RELEASED BY BANDITS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17036, 9 May 1923, Page 9

RELEASED BY BANDITS.

FOREIGNERS IN CHINA. By Telegraph—Press Association--Copyright Australian and X.Z. Cable Association. (Received May 8. 5.-5 p m.) NEW YORK, May 7. The Standard Oil Company has received a report that the Chinese bandits have released ten of the foreigners who were captured from the express tram, including all the women captives. The British and American Legations have demanded that the Chinese Government secure the immediate release of the remainder of the captives ami supply a full explanation. The bandits demand 1.000,000 dollars ransom. The brigands are part of a force of otcr 4000 whose stronghold is in the neighbouring mountains. AN ENGLISHMAN KILLED. I PEKIN. May 7. I Twenty-eight foreigners, including j thirteen Americans, are held -as hostages, also 300 Chinamen. An Englishman named Rothman was killed. Those kidnapped include six ladies, who suffered severely through being compelled to walk for miles over rough country. BANDITS FIRE A FUSILADE. | PKKIX, May 7. Mesdanios Allen and ringer, the wives of American army officers, have arrived at Tientsin with three other refugees. They declare that- the bandits fired a fusilade of shots before the train was derailed, after which they smashed the windows and dragged out the passengers in their night-clothes, compelling them to walk barefooted on the glass-littered ground. The passengers were then robbed of everything valuable. The bandits threatened to shoot the male captives if troops followed them. A small body of soldiers are reported’ to have engaged the bandits.

UNITED STATES ACTION.

WASHINGTON, May 7. Mr G. 0. Hughes (Secretarv of State) and Mr J. J. Davis (Acting Secretary for War) have discussed a plan to use American troops to help in the capture of the Chinese bandits. The. United States has 1000 officers and men stationed at Tientsin, as well as a Marine Guard at Pekin. While orders thither have not yet been despatched, it is learned that the United States will unite with other foreign the Boxer uprising, should the Chinese Government fail fo act effectively. The State Department received confirmation from the Tientsin Consul that the bandits have released the women prisoners.

PURSUING THE BANDITS,

SHANGHAI. Mav S. Although the Chinese Government has despatched 10.000 troops after the bandits, the officials have expressed real’s that the prisoners may be murdered if the outlaws arc too closely pursued. The Government is in great perplexity. frankly declaring that it does not know what measures to take to effect the release of the prisoners, who are now known to include Frenchmen and Italians. The foreign diplomats at Pekin will confer to-morrow as to what course ol action will be taken. It is believed that the bandits are fleeing with their captives to Tusbauhu Lake, the rendezvous of the bandits in the mountains of South Shantung. A relief train from Pekin to Tientsin. boaring the foreign consuls and ••hysicians, was despatched when the jews arrived that the women captives had been relerased. The women, who are bare-footed a Per being driven for some distance by tho bandits, fell owing to exhaustion. and the bandits left them. The women then crawled back to the scene of the train wreck, from which point they were transported to Tientsin. A telegram from Lin Citing, where the assault to Ibe train occurred, states that soldiers had surrounded the bandit forces, and that there had been continuous firing by both sides for many hours. The report that... an American had been shot is now authenticated. All the women arc reported to have been released, but the bandits threaten j to execute t.he men prisoners if the soldiers are not withdrawn. Tt is reported that only three Britishers are among the captured fo-