MISS TOBIN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 21 November 1928, Page 6

MISS TOBIN

HER CAPTURE BY BRIGANDS

THRASHED WITH A STICK WONDERFUL ENDURANCE AND PLUCK Dnited Brosa Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright United Servict> (Received 21st November, 10.50 a.m.) HONG KONG, 20th November. The story of a New Zealand lady's indomitable pluck whilst 44 days in a brigand gang's captivity, is just related. On September 18th Miss Watkins, an Australian, and ,Miss Blanch Tobin, a New Zealander, both of the Church Missionary Society, were travelling to Kweilin from Wuchow on a river junk when .they were surprised and captured by a Chinese brigand gang and compelled at the rifle point to go to the hills. Miss Watkins was unable to keep pace and was allowed to return, but Miss Tobin and two Chinese girls were hurried forward. They repeatedly feigned fatigue, but loaded rides were employed to overcome further reluctance. A night-long march, lighted by electric torches, brought the party to the brigand chief. uUiss Tobin s first food was a little rice. The chief instructed the captive to write to the society demanding £SOOO, later agreeing to accept £IOOO. ' It was then pointed out that Miss Tobin was believed to be a man—in fact the gang insisted on this, but later admitted their error. For many days and nights it was continual marching, Miss Tobin occasionally sleeping on straw from sheer exhaustion. She once overheard her captors expressing fear that soldiers were near, consequently she sang hoping they would hear. The chief became angry and thrashed her with a stick, which twice broke. Then followed more inarching through fastnesses, the party once hiding for four days in a cave. They then went to a forest in which they spent three weeks. During the whole of her captivity Miss Tobin was only three nights under a roof. Bishop Holden meanwhile offered himself in exchange for Miss Tobin, but the gang receiving the message refused to exchange. Miss Tobin was gradually losing strength owing to lack of i'ood and long wanderings. Her shoes were -worn out and her feet bare and bleeding. At this time a letter was written to a Chinese magistrate insisting on payment of the ransom. During the negotiations the chief took Miss Tobin to a cave down a creek, maintaining a strict and heavily armed guard. A few days later she was instructed to proceed with the brigands towards the district where the ransom would be paid. This necessitated four days' marching. The captive was still showing remarkable pluck, although completely unfit to march, whereupon the chief, realising the impossibility of Miss Tobin further walking, ordered a chair, in which she was carried. Ultimately they reached a point whence the captive was told to proceed alone. After a short distance soldiers approached informing her of her freedom, and providing the essentials for carrying Miss Tobin back and restoring her to her friends.

Miss Tobin is now receiving much needed treatment after experiences which many men would have been unable to stand.