Well Armed Bands' Operating in Manchuria Mukden, Jan. 10.
At least two gangs of robbers are active in Fengtien. One, said to consist of about 300 men, is terrorizing the districts" of Hsin-minton,—Fushun, Chang-wa, and Fakumen. Suppressive measures have been undertaken by the authorities and this band expected to seek refuge west of the frontier palisade. Another band of well-urined men, numbering, claimed, 500 to" 600, 14 operating east of the S. M. R, main line in Tungshan, Chinchow, Chuangho, Human end Hailungeheng—On December 29, eighty mounted bandits appeared at Saupingkai, on the M. R, main line, but were driven off by local troops—Reuter.
Japanese Consulate their Objective Peking, Jan, 18.
The bandit trouble at Tunghus is assuming important proportions. The authorities are drafting back troops from Chili to deal with the situation. Ffteen hundred cavalry and a regiment of Heilungkiany troops are on their way to Tan hua, in addition to more than thousand troops previously despatched from Mukden, 'The forces guarding Tunghua have been defeated outside the city, but now have withdrawn inside the city wall. Twenty Japanese who have been' sheltering in the Japanese Consulate (which is outside the city wall) have gone inside, following a declaration by the bandits that the Consulate will bbe the objective of their next attack.
There are persistent rumours that the outbreak is due to Kuomintang instigation, in order to get the troops withdrawn from China to Manchuria. It is also rumoured that two Russians are directing operations: in the bandits' eamp—Reuter. days, Tt is estimated that by taking 30 trips on the two lines each month the total monthly expenses would amount to $11,140, while the receipts from passenger fares and freight charges would reach $36, 000, netting a mouthy profit of $24,360. More than one-half the' necessary capital has already been subscribed, but the present: war between Nanking and Hankow is proves tion of the pi jamie Bulletin."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.