Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-05-09
PROMISE TO PAY
CONTINUED from PauA onaI

SohpiStcIy ouITouuue0 al the hill
strongholds where Is foreigners are
DeinS held by the Suchow bandits,
according to G. g. Jacobsen, insuect-
ing engineer for the British American
Tobacco Company, who ran a
gauntlet Of bullets to carry the ban.
dts demands to the outside. Jacob.
senarrived here today.
Jacobsen told q graphic story OF
separate dashes made by himself
and Miss Schonberg, another captive.
through a mo mans land" swept ~
the fire of the bandits and the pur.
suing soldiers; Of how he reached the
troops lines waving his cotton un-
derwear as a flag Of truce after he
had overpowered and disarmed the
last brigand he encountered: of Mis-
Schonberg's nerve in Drawing the
bullet raked zone after the bandit
guard in the doorway Of their prison
had been shot down by rifle fire from
the beseiginb soldiers.
Jacobsen said that the entire party.
after their capture Sunday morning,
were marched steadily three hours
across country. up into the hills to
the east. After gaining the high
ground, they were broken up ia
groups which were led of In diner
SAS SSShOAiSs lid party
eight. included Major Pinger.. M4Ssf
Schonbers. the majors son Roland,
and a Mexican couple.
They were driven over boulder
strewn trails, across hills 1000 feet
high for another two or three hours
and finally reached walled en-
closure-the bandits stronghold.
Two hours later soldiers appeared
on the scene and Immediately opened
hre. The only protection for Sne
party was the seven foot wall about
the compound and they crouched M
the corner under the bullet hail, hun
cry and miserable. They had mo
food and their clothing was scant
After a consultation the ban1lit
chief agreed to the suggestion that
one Of the foreigners be sent out to
the troops ind arrange for his pas.
sage through the lines to Peking to
negotiate ransom for the remainder.
An Italian lawyer Of Shanghai.
Chevalier Musso. was chosen as the
emssary. He started but returned
almost Immediately as the troops re-
doubled their fire on his appearance.
Then Jacobsen undertook to make
the dash.
AS he passed the stockade gates
bullets missed him by inches but he
succeeded In reaching the bottom Of
the hill on which the bandit strong
hold stood. There he collapsed sx.
hausted.
A. he lay there other bandits caaas
up and he feigned unconsciousnebi
They all passed him by except one.
Jacobson watched his opportunity
and gathering his strength he leaped
on the brigand and disarmed him.
Heading in the direction in which
he believed the troops to be, he came
ur to them at laAt and to induce them
to cease firing on him he took off his
underwear and waved it as flag OF
truce. The troops recognized the
signal and treated him kindly. ~.
The fugitive was taken before the
captain in charge Of the detachment
who questioned him calmly despite a
severely wounded hand that hung
limp from a uniformed sleeve,
smashed by bandit bullet. ~
Here Jacobsen met the American
named Day. who also had escaped
and Miss Schonberg who had been
sent out in his waek by the bandits
al. a second messenger.
Miss Schonberg, Jacobsen said, had
displayed unusual courage. She had
volunteered to run the gauntlet from
the brigands' fort and had escaped
almost miraculously. AS she passed
through the gateway the guard there
fell at-her, feet, shot through the
throat. but she. kept on her course
and reached safety.
The engineer said that members Of
the party were compelled to entertSm
the bandits in their, stronghold ~
playing jazz instruments that had
been seized in the raid on the train
at Suchow. He added that he vas
certain the soldiers had completely
surrounded. all the hill Businesses n
which the captives were being held.