DARING GIRL PIRATE

Grey River Argus, 17 June 1933, Page 2

DARING GIRL PIRATE

LEADER OF CUT THROATS. Owing to a fresh outbreak of attacks on coasting craft in which she is declare.l to have played prominent part, the Chinese authorities have been making lenewe.l efforts to effect the capture of a girl sea-rover who, tor three or four years, has eluded attempts t.» entrap her. 'Phis feminine pirate is the subject of consider:-ble mystery. Known as Ling Hoh-sung. she has been described by those who have met her as a pretty girl of about 2<». All have agreed that I although bearing a Chinese name, she is not of Chinese origin. It has been de.lnre.l that behind aChinese alias is Ilin personality of an English or American University girl driven bv a wrecked romance with a Chinese lover into paths oi adventure. However true that may be. the girl ::nd her activities are fast attaining legendary proportions along the China coast. Dressed in black silk, in native trousered garb, and always leading her gang person-ally. Ling Hoh-sung has often proved herself a deadly revolver shot. Her habit is continually to smoke cigarettes, even when a raid is in progress; ami she will speak English nr Chinese as the mood takes her. A favourite plan of the girl is to boa rd a roasting steamer as a firstclass passenger, members of her gang joining the vessel in the guise of passengers at different points. All pose as strangers to each other. The bandits ad at a prearranged signal given bv the girl, taking the ship by surprise. One of the girl’s most daring coups yvas effected on a Japanese st earner bound from Swatoyv to Hongkong. The vessel carried nine Japanese officers and Chinese ereyv, and over 120 passengers. To guard against possible attack the bridge was furnished with specially erected grilles at which arm e<| sentries were posted night and day. Yet the steamer was pillaged thoroughly- by the girl and her band. The girl was on board as a first- < lass passenger, and one morning about the hour when the watch was due to be changed she rose from a deck chair and strolled toward the bridge. She reached the ladder holding a pistol in each hand, and. covering the startled guard, gave commands to a crowd of pseudo-passengers who came running toward her. A bullet from one of her pistols laid low the bridge guard as he was in the act. of drawing his re vol ver. Tn a twinkling, without fuss, the ship wa-s captured and the girl was giving orders from the bridge to the officers and enforcing them at the pistol-point. To the captain she indicated a spot on a chart —an inlet at a remote part of the coast. Holding a pistol to his

head she compelled him to ta-ke the vessel there. Meanwhile Ling lloh-sung’s underlings pillaged rhe cabins ami robbed the passengers of joyy cilery aud money. All arms found on the ship were flung overboard ami the wireless apparatus was smashed. When the inlet was reached the girl and her gang commandeered one of the. ship’s boats and rowed ashore. British bluejackets and other searchers afterwards scoured the vicinity but found no trace of the girl or her band. Ling Hoh-sung’s elusiveness, savs the News of the World, is only equalled by her amazing daring. While much speculation exists as tu her m-t- e ual identity, there is little as to ihe fate that, waits her—should she be caught.