The Trip to Chinwangtao: Tale Bandit Exploits: High Officials of a Stranded Boat Kidnapped by Bogus Troops Passengers on the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce good-will leruise of Pacific ports had left the Malolo by tender for Chinwangtao, where they boarded a special train for Peking. Officers and crew lof the flagship of the Matson i remained behind with the ship, which lay at anchor, Nine adventurers headed for shore in a power launch, dropped stern anchors and eased on to the beach, Included in the group were Chief The story of numerous atrocities committed by the Min Tuan, the People's Army, of Yunnan, no de~ tails of which have appeared in the local foreign press, was published yesterday by the. "Sinwanp etter having been received by that paper from its Yunnan correspondent. This says: 1 "The people of southern Yunnan' are sturdy and able to endore much suffering. Many become ban Some ringleaders of the latter gangs Engineer. R. C.. Dwyer, Chief recently recruited large numbers of Steward E, 0, Fickendey, Dr. L, L.[loafers and organized them into 'Stanley, ship's surgeon, second|'Min Tuan.' Whilst professing to assistant engineers Kennedy, Kins-be the People's Army, organized for low and Van Heedran, third officer the protection of the people, they, Bowman, third junior officer Me-were in reality bandit gangs. Whorter and electrician Hang.
Nevertheless, they. were accorded. Dr. Stanley, Kennedy and Bowman official recognition. During the re~ jumped into' the waist deep water cent fighting, the members of the and waded ashore. Bowman re-'Min Tuan' demanded incorporation, with the party while the into the regular army. This was Jother two set out for the great permitted and some of the bandit wall that was built in 200 B.C.
Tenders became army commanders, whilst others held ranks of lesser Dr. Stanley and Kennedy roamed the wall for miles, explored farm importance. lands and frightened the natives, Loyal Troops Terrorized inspected the squalid huts of the: "After incorporation into the Chinese, ground corn at a millstone army, the gangs became restless and altogether had an afternoon of and, in ce-operation with bandits and unscrupulous leaders of the {Reluctantly they returned to the gentry, worked havoc among the boat and found it high on the beach. people, kidnapping and robbing both ea two fellows certainly miss-rich and poor. In this way, they, lot of grief," said' Chief occupied several towns because the Engineer Dwyer. "The pump pipe [broke and the stern line got in the loyal troops were afraid to fight them. propeller. One of the boys dived down, cut the line but before the "On the evening of September 30, Li Ying-hung, nicknamed the 'Dent engine got going we were fast on Blacksmith,' "who commanded the the sand."
'Min Tuan' at Muntse-hsien, sent in"
There was no time for proprieties. vitations to various senior govern= The men stripped, secured the aid ment officials and merchants, invite lof 15 Italian soldiers at a shore ing them to dine at his head qui garrison and endeavoured, without ters. Li himself left the town juceess, to float the boat. ' The Ttafore the invitations were sent out, ans couldn't speak English and the Present at the dinner, however, Malolo officers knew no Italian, were a colonel of the 101st Divi-Finally the engine was repaired, sion, the Muntso District Magis" reversed full speed, but the launch. trate, a senior official from the Tao-remained fast, yin's' yamen, the director of the Night came, Kennedy and Bow-wireless station, the Commissioner man volunteered to seek help and lof Finance, the acting Commission+ set out for Shanhaikuan four miles er of Public Safety, the Commis. away, with two Italians. They 'Sloner of Education and a number stopped at a Japanese of leading merchants, telephone." Two Italians, "As dinner was being served, the teans and a few platoons of the captain of the 'Bun Tuan,' who' act-[Japanese army went into a huddle. ed as host in the absence of Li, Kennedy and Bowman, tiring of the suddenly ordered his bodyguard to delay, took off but were arrested. put all the guests under arrest and The Usual courtesies followed and to bind them with ropes so there they continued to town and boarded would be no possibility of escape, train for Chinwangtao.
The unfortunate men were later ra-moved to Chionsui-hsien, whither Li Speculation on Board had gore. a Meanwhile, aboard the Malolo, Kidnapped and Tortured speculations of all descriptions prevailed. The boat had sunk without "The bandits having left with trace of the men; the group had their prisoners without being [been Shanghaied molested, telegrams were sent. foe Captain C. A, Berndtson, com-military aid and, on. the "follow. mander of the Malolo, radioed a ing day, the 16th' Regiment of the British cruiser leaving Chinwangtao 10ist, Division arrived at Muntse to search for the party.
The tug Tue but, for reasons unknown, they Ping was despatched and came clined to give chase to or to fight within three miles of the boat.
The the 'Mia Tuan' party sent up flares, but the cruis "On October 2, four of the Kits jer passed on. The last of a light napped men were released and se Tuneh was consumed—pickles, back to Muntse, where they said Joranges—then hardtack and water, that they had been taken to Chikai 'The men draped themselves on and stripped of all their belongings. the engine Foam floor, some over'
When they walked too slowly for the cylinder heads, others in cor-the bandits they were beaten and, from the country canals. Con-Ing on, the health of a. crowded|the boat end sleep was a Atful on- ners. It was cold. Waves lapped
Voices were heard off shore. city. We hear of a great prevalence Italian soldiers invited the castaof children's complaints. The to sleep in their barracks. cription given of one form indicates that it is probably meningitis. It Then the pleasant business of is fortunate for the people that undressing, jumping into chest-dep the staff of doctors is now sufficient water at' midnight and wading to deal with such eases at the Jashore. The group shivered along a Christian Hospital. This institu-half-mile walk. The good commander tion is ever ready to help all comers eave the men drinks of triple sec and gives special consideration to fand a supply of cigarettes. Sleep the needy poor, who have not the was almost impossible—all had means to pay for special treatment bruised, cut feet—they were weary, and which is a source of much tired. profit to non-philanthropic hospitals 'The following morning they dug. here, canal through a reef where the boat lay. Four shovels and a bucket attached to a rope served jas' implements. Tt was toil and
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.