In my letter of a few days ago I reported that the people of Taiyaanfu had sent to Hantanhsien in Chihli Province for the rain producing iron tablet. The tablet} was received in Taiyuanfu on the afternoon of July 1. Elaborate jeeremonies were carried out in, a "water temple" outside the west gate of the city, led by Governor Yen in person. Then he and the other provincial and local officials followed the tablet in procession through the streets of the city to its resting-place in the Fu Kung Ssu, There, again, prayers were offered for rain. That evening! rain fell in some of the northeastern districts of the province, but} thus far the drought remains unbroken in Taiyuanfu city and throughout the central plain. The supply of "iron tablets" in Han-wanhsien seems to be able to meet all demands, for the officials and people of Pingtingchow have sen for one on their own account. Their prayers were answered with a sprinkle of rain on the evening of the first. In this part of Shansi unusually high winds have prevailed for several days, but from a dry quarter, the southwest.
In Sankiaots'un in Kihsiensha few days ago the people met to pray for rain in the Lung Wang temple. An unusual amount of in-tse. The story of his misdeeds, which included both highway rob: bery and rapine, reached the ers of the Governor, who ordered the local officials to capture him dead or alive. Ch'en Nan-tse had Toast three murders to his exgdit, two of them being members of the polliee in Kihsionsha and Ch'ing~ yuan, The local magistrate, "Mr. Yang, deputed his chief of police and the prosecuting attorney of the istrict to effect the capture or Killing of the bandit, Leading a. strong force of police these then scoured the district for some days, finally learning that Ch'en Nan-tse was hiding in the Hu Shen tehiple Wen Shui city. Just before daybreak he would remove to another place, He was followed. one day to an enclosed threshing for, where the police closed in on him: Seoing that he was surromitied, and being armed with two revolvers, the bandit opened fire first. The Police promptly replied and in all 73 shots were exchanged. The.out~ come of this fusillade was that Ch'en Nan-tse and the man in whose property he was taking refuge were both killed. If any members of the police force were injured no report was made of it.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.