Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1890-08-14
BANDIT LUN-KY.
A Tonquin Desperate and His
Band Of Cutthroats.
Captured Frenchmen Pay a Big
Ransom for Their Liberty.

bandit horde In the mountain faStnesses
near Dong-trien, in Tonquin. He is
hardly more than 90 years of age, is
of commanding stature and singular
ferocity, and has operated SO actively
during the last two years as to have
become an object of terror throughout
that part of the country. 1t is believ-
cd that unrequited love impelled the
youth to adopt this lawless life, for
two years ago he was reputable lad,
apprenticed to saddler, and assiduous
in his attentions to the daughter OF one
of the local magistrates. This girl,
however, suddenly welded with an
old and rich neighbor, and in few
days Lun-Ky disappeared from Dong
trien and presently blazed into motor
iety as the boldest bandit chief in Ton
quin. It is, perhaps, the ambition of
the misguided youth to acquire so
great possessions as to occas on his old
and tickle inamorata severe heart
burnings.
At all events, the riches which Lun-
Ky has amassed in two years are said
70 ~-seaed the bounds of credulity.
Somewhat of danny IN his =trstea, -ha
wears gorgeous silks and feathers,
and covers his bosom with a network
of gold; his weapons are of the finest
quality and include in their category
jeweled scimeters, ebony-stock car
bines, and ivory-hilted poniards.
Two months ago the brothers Rogue
and M. Costa, three Frcnchmen tenn
porarily residing in Tonquin, were
captured by Lun-Ky's band AT the
same ii ne companion, one Sing-Yi,
native tradesman fell into the hands
of the brigands.
AS soon as NJ. Briffand, the French
consul Cor PRESIDENT" at Dong ien),
heard Of this outrage, lie applied him
self industriously TO securing the re-
lease of the captives, but the brigands,
with whom intercourse was finally
opened up, demanded an exorbitant
ransom, nor would they accede to any
compromise. One dly, therefore, the
consul, accompanied by the village
priest and attended by an escort of
French marines, repaired to the noun
tains, bearing the required ransom.
Having reached a lonely spot supposed
to have been about five miles from the
bandit camp, this little company was
halted before bamboo post upon
which was hung an inscription saying
that the troops must not 90 farther
without parley.
About this time Lun-Ky himself ap-
peared in the distance. and announced
that the consul and the priest should
proceed together, leaving the marines
behind. 1t was another Hobson's
choice. So the troops remained, and
the consul and the priest went for
ward with the beasts bearing the ram
som. Reaching the assigned place,
perhaps two miles distant, the ransom
was carefully inspected and counted.
1t consisted Of 100 pieces of silk, y
watches, and $50, ,O00in coin. Lun-Ky
objected to the silk, because it was
not, as he complained, Of the best
quality.
But the consul, speaking through
the priest as interpreter, represented
that the silk was the very finest that
could be obtained in Tonquin, and
finally the chieftain was persuaded.
Then the captives were delivered up,
the bandits to the number of 400
kneeling all the while in a circle, with
leveled rifles, ready to fire at the first
signal. AS soon as the consul, the
priest and the released men disap-
peared down the hillside the bandits
struck camp and made off with proper
haste.
The native tradesman, Sing III, who
was taken into captivity with the
Messrs. Costa and r que, was not re-
leased with the others, and it is be-
lieved that the bandits murdered him.
He had. it seems, identified several of
the bandits and hal prepared a letter
to Canton mandarin giving certain
important information and asking that
the families of these bandits be held
amenable for the lawlessness of the
bandits themselves. Discovering this
letter and recognizing in Sing-Yi an
enemy who knew too much, The BAN
dts put him into close confinement,
and it is supposed that they subse-
quently beheaded him.
The ransomel Frenchmen report
that during their captivity they were
kept manacled and that the most shock
ing indigmties were heaped upon
them. They say that Lun-Ky is rev.
erenced by his fellow bandits as an in
spired being, and that his authority as
chieftain is practically an absolute
monarchy. Lun-Ky has thoughtfully
given il out that as soon as the number
of his followers has reached 700 he
viii swoop down upon his naive vii
lage, capture his old sweetheart, and
strangle her venerable husband, first,
however, cutting off the latter's ears
and nose, that being particularly
humiliating offence in China This
announcement has, as you would ~