Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-02-18
MAWCHURIA BANDITS KILL 546
IN ONE YEAR TO GET S251 979
Hunghutze, Originally Banded Retrieve Oppressive
Taxes Exactcd by Manchus Now Ordinary High
waymen Operating Along Railways.

80 very lar from the ManChurinu cap
ital of Mukdcn. Except that the mat
ter Is usually taken up by the near
est Japanese consul. who demands an
indemnity and a search for the muir
dcrers, little attention Is paid 10
such an affair. The indemnity is some
times paid. but to catch. try and con-
Wet the guilty iiunChutZe is SO diff
iicuit that, 1t is never really expected,
the demand merely being an empty
form.
Tho IiunGhutzc. whose favoritc sea-
son is late summer and carly fall.
since the tall kiaolang mot unlike
American corn) affords them good am
bush and convenient road to cS-
cape. have not always hccn the bad
men, which they are today. True.
they have always murdered and rob-
bed. but In the time OF their birth
they did so in Il GAUGE they considered
just.
When tho Manchus conquered China
proper and placed u Mlnchu Emperor
on the dragon throne as the Son OF
Heaven they still considered their ma
tive home of Manchuria. with its cold
ana wind-swcpt plains. as their
stronghold and place OF refuge in
the event that rebellion should break
out and overwhclm them within the
great wall OF old China. Many 81.
the Manchu dukes and high rctaincrs
OF the Ching household, which occu-
pied the throne. remained In Nam
churia as their permanent place OF
residence.
Since the Manchus were dominant
and had placed China under their
yoke they naturally expected to levy
ho
pay all their own bills And they
did. Every year II great train OF
cam"ls, mules and carts, escorted by
hundreds Of armed Chinese soldiers
get out from PckinE to Mukdcn as a
convoy for several million dollars
IN silver. sent TO the Manchu dukes
The tribute went in silver. for I'm
those days paper money did not exist
IN The empire of China
Origin OF the iimnghut.c.
One Year. perhaps 900 years ago.
the chimes. soldiers guarding that
train -. silver became philosophical.
Why should we. native Chincsa,"
they argued. take this>Grcat treas
nrc I" the Manchus? Why not keen
II for the Chinese" With them To
mink must have been tn act for they
slaughtered the few Manchus who
we're accompanying them and then
| distributed the bulk of the silver
| treasure among the Chinese In whose
| district they happened to he. Only n
llt'ie was retained for their own
support, as they fully realized that
Their action had made them outlaws
| IN the eyes Of the Manchu Emperor
VINO sat on the dragon throne in
| Picking.
! Each year thereafter they attacked
| and robbed the silver treasure, until
| IL ceased to be sent. They also rob
| bed others, but always they gave the
| bulk of their gains to the poor and
ntehy. AS these original HunkhutZu
| dlcd of and were supplanted by sons
ana frandSons. their offspring were
!c9s and less inclined To distribute
their booty among the poor and moro
ana more inclined To keep IL for their
own enrichment. Gradually an or
E"niza ton OF outlaws with lofty
motives became an organization OF
outlaws with bandit instincts and
morals. and tho days OF the Chinese
| Robin Hood passed.
They are today one OF the creates,
| scourges of Manchuria. In the
months Of August and Septcmbcr
they make traycl unsafe In mnay
parts OF Manchuria for all Chinese
for most Japanese and occasionally
| for "a Wcsterncr. II is from their
midst that General Chang Tso Lin
the nearest dictator that China has
emerged, accepting commission in
the Chinese army as colonel, ten
dcrcd him because the Chinese pre-.
ferred to have him friend rathe,
than foe. Chang Tso Lin. once ar
ordinary brigand, has now become
supcrbrieand OF powerful typ,
as he dictates from his fortified home
in Mukdcn, hut his friends whispc,
OF him that he Is like the earl,
HunEhutze. that he robs one place Il
use the funds for better cause, ant
even that the reason he accept.
Japanese money is that he may pu
II to work In the interests OF China.
Copyright, 1922. Public Ledger Co..