Evening star., 1926-04-10
Peking Executive Held Vir-
tuaIIy a Prisoner by His
Opponents.
COUP BRINGS FREEDOM
TO IMPRISONED TSAO
Tuan-Chi's Bodyguard, Unpaid,
Tamely Lays Down Arms and
Joins Kuominchun.
Ry the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PEKING, April 10.-President Tuan-
chi Jul was deposed today in coup
d'etat which had as its basis the call
ing of Gen Wa Pei-fu. the Chlhll
warlord. by the leaders Of the national
nrmy TO restore the political situa-
ton" in Peking.
The chief executive was placed
under restraint as consequence OF
an agreement between Gen. WI and
the Kuomnchun, or national army
leaders.
The coup was executed quietly early
his morning The bodyguard of the
chief executive was disarmed.
Tsao.Km Freed From Prison.
Former President Tsao-Kun has
been released from imprisonment.
\ circumstance which may have
contributed to the peaceful disarming
Of the bodcGuard. the main reliance
of the chief executive. is the fact that
200 900 taelS recently provided by
action of the diplomatic body for pay
lnent of the guard and police was not
distributed, but allegedly was retained
by the executive.
The bodyguard apparently tamely
submitted to removal TO other quar-
ters in the southern part of the i'm
rerial city. where they enrolled in the
Kuominchun.
The coup, which began at . o'clock
his morning. with the surrounding
If the chief executives residence, was
n sequel to the conferences of the last
week between WI Pei-fu and the lead
ers of the Kuominchun. Both the
Kuominchun and its opponents had
been bidding for Wu's support.
Means Split i'm Alliance.
His decision to take control here
means a split in the ikuominchun
alliance, and presumably a severe
blow at the Fengtien-Shantung COM
bination, since his army will consti-
tute menace on their left wing
from the direction of Paotingfu. Al:
though the Fengtien Manchurian)
force. including a contingent of White
Russians. is reported within striking
distance of Pekings TO the north of the
Tientsin railway, it is regarded as
doubtful whether a serious attack on
The capital is contemplated at pres
ent.
The delegates 30 the eXtraterritori-
aFity conference, including Silas NJ.
Strawn, the American delegate, were
turned away by Chinese pickets when
they arrived this morning at the build
Ing in the imperial city designated
for their use and in which the records
OF their deliberations are kept.
The guards refused to listen to their
pleas and the delegates were obliged
TO confer elsewhere.
Proclamation Attacks President.
After the disarming of the chief
executives bodyguard a proclamation
was posted by Gen. Lu Chung-lin, one
of the most prominent of the Kuomin-
chun military chiefs and commander
of the unsuccessful defense Of
TientSin.
The proclamation said that Tuan
Chi-iui since his assumption of the
office of chief executive had done
much detrimental to the people and
the country. His worst Offenses were
the signing of the gold franc settle
ment of the French boxer indemnity,
allecedly without the approval of the
people. and the recent shooting by
his guards of student demonstrators.
He was surrounded, the proclama-
ton adds, by members of the Anfu
party. who abetted him in ignoring
the law, furthering his own interests
ANA stirring up warfare.
The coup was carried out with great
secrecy. The gates of the city were
closed late last night. the telephones
were cut off for several hours and
the residence of Tuan Chi-Jui was
surrounded, but otherwise there was
no sign that important events were
happening.