The San Francisco call., 1898-06-05
RIOT RAMP ANT IN THE ORIENT Robber Bands Overrun
 China. F0RM0SA REVOLT SPREADS ALLEGED MASSACRE ON THE
 ISLAND. Japanese Soldiers Said to Have Ruth lessly Murdered Men,
 Women and
 Children.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

TACOMA, June 1.-The steamship Victoria, arriving this evening, brings Hongkong advices to May 12 The spirit of rebellion and riot seems to pervade many parts of the Orient. Five thou sand robbers are assembled in one band in the mountains of Loyang, Kinchow district. near Canton. Three thousand are natives of that district and the bal ance comprise groups of marauders from other places. They commit crimes of every description, plundering, rob- ping and killing as their fancy die tates. The local officers are terrorized and dare not cope with them.
 Recently the house of an influential mandarin was robbed, and the robbers, who met no resistance, were able to do as they liked. The mandarin was very angry and offered rewards of $20 for the capture of each robber. Seven rob- bers were caught. but the mandarin then refused to give the reward. The dishonesty of the mandarin has made the robbers bolder and more cruel than ever, for all poor people have made up their minds not to interfere with their plunderings, because they know the rich cannot be trusted. The Canton authorities have offered rewards for the capture of men known to be SUD- plying arms and ammunition to the robbers.
 On April 26 small band of brigands attacked the yamen of the magistrate of Running. They carried away val uables worth $10000. and released the prisoners confined in the yamen.
 Four Chinese mariners were fatally burned by an explosion aboard a small Chinese gunboat. which was practical ly blown up. The gunboat was near Wuchow, bound from Nanking to Can ton with pay for the Cantonese troops. Coming to a locality infested by pi- rates, the captain ordered his men to load all the guns in readiness for an attack, at the same time cautioning them not to smoke opium near the pow der magazines. This warning was dis regarded, and the result was an ex- plosion of the magazines, by which all the guns were discharged simulta- neously. The captain succeeded in rescuing three wounded men who Jumped into the river. Another was drowned The hull of the gunboat was badly damaged.
 The rebellion in Formosa has been confined largely to the central and northern parts cf the island. Now an uprising is expected in the southern
 
 the Hongkong Press, who writes that the feelings of the populace there have been wrought to the boiling point by the butchery of innocent countrymen and helpless women and children by Japanese soldiery in the Hozan district.
 A company of Japanese soldiers fol- lowed a band of Formosan robbers to their lair in the hills twelve miles from Hozan, but the robbers escaped by means of a secret exit from a big cave in which they took refuge, after firing into the soldiers and killing several. Maddened by defeat, the Japanese are said to have vented their spite and thirst for blood upon the peaceful vil- lage of Loonahtieng, several miles dis tant. It is alleged they set the vil- lage on fire at night, and when the villagers rushed out they were shot down by a cordon of troops surround ing the town. Twenty-four men, two women and four children are known to have been killed. Only a half-dozen houses remain of over two hundred which formed the village.
 Three thousand black flag soldiers arrived at Wuchow on May in con- sequence of a dispute between a soldier and a Chinese employe of the Chinese imperial maritime customs. These sol diers hate customs officers. Turning themselves into a mob they attacked the custom-house and were driven back by the prefects soldiers. The soldiers belong to an anti-foreign secret soci- ety. Much alarm prevails at Wuchow over the reports that all foreigners there are to be maSSacred