PIRATES ACTIVE

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXIX, Issue 148, 20 June 1934, Page 5

PIRATES ACTIVE

Off Coast of China

BRITISH SHIP LOOTED AND 26 PERSONS SEIZED By Telegraph—Copyright—Press As, PEKING, June 18. 7 Pirates held up and looted the British coastal steamer Shuntien en route from Tientsin to Shanghai at the mouth of the Yellow River, kidnapping four foreign passengers, two officers and 20 Chinese. An officer was badly wounded during the pirates’ attack.

Two warships are proceeding at full speed to meet the Shuntien, which was en route to Chefoo. The captives include the British ConsulGeneral at Tsingtao, Mr. H. F. Hand-ley-Derry, Mr. Isenmonger, Police Commissioner at Tientsin, two British naval lieutenants, Lucefield and Graeme, Nicholl, an insurance manager, a Japanese, Yamamoto, the second officer, Brand, and the third engineer, Watson. The pirates loaded five junks with plunder and fled 'inland.

The third officer of the Shuntien, Ross, was badly wounded by bullets. He was the only man to defy the pirates when they rushed the bridge. The piracy occurred on; Sunday night when 30 Chinese, disguised as passengers, the majority armed, rushed the bridge, also taking possession of the engine room. Captain Christansen was immediately placed under an armed guard, also the wireless operators. When Ross was shot, a pirate took the wheel, handling the ship obviously as an experienced navigator.

The vessel was then taken to the mouth of the Yelloy River, where they met five junks. The cargo was not touched, but the passengers’ luggage and valuables were thoroughly looted Foreign women were not molested and camo through the ordeal unharmed.