Evening star., 1937-04-20

as singular. As I returned to my
quarters, noticed many military
trucks proceeding east on the SIAN
Lintung Highway. As it was my ONCE
hour, entered my ONCE and paid no
attention to the matter.
Ii Ten-tsai (head Of the tntelli-
gence work under Chang uh-liang),
suddenly called and requested an in
terview. As he had made no appoint
ment, was rather surprised at his
unexpected call. During the interview
Ii expressed his doubt as to the wis
dom Of the bandit suppression policy.
His views were the same as those Of
Chang, expressed to me the day be-
fore. Finding that his mind had been
very much poisoned, reprimanded
him severely.
Discussed Suppression Plan.
That night invited, among others,
Chang Hsueh liang, Yang Hu-chen
and Yu Hseuh-chung to my headquar-
ters to dine with me and discuss plans
for bandit suppression. Yang and Yu
did not come. On inquiry, Han-chen
(Chang Hsueh-liang) informed me
that he was one Of the hosts at a din
ner given that night at Sian In honor
Of the high civil and military oflcials
OF the central government, who were
on visit to Sian. that Yang and Yu
were at Sian to entertain the guests,
and that, after the dinner here, he
would accompany my other guests to
Sian.
was rather surprised at -chens
uneasy manner and the apparent dis
traction Of his mind, and thought that
he might have been displeased at my
reprimand on the previous day or
that he had heard that Ii Tien-tsai
had been rebuked by me.
December 12.-At $50 am, when
I was dressing after my exercise,
heard gunnring just in front Of the
gate OF my headquarters. sent one
Of my bodyguards to see what was the
matter, but as he did not come back
to report, sent two others out and
then heard gunflring again, which
continued necessarily. Thereupon
felt that the northeastern troops had
revolted.
Mutiny Breaks Out.
On this visit to Shensi I had only
my personal bodyguards and 20 uni
formed soldiers. The soldiers who had
been put on guard duty outside my
headquarters were Changs body
guards. Presently Lieut.. Mao sent a
messenger to report that a mutiny had
broken out and that they had already
reached the second gate, but that,
from telephone communication with
the barracks behind the mountain, he
learned there was nothing untoward in
evidence.
I asked where Lieut.. Mao was and
was told he was at the front COM
pound near the bridge, directing the
bodyguards. The messenger said that
Mao begged me to proceed first to the
mountain at the back Of my quarters.
I asked what the mutinous troops
looked Like, and was told they had on
fur caps and belonged to the north
eastern troops.
Accompanied by Tso Pei-chi, one
| OF my own guard officers, and Chang
Hsiao- chung, an aide de camp, I
started for the mountain at the back
OF the house. After crossing the Fei
Hung Bridge, we found the eastern
side door securely locked. We then
scaled the wall, which was only about
| 10 feet high. But just outside the
| wall there was a deep moat, the bot
tom OF which was about 30 feet below
the top Of the wall. As it was still
dark, I missed my footing and fell
into the moat. felt a bad pain and
was unable to rise.
About three minutes later I man
aged to stand up and walked with
difficulty. After having walked sew
eral tens Of PAGES, We reached a small
temple, where some OF my bodyguards