The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-12-05
Driven From Homes
Exposed to Dangers
From Saturdays Daily.


Of White Wolf and his band of
one thousand brigands in Northern
Hupeh, suffered great privation and
often were exposed to extreme
danger. For days they we're separ-
ated from their families. with no
knowledge of the safety of their
wives and children, and suffering the
pangs Of hunger and thirst, two men
missionaries lay in hiding within a
few feet of group of bandits and
heard their death planned in case
they were found.
The Rev. H. S. Fauske, a Nor.
wegian member of the Lutheran
Brethren Mission, speaks as follows
Of his experiences:
Story of the kidnapping.
The robbers broke into our mis-.
sion compound early on the morning
of September &C. They were dressed
in silks and satins and had silk
girdles hanging almost to the ground
Each carried a rifle and revolver
About five or six men pointed their
rifles at myself and the Rev. George
Holm, an American, and demanded
silver money, our other valuables,
and that. we give them our guns
or revolvers. Mr.. Holm had no
weapons and l had only one re-
volver which l gave up.
Then they took Mr.. Holm captive
and went away with him. Later fif-
teen or twenty more bandits ap-
peared. demanding silver, and. be-
cause we did not have any. took me
prisoner. They demanded twenty
rifles of me. but of course | had
none. Then they insisted that |
manufacture rifles. as was for.
eigner. and therefore able to do So
Could Not Find Families.
"On the 9th the robbers allowed
me to go back TO the mission station
to secure food for my wife and chill.
drcn. but upon my arrival at the
station | could find no trace of my
family. | did, however, meet Mr.
Holm. who also had secured permits.
sion from his captors to return and
look after his family. Everything
in the mission had been destroyed
and all food. clothing and movables
had been stolen.
'Mr. Holm and went into the
streets to try to find our families
but our search was fruitless. AT
this time the Chinese troops which
had arrived at Tsaoyang. started to
attack the robbers by firing from
outside the city walls. The shots
whistled through the streets in which
We were, scattering up against the
buildings. This alarmed, the robbers
who Immediately started for another
part of the city. We took advant
age OF the opportunity to make our
escape, and fed to an old Chinese
house which at that moment was
vacant.
Pricked by Bayonets.
"We ran into side room and
hid ourselves in a pile of old wheat
straw. No sooner were we concealed
than the robbers came and begar
their search for us. They pulled the
straw about, jumped on top of II
and ran their bayonets through il
time and again. The bayonets JUS
missed my legs.
For four days the robbers lived
in the same house, in room oppo
site to us. For three days and nights
we were without water and food
We hardly slept for eleven days ant
nights, for the robbers were all tina
time in the same house, most of the
time in the adjoining room.
They were smoking opium and W,
frequently heard them say that whel
they caught us they would kill us
The only time we could move ;
muscle was when a pig moved about
rustling the straw in which we wer,
hidden. or when the rats scamperet
through it. We were almost choke,
with the dust in the straw, and sui
fered from the burning in on
threats, noses and eyes. l chewe,
on my handkerchief for half a da
in an attempt to moisten my mouth
Revived BY Drink Of Water.
When l could stand it no longe
| crawled out of the straw in tn
night and CROPPED about until foun
about a cup full of water which
drank with eagerness. 1t was dirt
water left in washtub. but it re
vived me and my heart began t
work better
THAT morning the owner of tn
house, Mr.. Wang, who was treate
as slave by the robbers. came j
to hide clothing in the straw wher
we were concealed. We spoke to hin
and he was startled at finding u
there. He promised not to tell wher
we were, and gave us water to drin
and some cold rice to eat. He di
not get an opportunity to give u
more then, on account of the pre-
ence of the robbers, but each da
after that we got from him a littl
rice and water, enough to keep U
alive.
Families at Headquarters.
THE last day but one that "
were in the straw Wang found o,
and told us that our families wei
in the Yamen, where the robbel
had made their headquarters. {