Evening star., 1923-06-12
Four Americans, Including
Maj. Pinger, Among Those
Released Today.
FREEDOM WILL RELIEVE
SITUATION HELD TENSE
Prisoners Have Been Held Since
Dramatic Wrecking of Train
on May 6.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
TSAOCHWANG, June 12.-Eight
captives, the last of the foreigners
kidnapped by Chinese bandits who held
up the Shanghai-Peking express near
Suchow May 6, and held at the Paot-
zullu mountain headquarters of the
outlaws since that time, were released
today.
The eight released were: Ameri-
cans. Maj. Roland w. Pinger. U. S. A..
ordnance. department.. Manila; home,
Berkeley, Calf.
Leon Friedman. Chicago. owner of
China Motors Corporation, Shanghai
John B. Powell. Hannibal. Mo- pub
Usher of Weekly Review. Shanghai.
Lee Solomon, San Francisco, Shang-
hal agent of the Block Company of
San Francisco.
British: Fred Elias. broker. Shang-
hail. Reginald w. Rowlatt. Birming-
Tientsin.
French: Emile Gensberger. broker.
Shanghai
Italian: e. d. Musso, Shanghai
lawyer, capitalist. adviser to the Chi
nese government.
Chinese bandits numbering more
than 1000 drrailed and robbed the
ai-Peking express the
Tientsir Pukow railroad near Suchow
early Sunday morning, May s. The
outlaws fired through the windows
OF the train to iRtimidate the passen-
gers and one man, Joseph Rothm1n
said to have been British subject,
was killed.
The foreign passengers were rout-
ed from their berths In their night
towards the mountain retreat of the
brfgands. The woman captives. ex-
cept one, soon becoming severe
burden. were released and left to find
their way back over the rough trails
as best they might. Among the
woman prisoners taken in the train
raid was Miss Lucy Aldrich, sister
tn-law of John d. Rockefeller, jr.,
hnd her travelling COMPANION, Miss
Minnie McFadden.
One woman Reaches Camp.
The only woman who reached the
Paotzuku headquarters of the ban
dts was Mrs. Manuel A. verea. who
refused to accept freedom, and in
sisted on remaining with her hus-
band. Mrs. Verea did not leave the
bandit camp until May 20.
Besides those released today, the
following captives were given their
freedom at various times:
NJ. o. Berube, Shanghai Maj. Rob-
ert A. Allen. U. S. A., Medical Corps.
Manila: Jerome A. Henley, Shanghai;
Edward Elias. Shanghai: Theodore
chester. England; Manuel A. yerea.
Guadalajara. Mexico. and the young
sons of Majs Allen and Pinger.
From fhe start the bandits did not
falk of a ransom in money for their
captives. That led many to believe
that the train holdup and kidnapping
were the result of preconceived plot
instfgated by certain North China
political elements. Brig. Gen. w. D.
Connor. U. S. A.. heading an inter-
ttgating that as well as other phases
of the affair.
Agreed to Join Army.
After weeks of delay. in which the
brigands sent out certain of the pris-
oners with terms" for the release of
the remaining captives. it finally was
agreed between the government and
the outlaws that the bandits were to
be enrolled in the Chinese army and
given six months back pay which they
claimed. was due them. When that
was done, the outlaws stated. they
would free all of the prisoners.
During and preceding the negotia-
tions the outlaws demanded that the
Chinese troops withdraw from the vi
cinity of the PaotZuku headquarters,
threatening to execute some of the
prisoners IL the demands were not
complied with. Although the foreign
captives were not harmed the brig
ands hurled number of Chinese
prisoners over the cliffs to their
deaths as a ''warning.'
Chinese Still Captives
The train hold-up and the kidnap-
ing of a large number of foreigners
aroused almost as much feeling
throughout the world as did the ia
nous Boxer outrages.
While none of the interested gov
ernments threatened the use of for
eign troops to rescue nationals. the
diplomatic corps at Peking served no.
tice upon the Chinese government
that the captiveS must not be harmed
and that the administration must OBJ
tain their release as soon as possible.
A large number of Chinese captives
latest advices. Negotiations for their
release were proceeding, however.