Evening star., 1923-05-15
Grim Leader of Outlaws De-
mands Brigand Force Be
Taken Back Into Army Be-
fore Captives Are Released
WANT NO RANSOM; ASK
ONLY SOLDIERS STATUS
German Priest Rushes Outlaws
Terms to Diplomats at Lincheng
to Save Captives' Lives-Con.
verses With Several of Ameri.
cans Held in Hills,
Ry tho Associated Prs>ss

Ry tho Associated Pr1ss
SHANGHAI. May 15.-Cnless the
Foreign diplomatic representatives in
emma guarantee by tonight that the
'hihese government will carry out
an the terms fixed by the Chinese
"andits In the Shantung hills. the
Foreigners held captive will all he
Killed. Father William Lenfsrs, an
aged priest. who conferred with the
bandit chieftain Sunday, reported to
the American consul at I,inctenr
today
Father Lcnfers described the chief
tain, called Wang, as "a young man.
'iean' well dressed. wearing eye
SiaSs-S. The priest persuaded Wang
e~t"nd for one day tho Tmi, -
oAs ultlmatum, which had been fixed
-, "" "a!s from Sunday Wang
liu ,noi, MN that the pledges of Chinese
"ihclalS meant nothing to the bandfts
ana hence the word of the fnr,i.rn
oiplomatS must be given.
Want No Ransom.
commander Wang drafted his
terms-which did not demand money.
nut required that the peking gov
erninent restore all the bandits TO
the status of regular soldiers. with
pledge that they would suffer no
ippriSiiis ~ ;i Iand Father Lenfers. arriv-
ing IN l.fncheng after innumerable
hardshfIs. presented Wang's letter
To the American consul TO-DAY.
Inc priest said the leader of the
outlaws. :. .quiet-toned. cordial. friend
~. grim, made this comment on the
possible failure of the Chinese gov
ernment and the foreign ministers TO
do his bidding: ~
DO not deceive yourself or believe
/ T
out exactly as l promise. You are
missionary ,s and you know that what
Gives Vivid Picture.
Immediately after reporting to the
consul the priest dispatched letter
TO Max Friedman. n brother of Leon
FRIEDMAN, one of the captives. The
letter, which was delivered to the
Associated Press in Shanghai TODAY.
gives a vivid picture of the priests
interview with the leader of the out
laws
Il slept well in the bandit village"
ne wrote 1t was when mes
Senger came telling me thaq the
second In command was coming He
arrived with an armed guard with
three rifles and about twenty drawn
Mauser pistols. He ordered me to
march with him. We went over the
mountain top and arrived at a small
er village. where he told me were
the headquarters. saw bandits
everywhere, but all were respectful
Lender Quiet, Grim.
I'm clean room having table
and four benches, I was given the
place of honor. Sun Mei-jan, the
second in command. seated himself
opposite others who entered Then
young man ," clean, well dressed,
wearing eyeglasses-appeared The
others showed him every mark of
respect. and I then learned that he
was called Wang. the commander-in-
chief. throughout our interview he
was quiet-toned. cordial, friendly.
grim.
Taking a seat at my left heck
planned that his men were not bandits
but had been deprived of their liyli-
hoods when they were dismissed as
soldiers. unpaid They determined on
the wholesale kidnapping of foreign
sTs in to for force Ticking to re-enroll them
money in return for the captives.
Il listened to everything he said
and promised everything that I felt
/ could promise.
Prepared to XIII.
Wang quietly told me that he had
prepared for the slaughter of his
captives unless his demands were ac-
cepted within, first he said three days,
then two days. The demands were
that the troops be withdrawn with the
assurance given that there would be
no reprisals in any form, and guar
antees that the bandits be re-enlisted
in the military forces.
Il talked with him for more than
an hour. but was unable to soften
or modify the demands, which in
cluded guarantees from the foreign
diplomats, since the bandits were un-
willing To accept any pledges from
Chinese officials. however placed.
Allowed to See Captives.
Then 1 begged to see the captives.
First they. brought in Leon Fried
man. He looked we'll. and sat down
and talked to me for a quarter of
An hour. He then called Eddy Elias
since he talks German. Elias also
was well. Red-cheeked Maj. Allen
then was brought in. He was calm,
Elias was carried in-carried because
his right foot was infected and badly
swollen, the condition of 1t looking
serious When he asked for medi-
was coming to see Chevalier Musso
Gan Italian attorney Of ShanghaD.
Elias said his foot panied him.
Il talked to the captives told them
all what was being done and ex-
planned the demands of the bandits.
Then l resumed my conference
with the chieftain. After I had
begged him and plead with him he
agreed to lengthen the period of his
ultimatum, fixing three days (from
May 12).
He absolutely refused to modify his
terms Talking with an unnlOyal ax-
preston in an unraised voice he de-
clared that IL his demands were not met
in three days he would kill all. He
added that the foreign diplomats must
guarantee his requirements.
The chieftain then ordered that
the terms be drafted. This was done,
CONTINUED on Page 2. Column q