Hankow, Oct. 3.
Travel on the Han River and its important tributary, the Fu River, rapidly becoming. impossible. The latest raid by the pirates who infest the section between Hanchuan and Hankow, literally within walking distance of the latter city, is marked by such callous brutality that it ought to rouse the authori-action. The passenger launch 'a quiet passage down ai, a place less than thirty miles' from Hankow. At that point, nine men, whom the teaboys had taken to' be business men, produced weapons and_took possession of the launch. These! men had embarked in groups of three at Hanchuan, Hsimakou, and) Hsinkow, the three calling places: above Kaochiatai Several of the men rushed to the: skylights over the engine-room and: called on the crew to stop the wines. The engineer replied that it was not a stopping-place and one of the pirates at once fired at him, the bullet passing vertically through him, An assistant immediately stopped the engines. Other pirates had gone to the office and the compradore was shot dead at his: desk A teaboy was also hit and, as he fell overboard, he was probably drowned, One passenger was also shot dead and several wounded.
rates secured the sum of $12,001 only $800 of: which had been taken fares. The rest was being shipped to Hankow by various merchants.
While the Tokiang was still stationary, the Hanyin came down river and' immediately put on full speed. The pirates opened fire on her and yelled to her to stop, but she did not do so. One of her teaboys and a passenger were killed by the shots fired as she passed the Tokiang.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.