WOMAN ARMY LEADER.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 26 June 1924, Page 3

WOMAN ARMY LEADER.

HANDSOME AMAZON IN CHINA

A terrible tale of suffering is told by Mr. Elly Widler, a foreigner, of Chungking, following his rele_a.se after six months’ captivity in the hands of General Yang Sen’s Second Szechuan Army. Mr. Widler was not recognised by any foreign Consulate, and, therefore, was unable to secure redress through the usual channels. He was arrested at the Cosmos Club at Chungking, of which he was the proprietor, on September 10, 1923. Early in October he was taken before a court-martial and sentenced to- be shot. It was hinted, however, that in Chinese military circles there was always a way of avoiding the death -sentence, and that he would be released if he paid a- considerable' sum of money, or undertook to supply large quantities of arms to' the Second Army. Then came the collapse of General Yang Sen’s resistance, and the retreat began. Footsore and weary with the continued forced marches. Mr Widler was prodded forward by the butts of the soldiers’ rifles until he even begged tlie-m to shoot him to put him out of his misery. it was on this march that he saw the famous woman soldier, Lan Da Jo Ba (Big-Natural-Feet), who was in command of about 6000 men. According to his description, she is a robust, attractive woman, age 30, and of very strong character. She travels in a two-men chair, and is always accompanied by her daughter, age 15, who runs alongside and is armed with a Mauser pistol. The girl is very beautiful, of strong and healthy appearance, due to her outdoor life and vigorous exercise.