Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-05-12
RANSOM PAYMENT
TO FREE CAPT|VES
SOON, PEK|N SAYS
Progress Reported in Nego-
tiations With Chinese Ban
dits-Army Officers Sons
Are Released.

~ " llSlSOOOQ
SHANGHAI, May 1o.-(By the AS
ISOLATED Press. ALL the foreign cap
tives held by the Suchow bandits are
well, Having a wonderful time" and
expect to be released soon, according
to written messages received from
four Of them by relief workers near
Lincheng,~ which were relayed here
today.
WASHINGTON. May 1O.-tBy the
Associated Press.)-Success in this
negotiations to ransom the foreign.
ers held captive by Chinese bandits
in the noun ain fastl. ;es of Shan
tung was indicated today when n dis
patch from Pekin announced the re-
lease of Roland Pinger, Jr., and
Robert Allen, Jr., sons of Majors
Finger and Allen, U. S. A. The Off
GERS still were held, at latest Official
advices this afternoon.
A private message from Tsaocha-
wang. received in Shanghai by the
Asia Development company, report.
ed that all but one of the foreign
captives had been released The
one still held was said to be Cheva-
lier Musso, an Atalian attorney OF
Shanghai. A previous report mad
said that the hrigands were holding
Musso for $1,O00,O00. and that h.s
was critically i'll.
Advices received in Tsinanfu in
dictated that the captives would be
released today.
Latest reports from Pekin Indi-
Gated that at least two women We're
among the captivcs-Mrs. Sander.
son, an American, and Miss z. F.
| Fleming, English. Previous state
ments that Mrs. L. A. Seaton, It
Berkeley, Cal, and ner niece, Miss
Lillian Aud, of Eugene, Ore, were
held. were dissipated today when 1t
! was learned in Pekin that they were
not aboard the Shanghai-Pekin ex.
press train when it was seized near.
Suchow early Sunday.
Miss Aldrich in Hospital
| Miss Lucy Aldrich, sister-in-law OF
John D. Rockefeller, Jr., and hex
companion. Miss Minnie McFadden,
arrived in Pekin early today, having
been accompanied from Tsinanfu by
DR.. Houghton, Of the Union Medi-
cal college. Miss Aldrich and Miss
McFadden were Put into an arbu'
lance and taken to hospital. where
physicians prescribed several days
of quiet.
The Chinese government has pro
mulgated q presidential mandate or
dering Investigations into the affairs
Of the civil and military governors
of Shantung province.
Another phase of the situation be-
ing discussed today in the Chinese
capital was the theory, said to be
| accepted freely in political circles,
that the bandit outrage was the out.
come of a larger plot than one OF
ordinary brigandage. The idea of ag.
gression against foreigners was not
mentioned, but the supposed con.
spiracy was held to have internal
political significance. The effect
of the affair on on epol1tical party
or another was emphasized. .fs
1t was pointed 0ut that the Su:
chow bandits seemed to have the
sernblance of an organization. They
were said, too, tn be dominated by
an element which was displeased
with the recent successes of the
Chilli military party in the Yangtse
valley. The Chilli party sponsor
for the present government in Pekin.
Thus the effect of the abductlonsT-
to embarrass the government in its
foreign relationships noted espe-
cially, in considering a motive aside
from robbery.
Relief parties, with supplies and
medical aid, were rushed from for.
eign agencies in various cities to
the locality dominated by the BAN
dts. Fear for the condition of the
captives was stirred by a message
yesterday t hat they were almost
dead from lack of food and clothing
and from exposure"
Troops Withdrawal Ordered
The attack by Chinese troops on
the bandits who captured Americans
and other foreigners and wrecked
the Shanghai-Pekin express train in
Shantung, has been ordered stop
ped by the Pekin government.
State department ,advices today
from the American legation at Pekin
said the Pellin authorities had or
dered the Chinese troops to "desist
from measures against the bandits"
and adopt ''pacific means" which
would insure the liberation of the
prisoners without injury.