Evening star., 1898-08-20
BEATEN TO DEATH.
The Fate of n secret Society Leader
in China.

The Fate of n Secret Society Leader
in China.
From the North China Herald
The further development Of the Kolao
Hui (secret society movement has received
at least temporary check in the arrest of
the chief agitator. He was caught near
Fengling. where most of his success has
been Rumor OF his insecurity had reached
him and he thought it best to escape while
the way seemed open. His resolve how
ever, came too late, for he had not got a
mile from the town ere he was pounced
upon by score of lusty farmers. who had
been promised a handsome reward $500
for his capture. few of the leading gem
try who had before been 'winking loudly
at the movement now came forward and
assisted in his delivery to the city nlagis-
trate. A certain her-in-nor-out -of-oflce
and decidedly out-at-elbows weiyuan resi-
dent in the village. sought TO claim the cap
tive, but this weiyuan's conduct had been
sufficiently lacking in loyalty to his i'm
perlal majesty, the emperor. that the whole
neighborhood had classed him as the real
leader of the secret society. Such is tina
common report on the spot and generally
accepted there as true. Anyhow his re-
quest Tor possession of the prisoner was so
promptly refused that he is said to have
bowed TO each Of the gentry in turn and
begged them not to implicate him in the
matter.
As to the unfortunate captive. he was
hurried without loss Of time TO the city and
there almost Immediately brought up for
trial before the city magistrate. His at
utude was bold and defiant. He neither de-
med the accusations laid against him nor
tried to exculpate himself. When threat
ened he said his death would be avenged on
the man who caused it. When asked What
ne meant by propagating this society and
VINO were its members, he told the maEIs-
q q rnl l-i=F Fr.fa al
about II, he being a member of the kolao
Hui. Upon this the magistrate seems TO
have lost his temper and ordered the pris-
oner to be beaten to death. Much beating
did not kill him, and once more the maeIs-
trate is said to have roared out orders 10
finish him off. Beating seemed to be in
sufhcient and, seeing the magistrate In such
grim earnest, other measures were taken
and the unfortunate man soon breaihed
his last
This breach of Chinese law will. II is he
lieVed, get the magistrate into serious trou-
BILE and the taotaj at one time was on the
point Of suspenoing him awaiting orders
from iangehow, as much on the ground
of having killed off the man without tor
turing full confession out of him as on
The ground of cruelty 1t is pity that the
magistrate, Yeh, lost his temper for durins.
the last eighteen months he has proved
himself capable and fair-dealing officer
In the meantime the new hsien has arriv-
cd and, being the permanent officer will
take over the privileges and responsibilities
or the office What will be Mr.. Yeh's fate
and what the new hsien will do to quasf
the holoa Hui We snail soon learn. One of
the principal men of Fengling has collected
and delivered up quite a number of GER
thcates of membership, but those delivered
are but small percentage of those still un-
delivered Another man in the same place
pids his following fstain their certificates
as he declares the officials are favorable to
the movement. The new hsen has had
considerable experience in Tonkin and
speaks 4 little French and some English. so
We are hoping to see the country quieted
down. Possibly his southern experiences
may help him even more than the two lam
euases- Anyhow, it is a pleasure 10 well
come a magistrate of such attachments 10
Wenchow.