FEMALE "ROBIN HOOD."

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 229, 27 September 1930, Page 16 (Supplement)

FEMALE "ROBIN HOOD."

China's female "Robin Hood," known as the "Widow Chang," leader of an army of several , thousand bandits, is sweeping like a scourge through Western Honan, says a Peiping correspondent. This remarkable woman, who believe-; herself charmed against and never fails to lead her men into battle has organised banditry on a business basis. Ahead of her raiding troops marches a propaganda corps. These stalwarts enter a town and prepare the oround ' for the bandits by plastering the walls with posters bearing such statements as "Rob the rich," "Save the poor," "Widow Chang is the salvation star'of the poor people." Peasants and poor workers in the towns regard "Widow Chang with reverence. The residents of Honan have given her the title of Marshal. "Widow Chang" was once the wife of a well-to-do man who was repeatedly robbed by soldiers and bandits. One day a group of bandits broke into his house and killed him. "Widow Chang became partially insane. She turned bandit and organised a little group. So successful were her efforts that she gained many recruits and now leads one of the largest gangs in Honan. Several military heads have 6ent out soldiers to capture her, but they have never met | with success.