Despondent because he could not accede to his parents' demand for} mioré money, a Chinese carpenter, aged 24 years, attempted suicide last night by leaping from the Garden Bridge into the murky waters Of Soochow Creek. Once in the water, however, the man. shouted itis' for aid; but his cries were unheeded bypassing boatmen a Chinese Constable of the River Police managed'to pall him aboard sampan, just ashe was zoing down for the last time, 'Taken to the Pootung Hulk of the River" Police, the would-be suicide was resuscitated and. later taken ashore little the worse for his effort. Before Jeaving, he told the police that he had visited his par.' ents in the country on April 10 ahd hau been forced to refuse their de-manes for fore money, as he arnly earned 60 cents a day. te-fatal precipitated a quarrel which determined him to end his life, he declared, During the past week the situation has grown increasingly grave, total of six public boat trains having been thoroughly looted in addition tovar least 12 private craft. Even the chartering of a Chinese naval latineh, armed with machine gun' and. manned by a crew of regular sailors equipped with automatic Files, proved tinavailing, the pirates subduing the government bravos without @ shot being fired. In this instance, which occurred last Wednesday, the merchants who had char tered the craft lost their entire for-tages, valued at over $300,000 treasure and cash, while severa children-of the families were kid-uauped and now are being held for foxgher ransom.
Sunday night it was reported in Bhangha} that " boat train, towed bythe launch Tsing Teh, which left Wusich Friday night, had been held epi near Wong Ka "Zak, a small) 'Village on Soochow Creek, and over 300 passengers' searched and robbed. Emboldened by previous suc-\cetses; the. pirates in this case are said to have held' the entire train captive for over two
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.