The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-06-06
any Deeds of Savagery Committed
In the Orient. s.
FIVE THOUSAND BANDITS
PLUNDERING, RoBBING AND
KILLING AT WILL.
One District Near Canton Completely
In the Hands of the Robbers
Japanese Soldiers Massacre Ma
tives In Formosa - Uprising of
Black Flags-Gunboat Blows Up.

Tacoma, Wash, June 5.-The steamship
Victoria brings Hongkong advices to May
L. The spirit of rebellion and riot seems
to pervade many parts of the Orient. Five
thousand robbers are assembled in one
band in the mountains of LoyanS, Kin
chow district, near Canton. Three thou
sand are natives of that district and the
balance comprise groups of marauders
from other places They commit crimes
of every description, plundering, robbing
and killing as their fancy dictates me
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 x2V Tor
the capture of each robber. Seven robbers
Were caught. but the mandarin then re-
fused to give the reward. The dishonesty
OF the mandarin has made the ROBBERS
holder and more cruel than ever, for all
poor people have made up their minds
not to interfere with their plunderlngs,
because they know the rich cannot be
trusted. The Canton authorities have Of
fered rewards for the capture of men
known to be supplying arms and ammu-
milton to the robbers.
On April 2s a small band of brigands at
tackled the Yamen of the magistrate of
Running. They carried away Faiuabies
worth $4,000 and released the prisoners
confined in the yamen.
GCNBOAI BLOWN IL.
Four Chinese mariners were fatally
burned by an explosion aboard small
Chinese gunboat, which was practically
blown up. The gunboat was near
WUchow, bound from Marking to Canton
with pay for the Cantonese troops. Com
ing TO locality infested by pirates, 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 powder magazines. This
warning was disregarded and the result
was an explosion of the magazines. The
captain succeeded in rescuings thr~e
Another was drowned. The huh of the
gtlnboat was badly damaged.
The rebellion in Formosa has been con-
fined largely to the central and northern
parts of the island Now an uprising is
expected in the southern end, according
to a correspondent for the Hongkong
the populace there have been wrought TO
the boiling point by the butchery of in
nocent countrymen and helpless women
and children by Japanese soldiery in the
Hozan district.
BUTCHERED BY JAPANESE.
company of Japanese soldiers fol-
lowed a band of Formosan robbers to
their lair in the hills, u miles from Ho-
Fan. but the robbers escaped by means
OF a secret exit from q big cave If which
they took refuge, after firing into the
soldiers and killing several. Macdened
by defeat. the Japanese are said TO have
vented their spite and thirst for blood
upon the peaceful village of Loonahtieng,
several miles distant. It is alleged they
set the village on fire at night, and when
the villagers rushed out they were shot
down by q Gordon of troops surrounding
the town. Twenty-four men, two women
and four children are known to have been
killed. Only a half dozen houses remain
OF over 200 which formed the village.
Three thousand black flag soldiers ar
rived at WCchoW on May B. in conSe-
Quence of q dispute between a soldier and
a Chinese employee OF the Imperial mari
time customs offices. These soldiers hate
customs officers Turning themselves into
dnoD, sney aoIacheo me ctiSeo LOUISE
soldiers The soldiers belong to an anti
foreign secret society. Much alarm pre-
walls at WUcbow over the reports that all
foreigners there are to be massacred.