Holbrook argus., 1900-11-24
FIGHTS AMONG SOLDIERS
Americans Have Several Encounters with
the French.
TROUBLE AT TEN TSlN
As Rule the Boys in Blue Uje Their
Fists to the Better Advantage, and the
Frenchmen Suffer Defeat

Tien TSin, China, Oct. 24.-The pres
ence of a large body of troops here,
in contiguous camps, and with natur-
ally existing prejudices, is causing con-
siderable friction, and several unpleaS-
ant incidents have occurred. So far,
however, none of them have progressed
beyond the stage of incidents, easily
adjusted, and on all sides there is a
very evident disposition to treat these
occurrences as the natural result OF
military conditions.
One of the chief causes of friction
has been the number of pontoon
bridges thrown across the river. There
are three of these within the space of
a mile, and as the river is simply
crowded with junks and tow boats
some conflict has been the result. Most
of the trouble has occurred at the
French bridge, and twice trouh' b.
resulted between the French guards
and the American sentries on the
boats.
AMERICANS WENT THROUGH.
A few days ago a string of twenty
hunks coming down stream was held
I'D at the French bridge for several
hours in spite of the protests of the
American guards on board. Finally
word reached the American head
quarters of the condition of affairs and
an officer was sent up to the bridge.
He found a French sentinel on the
forward boat and promptly ordered
him off. There was a sharp inter-
| change between the American and
French officers, but the sentry was re-
moved. General Sumner then arrived
and the result was that the bridge was
| opened and the boats allowed to pass.
! A day or two later there was anoth-
| er bit of friction, in which both sides
rather overstepped the limit and are
| fairly chargeable with some blame.
| The bridge regulations require that
only one boat may go through at a
time A fleet of junks in charge of a
on-commissioned American soldier
came dawn and an attempt was made
to take three of them through the
draw abreast.
In coming through the junks
| jammed in the draw, and the American
on the leading boat and French bridge
guards clashed.
FRENCHMAN THROWN OVER
BOARD
The Frenchman attempted To ar
rest the American, and fist fight en-
sued in which one Frenchman went
overheard and several were badly
used up. The American was finally
overpowered and put under guard. He
was soon released, but, according to
his statement, he was struck while
under arrest by French officer. The
man stated that two men held their
bayonets at his heart while an off
eer hit him in the face, cutting a cash
over his eye. The matter is now I'M
der investigation.
The feeling between the French and
Americans apparently dates from the
killing of Corporal Hughes of the
Third Artillery some weeks ago by a
French sentry, whom he, with two
companions attempted to ruch in order
to cross the bridge after dark. The
camps of the Fifteenth Infantry, the
Third Artillery and a section of the
French force are very close, and there
is evidently considerable bad blood
between the two. 1t cropped out re-
Gently when a French soldier cut the
lead team of an American army wagon
across the head with a stick. The
teamster jumped out of the wagon and
according to reports, gave the offender
and several of his companions some
pretty rough handling.