South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-10-23
OLD JAP DEVIL
TERROR OF CHINA
Plumbers and Sacks Cities
Lao Yam Jen Is Capable
Military Leader.

PEKING. oct 22-"The White
Wolr Is again spreading terror
among the people OF west central
China. The much feared bandit
elan has resumed activities under a
rcW leader. Lao Yam Jen, or cold
Jap Devil" so named for his black
sCowl and his short, bowed figure.
In the last month they have run
riot i'm the provinces of Houan and
Shensi. Foreigners have suffered
severely. for neithc- race nor re-
ligion are respected Whole cities
have been sacked under the very
nose of hte powerful WI Pei-fu. his
garrisons destroyed, his advance
guards turned back i'm rout and
hundreds of hostages carried off.
Among these were one French
citizen and one Greek. who CON
tinue 10 be held for ransom despite
the protests of the French lega-
ton Fortunately for Americans,
the districts suffering were almost
wholly occupied by the French.
The Catholic Fathers there were
forced 20 fee leaving their
churches piuaged and their homes
in ruins
VI. Sidot. a French engineers. sta
toned az Shanshow. with his wife
and 1S-year-old daughter. remained
bravery in the city when the bandits
captured IT, The tri-color flying
from his house was torn down and
trampled under foot. lie himsel Il
was severely beaten while his wife
and daughter were roughly handled.
Everything they had. to their very
clothes. was taken away. For
time their house was made head
quarters and the courtyard used for
executions. which were apparently
carried out I'm accordance with some
prepared black list
In the meanwhile the city itself
was subject TO a thorough pillage.
All the horses and mules were
driven away To a temporary corral.
which was built up to take care If
the various accumulated live stoclt.
AL money except silver tthere -
no goid) was spurned
4 quantity of wOmcn's clothing
was gathered, some Of IL being
taken off the wearers directly. and
In the evening a number Of the
bandits put il ON for a wild and
drunken masquerade.
Lao himself has. In addition 70
his cunning and instinct for plum
der. real genius for military OPP
eratiOnS and an ability % utilize
D.
usual bandit groups His training
under the original White Wolf
was excellent. and he became one
Of the latter's trusted lieutenantS.
aiding him I'm his long career Or
murder and p.IaSe When white
Wolf" finally was captured by
jealous military governor. who
buried the head some thousand
miles from the rest Of the body, ne.
"O.d Japan Devil. compromised
and accepted position i'm the
national army
HIS promotion was rapid. and ne
had become a coione' az the end Of
a few years when the recent civil
war resulted iu the defeat OF his
commanding general and the dis
bandmeut OF his troops. There
upon ne gathered together the
loose ends and made himself the
chief Of a new robber band. many
% his followers being from ,1e
original White Wolf. Other
bandit groups acknowledged his
supvemaoy recognizing IN him a
leader OF superior ability. HIS
power has steadily increased. and
10y many Chinese he is looked upon
as a serious opponent 10 WI Pei-fu.
Armed by the pressure brought
10y foreign legations the Chinese
government has asked WI Pei-fu
10 take strong action. HE has now
put over division IN action. but
Old Japan Dev.i' seems little NOV
Ell. Meanwhile his force grows. and
those politicians unfriendly 90 Nu
prop 20 give him the name OF pa
tr.o, rather than bandit. There have
also been suggestions Of a cOmpr0-
mise whereby he and his forces Will
DO taken back into the Chinese ar
mics. as Is usual in such Gases and
he himself made legal general on
the theory that his dapredations Will
then. at least. be more orderly
Negotiations have begun for this
The bandits have submitted their
terms. which include the assignment
OF territory roughly about the sic
OF New York state. 10 their jur.sdic-
ton. They are then 20 become a
seni-independent military force po-
l!cing their district and keeping
themselves aloof from The politics