Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-11
KILL MILITARY COMMANDER
Revolution Leaders Exempt Foreign
Residents From Molestation.
vICERoY ESCAPES IN YACHT
American and Japanese Cruisers and
Other Foreign Warships on
Way to Hankov.

HANKow. China, October u-Ths
revolutionaries have won a notable
victory, gaining possession OF the city
or Wuchang after a battle with the
loyal troops that began yesterday and
continued well into last night Today
the foreign residents had not been mo-
Tested. The revolutionary committee is
sued proclamation exhorting its fol-
lowers not to harm the citizens OF other
countries. The fact that the wishes OF
the committee have been respected thus
far. while reassuring to other nations. is
in itself sinister sign for the govern
ment at Peking, as IL indicates that the
rebellious movement Is now more thor
oughly organized.
Earlier outbreaks have assumed the
character OF rioting. I'm which the mobs
were soon out OF the control OF inteIli-
gent leadership, thus making their de-
feat by the better directed government
troops comparatively easy. The fear of
the officiais now is that the disaffection
in the troops will spread to this city, and
every effort is being made to ward of
this danger. Five gunboats are now in
the river in readiness to protect Han
kow should the necessity arise.
Foreign Warships on the Way.
The foreign consuls have teIegraphed
their governments asking that warships
be sent to the scene. American and Jap
anese cruisers are expected here tonight.
while several gunboats are Fastening
hither. AS another measure OF precau-
ton the merchant vessels in the river
are keeping steam up and women and
children will be permitted to go aboard
them tonight.
Volunteers have surrounded the foreign
quarter and will remain on duty day and
night until the safety of all foreigners is
secured.
1t appears that the revoluuonaries were
defeated in Sze-Chuen province, where
they for some time besieged the capital,
Cheng-Tu, and transferred their chief ac-
tivities to Hu-Peh province with the an
tention of making 1t the base for renewed
operations in Sze-Chuen.
According to the officials, an uprising
in Wu-Chang was planned for last Mon
day night. The plot was discovered
early that evening and thirty-two arrests
were made. Desiring to terrorize the
beheaded in the street before the vice.
roy,s yamen yesterday.
Government Troops Mutiny.
The energetic action of the authorities
does not appear to have had the desired
effect. Immediately after the execution
a portion Of the government artillery
forces within the city mutinied and the
action precipitated a tight.
The disaffection in the artillery soon
spread to other forces, and the revolu-
tonists took advantage of the situation.
The forces that remained loyal were
overcome. The taotai appealed to the
foreign consuls to instruct their war
ships to guard the harbor limits and
head of any reinforcements that might
be approaching the city from the river
to strengthen the rebels. The viceroy
sent a message to Peking urgently re-
Questfng the immediate dispatch of
warships from Tien-Tsin.
Finally seeing that 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.
Fires Started in Every Quarter.
The revolutionists are today in undis-
puted possession of Wu-Chang. The
capture of the town was the climax of
a series of sudden developments dur
ing the past twenty-four hours, and
soon after the first trouble developed
in Wu-Chang the entire city was in an
uproar. Fires were started in every
corner of the town. The military COM
mander was killed by a dynamite
bomb.
Among the foreigners known to have
been in Wu-Chang yesterday are
twenty-five American missionaries.
With the revolutionists in control OF a
great and important capital. IL is hard
to estimate how fast or far the movement
will spread. The officials are making
every effort to keep the disaffection out
of Hankow. Five foreign gunboats are
stationed along the Yang-tse-Kiang be-
tween the two cities, and foreign volun-
teers are patrolling the foreign quarter
of Hankow.
The foreign consuls at a conference
today decided not to comply with the
Chinese request that they employ foreign
gunboats to prevent the revolutionaries
from crossing the river to Hankow. The
revolutionaries sent a circular note to the
consuls asking that foreigners remain
neutral and assuring them that they
would not be harmed.