From, Our OWN Connesronoene Hankow, April Despite the really splendid of the police force in the Wuhan cities the number of robberies seems steadily to increase, Spolls ranging from a few dollars belonging toa market gardener to $1,400 collected by a silk-merchant have been secured by armed men in seven jxobberies during the week-end. " One fof the first of these robberies oe" curred at the school for the ~aildren, of workers held in the Fuki.a Guild when a party of men broke in, smashed some of the furniture and secured $123 which was ready fo, meet the month's accounts, Anothen took place near the settling tanks of the Waterworks, when three soldiers entered the little hut of a market gardener. The nian and his wife rushed out of the back door and ong of the robbers fired at them as they, ran but missed them. The man's old bedridden mother, aged seventy, and nearly blind, wa tell where the few doll family had were kept.
A dealer in flour tive the Wu Shen Gate of Wuchang waa roused as his door was broken open by men in uniform. Having trussed, him up a demand was made for $800 Jand a threat made that he would be shot if it was not forthcoming, He indicated the spot where $200 were to be found, and after a futile search for more the men departed, A group of rice-dealers in a smalt way of business went in boats to buy rice from the junks anchored Jabout three miles above Wuchang, but before they reached their detination armed men on the bank ordered them to put in to the shore and took the $800 which the had brought between them.
In another case the proprietor of small cash-shop was just closing down for the night when three men, Jone apparently a soldier, came in 69, change a dollar. They stayed Jong enough to gather up all the dash and, dollars in the shop amounting to }$80. The proprietor's wife rushed, fatter them and called for help, bit! she was fired at and had to desist."
The heaviest loss was sustained by @ Soochow silk dealer who cat to Hankow with a consignment goods and busy during week-end collecting accounts shops. As he was on his way his hotel on Saturday evening he was stopped by three men wha hustled him down an alley, forced a sock into his mouth and tied bia hands. leved him of for $1,000 which will not be negoti Jable, the robbers put him inside a large receptacle for refuse and shut the lid. There he stayed till a man thing the dustbins for what he ¢ht find, found the merchant and set him at liberty.
the last ease of the seven robbers were foiled. The launch "Myriad Peace" was coming frett Shasi to Hankow when men on the dank opened fire and ordered her ta stop. The passengers were panic: stricken and yelled to the Inodah obey the robbers, but the laodah put on speed, steered a3 far as he could to the other side of the river and got through. Three passengers were hit, one of whom died, The launch company is providing a coffin for his body.
A serious accident occurred in a Wuchang bath-house as a lieutenant dressing after his ablations, Ag putting on his clothes, some thing caught in the trigger of his weapon and the shot passing through the partition killed one of ing'|the attendants. He was detained by the proprietor of the bath-house till military officers arrived, and: they decided that the matter was aff accident and ordered the lieutenant to pay $120 as full compensation. for the death, The relatives of tha, dead man were sent for and told) that the matter was thus settled! and the body was removed. This sort of case.s settled easily whet? the person to blame is a Chiness: and his victim one too, Growned passengers have een! recovered. The captain of the ihe fated ferry-boat will probably: bet indicted for violation of the fercy+ boat regulations.—Rengo,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.