The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-10-11
Government Troops Mutiny and
Join the Rebels.
PROTECT FOREIGNERS.
effort Being Made to Care for
Them.
Are That Uprising
May Be General.

Hankow, China. Oct. 1.-THE revo-
lutionaries have won notable victory.
gaining possession Of the city OF Wu
Chang after a battle with the loyal
troops that began yesterday and con-
tinued well into the night.
The foreign residents had not been
molested. The revolutionary commit
tee issued a proclamation exhorting its
followers not to harm the citizens OF
other countries. The fact that the
wishes of the committee have been re-
spected thus far while reassuring 9TH
er nations. is in itself a sinister sign
for the government at Peking. as It
indicates that the rebellious movement
is now more thoroughly organized.
Earlier outbreaks have assumed the
character of rioting, in which the mobs
were soon out OF the control OF the
Intelligent leadership. thus making
their defeat by the better directed gov
ernment troops comparatively easy.
The fear OF the officials now is that
the disaffection in tho troops viii
spread to this city and every effort IS
being made to ward off this danger.
Five gun nboats are now in the river
in readiness to protect HankOw should
the necessity arise. The foreign con-
suls have also telegraphed their gov
ernment asking that warshiDs be sent
to the scene. American and Japanese
cruisers are expected here tonight
while several gunboats are Fastening
hither.
AS another measure OF precaution
the merchant vessels in the river are
keeping steam up and women and
children viii be permitted to go aboard
them tongiht.
Protecting the Foreigners.
Volunteers have surrounded the for
eign quarter and Will remain on duty
during the night until the safety of all
foreigners is secured.
It appears that the revolutionaries.
defeated in Sze Chuen province where
they for some time besieged the capi-
tai Cheng Tu. transferred their chief
activities to Hu Peh province with the
intention of making 81 the base for
renewed operations in Sze Chucn.
According to the officials an uprising
in Wu Chang was planned for last
Monday night. The plot was discov-
cred early that evening and thirty-two
arrests were made Desiring to ter
rorize the revolutionaries. four OF the
prisoners We're beheaded in the
street before the viceroy's yamen yes
terday.
Government Troops Mutiny.
The energetic action Of the authori-
ties did not appear to have had the
desired effect Immediately after the
execution portion of the government
artillery forces within the city mu-
tinted and the uprising was preoipi-
tated.
The disanection in the artillery
spread to other forces and the revolu-
tionaries took advantages OF the situa-
tion. They started fires in many parts
of the city and attacked such OF the
troops as refused to join them.
The forces that remained loyal we're
overcome. The Taotai appealed to the
foreign consuls to instruct their war
ships to guard the harbor limits and
head off any reinforcements that
might be approaching the city from
the river to strengthen the rebels. Tho
viceroy sent a message to Peking urg-
emily requesting the immediate dis
patch of warships from Tien Tsin-
Finally, seeing further resistance
was useless. the viceroy fed the city
and found refuge on a private yacht
that was lying in the river. His head
quarters and those Of the provincial
treasurer were burned. The military
commander was assassinated.
Among the foreigners known TO
have been In Wu Chang yesterday are
twenty-five American missionaries.
Communication with the city is al
most completely broken and no word
as to the fate OF the Americans had
been received at an early hour today.
With the revolutionists in control OF
a great and important capital II rs
hard to estimate how fast or far the
movement will spread. The officials
are making every effort TO keep tho
disaffection out OF Hankow. Five for
eign gunboats are stationed at the
Yang II Kiang between the two cities
and foreign volunteers ara patrollinF
the foreign quarter of Hankow.
WI Chang is the capital OF the CEN
trail province Of Wu Peh and a town
of about 100000 inhabitants. II is
situated just across the Yang-Tze riv-
er from Hankow. and in a sense the
two may be regarded as one city OF
100000 souls. Hankow is the great
trading center for all central China.
but Wu Chang takes precedence over
it in political importance. As the capt.
tai Of the province and the seat OF
government OF the viceroy. Il has "A
great population OF officials. including
all the high provincial manda rims and
the mandarins responsible for the
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