Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-12-02
Five ThouIand Dollars Taken By Bandits
from Passengers and Crews.
LEGATIONS At PEKlNG ARE FORTREssE
Foreign Powers Prevent Repetition Of
Experience in Fo1er Uprising.
DANGER OF DISORDER HAS NOT PASSED
Person Familiar with Affairs says
Return of Famine or Death of
Empress Would Incite
People to Violence.

PEKING, Dec. l.-(Special )-According
to adv.ces received mere from Hong Kong
and vicinity the troubles with pirates are
only Just beginning.
one story has It that a series of raids
commenced when ten men, who appeared
to be harmless laborers, boarded the
British steam launch Fienam, just below
Wuchow. They had been on board only a
little time Wnen they suddenly pioauced
revoivers and covered the passeng rs and
the crow. Two Of the p.raIes systemat-
hally searched and bound the passengers
while their eight comrades held al, n terror
with their weapons. Next the crew was
overpowered. robbed and pin. and the
pirates took onarge Of the vessel.
Their captain took the rudder and de-
liberately coillded, while going at high
speed, with Chinese launcn, the Chan
fook. The robbers were flung on deck by
the force Of the collision. but instantly
sprang up and boarded tne ChanfOok.
Aga.n tine crew and the passengers we're
ca. efully searched robbed and found. This
done. they were thrown heldl-n, On ths
captives lying on the bottom OF the Fieman
The pirate leader then returned on board
the latter and quickly wrecked the ma
chinery. The Fenam, helpless and with
its helpless cargo was soon cut adrift.
These exploits, however, were thrown
completely in the shade by the audacity OF
the next step steaming UP in the dark
with no lights showing, the pirate lauLth
attacked a commissioners armed launch,
on board Of which was a guard Of eight
soldiers watching a valuable cargo.
Pirates Catch "a Tartar.
There was a sudden noise as tine Chan
fook with its engines stopped, glded up
TO the other vessel and rasped along its
side. A sharp fusilidde and an attempt
to rush the guards followed. But the lat
ter were on the alert and better armed
They fred hastily at che looming hsures
and met the rusn OF the prates stOutiy
They fought hand to hand In the dark for
a few minutes hen the rae leader
called his men back TO the Chantook' the
engines throbbed and the vessel was
quickly lost IN the darkness. Sveral hid
been wounded on both sides in the dark
ness, the result of the liberal use of knives
and revolvers.
still unsated the plate l ader cru sea
about searching for new victims AT 4
o'clock in the morning he found The launch
saiyik. TIE same plan OF camplign w-s
ndopted and met with the customary sue
cess. The Chanfook was steered right into
the unsuspecting vessel. The pirates went
ON board and the crew and the passenge's
were robbed This time the robbers dii
not transfer their captives, the ChaniooK
apparently being the better vessel
When dawn came the pirates ran their
vessel on the beach. near Fongchaien' ana
made of unharmed. Their nights work
haa brought them at least $500. Some OF
them were wounded and this makes Sap-
true and i'd MITIGATION possible. TWO q
the pirates launches are badly damaged
Tha Chinese here predict more outrages
NJ this kind before the advent OF the Chih-
esS new year.
locations BeinE Transformed.
The legation quarters in Peking are be-
ing transformed. The Boxer uprising let'
scars everywhere. On the outer wall one
sees whole strips Of the parapets sweep
away The stones were commandeerep oS
the soldiers OF one OF the powers ourihA
tbeir ocoupation to build their legation
The famous astronomical instruments Oh
the wall disappeared when the foreign
troons came. and several Of them now add
10 the ornamentation Of the museums OF
Eerln. some, however which wee taken
away by the French have been restored by
tbs FRENCH government and are now being
nut in their places again. The splendid
white marble palaces around the Altai
~ Heaven where the emperor goes tc
Worship are today stripped, for white sol
aiers live in them. Even the famous Lama
temple is now open.
After the great siege OF PekinE the pow
ers determined not to be caught nappinl
again. large part OF the indemnify
money obtained from China has been spen
ON erecting the most elaborate legationi
and barracks for troops. Germany has
real fortress with mOated sides ana slop
ing walls and abundant artillery. Ha'
rivals France, and countries like HollanS
have raised palaces. America can boas
the ugliest and the most unsuitable lega
tIon, while England has the most arustl'
and best. England is content, and wisely
with the beautiful Chinese palace whiei
has so long served that country as lega
ton headquarters.
missionaries BuiId Houses.
Even some OF the missionaries hav'
caught the fever of display. The grea
Catholic cathedral, erected as reparatiol
by the Chinese. is a grief to every lOya
Maachu. one American missionary sOolet!
has even buildsd for itself a hospital ant
homes which rival the legations.
The Marconi mast showing above tn
Italian legation. the many soldiers o
many nations IN the streets, the heavil!
guarded EatewHys OF the ministerial quar-
ters, an tell their tale OF uncertain out
look. The west Is In PekinE by sunfsrano
aAd evidently knows II even at this lat
date. A very little. a short spell OF IA
aine, the rise OF q real leader FOE tn
- .Aianchu party. the uncertainty follow
~ the death Of a personality like tn
dOwager empress, or something as ye
unexpected, may again bring to the from
the anti-foreign movement And the
would come into play the Marconi power
and an appeal 10 the nations for NOR
troops
The schools that one sees In the mai
streets the movements Of the neWsmer
the publication OF the reform journals, an
even the rise OF European trained official
into favor-an these things would b
swept away IN the twinkling OF an eye /
.-,~h an outburaf shOuld coma