Siangyang Maru Held Up by Armed Chinese Jan, 20, Japanese river steamer was boarded by an armed gang Ghinese under the pretence of sear Shing for contraband, and. how the ship was held up for two hours while the gang, after intimidating embers of the crew with, pistols, Fanaacked' the engine-room am. ths {quarters of the engine-room stars the story told by the captain of the Nik'S. dtr Siamgyang' Mara arrival in' Shanghais 'The. Stang: sang Maru reached here from Har Kow' on Wednesday.
Wednesday at 1220 am for. the ngs, last
purpose of landing and taking on Bassongers, stores of Chinese, fame bearing. on their breasts. badges with an inscription, "Atembers of he. Potsonous Drag Inspection Otico for the whole of Kiangsu companied bya number of mex military: uniforms, armed. with Pinole, were soon coming aboard in the company of other ordinary engert, "who" came. alongside in amban" the captain of the vessel fold'the Rengo News Agency.
"Some members of this myster!- ous, group first proceeded to the bridge where they ordered the fallers on duty to. cast "anchor, levelling their pistols at them. They then foreed their way into the engine-room where, in a_ similar threatening manner, they made an engineer on duty stop the engines.
"Meanwhile, the rest of the group searched the ship.
In such citeum Col stances, there was no. alternative but to anchor near Kouan.—The captain thereupon interviewed a man who was apparently the leade of the group, and him why the searchers' had come aboard. He: replied that their object was to arch the vessel on the basis of a secret report stating that she was Inden with contraband, "The captain then, after telling them that If they wanted to carry} out @ search, they should take the necessary procedure before-hand, demanded their withdrawal from' the steamer. At this moment, the armed members of the group displayed their arms, assuming a, threatening attitude.
"Porcoiving that his demand was. useless, the captain allowed the: group to carry' out. their search, with the understanding and on con: dition that they should not tamper with the passengers and their personal effects, "By this time, a steam-launch out of which another group of Chines more than ten in number, jum} rived. After intimidating' the Chi-into the, Slangynng: Maru, had ax-nese sailors, these men carried out thorough' search of the se en and firemen's rooms, room the coal-bunkers and other but no contraband was dis-
"Such being the case, all the members of the mysterious group had no alternative but to leave vessel at 245 am. Prior to departure, however, they threatened and deprived the compradore, the boatswain, the chief fireman, and other members of the crew of money, in cash, amounting to Mex.§322 and game clothing and personal effec In addition, while they were searching the engine-room, they assaulted and wounded a number of Chinese Hors on duty, "The number in this gang was nearly 60, of whom about 10 wore Chinese civilian clothes, some 30 wore military uniforms,' and the rest appeared to be coolies. Of those who wore uniforms, more than ten were armed with pistols. a one of the number carried a Chinese halberd. Some of them had apparently come on board at Chi munication with their comrades on ang and bad been Keeping in com. the shore, "Judging by the fact that the! course of their search of the jne-Foam, they removed a few pipes is evident that they acted in_accordance with a carefully premedi tated plan."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.