow troops at present stationed about 20 miles down river came up to Ichang to visit his superior officer, and was returning on an ordinary boat. About four miles down river, this boat was overtaken by a sampan, the occupants of which boarded the boat and on being told who was the captain, immediately shot him dead. The reason is said fo be to get him out of the way in order to secure promotion for another. He was about to be promoted to the rank of a major. They stole over $2,000 in money and goods. These robberies and murders are much more frequent that formerly,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.