Having read in the "N.-C. Daily ewe," a few days ago, says Father Elia, of the Aurora' University, one of two articles in reference to the siege of. Pochow (Anhui), per~ haps you "would like to" have further and reliable information a to how the city was finally delivered from the bandits, The following details have beer forwarded us by the Superior of the Catholic Mission there, and by Fr, Biancolini, s.z., who was the chief factor inthe deliverance of the city, as will be seen below.
The brigands entered the city of} thi Pochow, December 7. immediately besieged by the regular soldiers, the number of whom s00a exceeded 20,000. The brigands, infuriated at not being able to leave the city, began to loot, burn, kill Jand terrorize the poor people, who [were forbidden to leave the under penalty of death, Catholic Mission Robbed; School Burnt Down The Catholic Chinese _Siste together with the young girls, their pupils, fled to the Presbytery ad-Joining the Church, where they, found" more than " 400 refugees, Their school was burnt, and with it all provisions, clothes and everything else. The brigands took from Fr, Grech 8c, the Catholic Missi ary in charge, the only horse that hho had, the fur-lined garment that hho way wearing, his watch and a He money. What was still worse, three of the older girls of the Sisters' school were taken captive, Missionary Intercedes for Sufferers, Tr. Biancolini, the Superior of the Kuoyang district, went on horse-Lack to Pochow before December 20 to try and bring about a peaceful] settlement of matters, but without Jony suees. The Protestant sionaries, whose house outside the city had' also been looted and who were anxious concerning the fate of two of their lady missionaries, Americans, within the walls of the 1 y, went on December 22 to Kuo-yang in an automobile to take Fr. Biancolini to Pochow, in order that he might intercede in behalf of so huang innocent sufferers, The 28rd. and 24t is best, but_ in vain. Gri ing of the 26th he went to see General Kao and begged him not to detain any longer Fr. Grech, who had the day before jeowe out of the city "sous caution" the arrange for peace.
This request having been granted Fr. Biancolini, took Fr. Grech with him and sent him to wait at the Protestant Mission for him. Then, Fr. Biancolini, with two re presentatives of the Red Cross, all the gentry and the local mandarins entered the city with great hope of a successful negotiation, Bandit Chief Promises to Leave After a long parley of Fr. Bianjeclini with the chief of the bandit the lutter promised that he would Teave in three days, meanwhile he would assemble his council and give a definite answer on that very fright or the next morning.
Then Fr. Biancolini went to the Presbytery which was guarded ey two "brigands and filled with. hundreds of refugees They were in great state of panic and the other's presence calmed ther. He prevented the bandits from leading away with them the ser-Vants and the older pupils and also succeeded in liberating those who had already been taken, Bombs Fall Near Church The night was disturbed by bombs: and the firing of guns. Some Jombs fell near the Presbytery and in the garden. The day before two Feople had been killed and nine wounded: all non-Christian.
On that very night, after_midnight, the brigands at last left the city,' The mandarins, gentry and officials all manifested the greatest titude towards the Catholic Mis-
'A 'GENERAL trike was declared at Amoy on January 5. with' the result that no. vessel worked cargo that day. The coolies, however, vernined work the next day.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.