Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-12
AMERICANS CAUGHT
IN RAIN OF SHELLS
IN CHINESE BATTLE
Twenty, Trapped Between
Armies, Save Lives by Lying
Under Rail Coaches.
BATTLE STOPS TRAIN
BOUND FOR TIENTSIN
Party Is Taken Safely Back to
Peking After Confict-Protests
Made to Gen. Feng.
Nv the Associated Press.


PEKING, China, December l2.-The
International train which left Peking
FOR Tientsin early Thursday morning
returned here at o'clock tonight,
fter having been caught in a battle
between the forces of Feng Nu-HstanS
and Ii Ching-1ing, at Yangtsun, 20
miles north of Tientsin.
Twenty Americans. nine Britishers
several prominent japanese and four
League of Nations representatives
sent to study the plague in Manchurta,
who were on board, We're forced TO
Ike refuge from bursting shells un-
Ter the coaches of the stalled train
The passengers included number
of women and children. All escaped
unharmed, and declared they were
uvne the worse for their experience,
except for the discomfort of huddling
under the train in the chilly weather.
Their experience, however, was not
without its thrills. y bomb from an
airplane fell in the midst OF q camel
train nearby and fragments pene-
trated the cars, which also were struck
by several bullets.
Feng Opens Battle.
When the international train was
stopped al Yangtsun an armored train
belonging to F'eng Yu-Hsiang. which
had followed 1t, landed 1000 troops
with artillery and began shelling the
forces of Ii Ching-Ling. the governor
OF ChihH, across the river. AS the
guns opened fire the passengers on
the international train, who had
4Hghted with the intention of walking
or securing motor transportation to
N-fr
took refuge under the cars.
News of their plight reached Peking,
and WHY'S r. Peck Of the American
legation hurried to the scene with a
motor truck loaded with food and
blankets. Subsequently the train was
safely withdrawn from the fighting
area to Langfang, % miles to the
northwest. and thence back to Peking.
Feng's and Lis armies were still en-
gagged in furious fighting to the north
Of Tientsin, near Pehtsang, at I
O'Clock this morning. The foreign
legations here have lodged strong pro-
tests with Feng against the move on
Tangtsun, pointing out that 1t is a
breach of the Boxer protocols, which
reserve to the foreign powers the spe-
ciffc right to hold Yangtsun as q van
tage point in keeping the railroad be-
tween Peking and the coast open.
Japanese Officials Safe.
Among the passengers were NJ.
MochiEuki, a member of the Japanese
Diet; Count 1nsui, undersecretary of
the Japanese navy: NJ. Bardac, brother
in-law of the French minister to
China, and four League of Nations
commissioners sent to investigate the
plague in Manchuria.
Among the Americans was Miss Ann
,'arrere of Chicago and Mrs. j. Cal
houn, widow of the former American
Minister in Peking. Mr.. Peck reached
The international' train early this
morning and delivered the provisions.
The train guard numbered 70 men.
of whom 80 were Americans. The
names of additional American pas
sengers on board are given as a man
named Williams of KalGan, Chihle
Province; Mrs. NJ. c. Taylor of
Chicago. Mrs. c. s. Ward, Mrs. f. w.
Poor, Mrs. T. s. Miller, Misses Noyes
and Holt. Maj. Harper, his wife and
four children and Lieut.. Burkhardt.