Full Story of a Terrible Out it rage: Unparalleled Ferocity of Gang of Bandits Although previous accounts of the murder of Bishop Versiglia and Father Caravario have appeared, the following complete story of the tragedy, from the "Hongkong Telegraph" of March i7 is worth reproducing: It was on February 24 that Monseigneur Versiglia, Salesian Bishop of the Catholic diocese of Shiukuan, on the Northern River. set out on his annual pastoral visit which was to have taken him by a circuitous route through the eleven districts contained within his ecclesiastical jurisdiction, He was accompanied by his Secretary, Pr. Caravario, a Chinese Sister, two Iny teachers, both Chinese women, sind two Chinese lads, The party arrived at Lin Kung Hau, on the first. leg of their journey, at 5 o'clock in the after hoon, and stayed there overnight. Early the next morning, they set downstream in a boat with the the party proceeded on, dragged ito a clearing.
Some five minutes later, the reports of two shots rang through the The Sisters halted and in-motively dropped on to their knees, praying for the repose of souls of the Bishop and the When the two boys who were released arrived back at Lin Kung. Hau, they reported the capture of the party to the Salesian Mission there. Father Cavada had not thea known the worst not without insiderable misgiving did 2 petition to the local official citing his urgent assistance for the succour of the sill thought to A, detachment of soldiers was sent out with the Father and they trailed the path taken by the band through the woods, from the p where a heap of ashes, intention of proceeding to Lin Chou, their number being now increased to nine, with the addition of two pupils who had joined the party at Lin Kung Hau, All went well until about noon, when the appearance of a number of armed men pu the river-bank, followed by shots fired across their bows from rifles and machine guns, foreed the boat to slop and turn towards the bank, ruthless destruction of the captives' property.
The scene may low be transferred to a building of some pretensions situated. in the backwoods. which marked the end of the Journey for the Chinese Sister and lay women who had set out the ill-fated Prelate on his tour, amidst luxurious sur The twelve or fourteen men who were in the armed parly immediate: ly gathered around the boat, and subjected the missionaries to a number of searching questions, all note oF less turning on the point that they had neglected to ask for permission before proceeding to Lin Chou, By this, the missionaries were given to understand that that part of the country through which their route Lay: was under the "protec: tion" of these armed. men, and that those who desired a safe journey igs, swe are "told, the leader of the pundits had his headquarters. He appeared to be shaken out of his vuswal tranquility by the news brought by his followers that they had done to death the two for-feigners, and, cursed them for bringing about 'a eulumity which he seemed to dread as nding: After that, he was aly gentleness to the Chinese captives, hud them well-housed and treated -and promised them their free the first On March 1, the promise fulfilled. One of the band divest accompanied by the neces: saw tribute, Bishop Versiglia did his best to boring: his interrogators toa reasonable frame of mind, They wore nen of religion, not of commerce, Iie said and could not be expected to furnish the tig sum which was demanded.
In vain did Bishop Versiglia attempt to reason with them. Their matter-of-fact and hitherto business like exterior suddenly' under-'Went a remarkable change when for the first time they perceived who were accompanying: the prelate, It was then impossible for the Chinese -airls to escape further notice a they crouched back on their seats.
Successfully resisting an attempt to set fire to the boat, Bishop Versiglia and his secretary, at great risk to their lives, now faced the task of defending the girls. Blows were raised on them with the butt-ends of rifles and bamboo poles, Until "the Bishop was knocked senseless back into his seat and the Father was also incapacitated.
One of the young women threw herself into the river, asin last resource of despair, but as the current swept her past, the boat, one of the robbers caught her by the hair and hauled her back to the oat.
The captives were bound to-sether, the Bishop to his Secretary, find the three Chinese women one another. The two younger boys were made to carry the books and other things which it was usual for es to take along with annual pilgrimage, Tiring, the boys were later en-Joined to "be on their way and not much as look behind." Tt was} there boys, who, proceeding without loss of time back to Lin Kung Hau, brought the first news of the party's plight to Father Cavada of the Mission there, The bandits, with their captives, proceeded on their way, through a region which at times was thickly covered with bamboo thickets. It was while the party was in one of these moods when the sense of uuneertainty over their probable fate was quickened by sundry whisperings amongst those who were leading them, that the worst fears of the captives took definite shape.
Bishop Ver and his other companion were separated from the cthers, and while the remainder of ed himself of all his arms, and set out as a guide for the' women.
Choosing a circuitous route, he saw, in the distance, smoke and fire rising, as the soldiers without punetion set fire to homesteads a district irretrievably given over banditry and other forms of law.
Again, for the sake of his tif, the robber-guide was compelled to take refuge in a ramshackle hovel to the attention of the having the description of a pig-sty.
soldiers as they passed by. It was unfortunate for him that some sudden inspiration should cause the searchers to make for the spot where he was lying in concealment, with his erstwhile captives placed near at hand, Despite all protestations of having done a deserying deed by having brought the women safely through, he was seized. Now in custody of the authorities his end is probably not far Meanwhile, Father Cavada joined in the search by Fat! Larena who had been summoned telegraph from the Salesian The path taken by the captives through the bamboo" groves was marked by occasional splashes of -btood, with here and there still grimmer evidence of unparalleled ferocity, the robbers having hacked at their captives while dragging them along. United suffering mus: have been endured by the captives before a merciful end came. with' bullets through their heads.
The spot where an attempt had been made to conceal the outrage was indicated by freshly turned earth, but the bodies were missing.
Shouts of "'Versiglia" and "Caravario" were sent cohoing through the woods as the devoted Father from Shivkuan pursued their search, still hopeful that they might meet with a glad response.
On the other side, of the river, distantly placed from the village, from which the inhabitants had fled, stood a clump of bamboos. It stood almost at the river's edge, and—striking cizeumstance—it grew, in darren sand. No natural agency ould have caused its growth in such inhospitable soil.
The bamboos. were found fo have been planted overnight Digging feverishly, the Fathers eventually uncovered the body of a
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.