Of Niu it was said that on Deceme ber 1 he was in Hsiao-yao (x walled town on the north bank of the river five miles from Niu's headquarters at Lao-we) where he had negotiated 'The Rov, Freeman Dav' suet afer his release feo other specified guns ax the price of with Yen Lu-chuang, a younger bro there of General Yen Yueh-jon. Ho had demanded a commission as chuang (brigadier general) for himself, but was told that there was, no vacancy and was offered a sor of exalted colonelcy with a command of men almost as large as that of a Luchugng. The offer was me aignantly turned down and late in December T was told that Niw had not yet come to terms with the military, Whether or not he may. have done 0 since T have not heard, It would scorn that the most recent, big trans-provincial bandit raid is, at least, in the twilight stage. But no raid is quite finished until all those concerned in it have been taken into the army or have dispersed to their various homes, and it is nov certain that some of the men who destroyed Chowkiakow will not continue for a while longer the profitable pastime of spreading abroad death and destruction. Or they may. join forces with others who, during the past month, have started on the loose further south and have already cked three walled cities, Li any ease there is no reason to presume that banditry in Honan at the pro-sent is merely a passing phase, and, on the contrary, bad as the past four years have been, there is every Reason to suppose that the next four may be wera (to be Continued) pUERE THE BANDITS cnewsED TUE
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.