The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1911-05-04

MASSACRE |NCH|NA
Rebel hOrdeS Beat Troops
and PiIIdge Towns.
FIERCE FIGHTING IN CANTON
Hundreds Perish in Numerous Bat
ties and Dead Lie in City Streets.
Uprising Extends to Sur.
rounding Country.

Hong Kong, China, May 2. - Dis
patches from Canton say the rebels
have pillaged five towns In the sur
rounding country and that brigandage
and anarchy Is In control. The loyal
troops fought desperately to subdue
the uprising. but were powerless.
WI Sum, who has adopted the dress
Of western countries. Is the leader OF
the revolt against the Manchu dynas-
ty. The brigand chief. LUX, Of Shun'
TAX, Is at the head OF horde Of out
laws, whose object is robbery and
murder. Following the standards OF
these two men are anarchist groups, TO
whose purpose the present outbreak
lends itself most advantageously.
These combined forces have thrown
themselves with fanatlcal disregard OF
their own lives against the troops. and
since the first outbreak Thursday
night much blood has been shed. Sc.
dition is rife among certain OF the
troops. and 1t is feared that the dis
affected soldiers will desert their OFF,
GERS If the revolters appear to have
the upper hand.
Official advlces and the refugees ar
irving from Canton confirm the sins'
ter reports. Bodies Of the slain lie In
the streets Of the city. Famine prices
are asked for foodstuffs. and the shops
generally are closed In the panic
there nave been few attempts TO bury
80 dsad
che revolters have withdrawn 10 a
erest extent from Canton and are de-
,astaung the country TO the west
lions the West river. Before falling
back they fought the troops from
street to street, many persons being
killed They attacked the provisional
arsenal and. being repulsed, gathered
IN an immense rice store, which they
barricaded with bags Of rice. From
the building they threw bombs into the
attacking troops and were only dis
lodged whep the building was set on
fire. Many OF the reyOlters escaped,
but thirty or more died in the flames,
while others killed themselves TO avoid
capture.
While the fighting was progressing
In the streets. Chinese gunboats pa
trolling the West river fired into sew
eral parties OF rebels, slaughtering 200
Of them. RetreatIng to the country
side the reyolutionaries attacked and
captured Sam Shut. thirty miles west
of Canton. and murdered the project
The troops were put to fight and the
rebels moved on TO Wen Chow and
Woo Chow, both OF which towns they
took after slight resistance. Luk's bri-
gands, following in their wake, looted
the shops of the three towns.
The triumphant sweep Of the reyo-
lutonaries continued westward along
the West river, and reports from that
district say that the movement Is
spreading and that the revolutionaries
are numbering and pillaging in other
places.
The revolutlonists are cutting the
telegraph wires throughout the scene
of their operations. and communica-
ton between Canton with points TO
the north and west Is generally inter
rupicd. Traffic on the Chinese section
Of the railway leading north from Can
ton has been suspended
A report that Shamien, the foreign
concession above Canton. had been
invaded lacks confirmation. The Amer
lean gunboat Wilmington has the
place under her guns.