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MANILA.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Manila, 23rd March.
WAR ON THE BANDITS-MANY CRIMINALS AWAITING DEATH-FIRST EXECUTION UNDER AMERICAN BULE-HOW INSURRECTOS
METAMORPHOSED,
ARE
People who live in Manila, the capital, or Iloilo, Viga, and the large cities of the archi- pelago, have but little idea of the constant scouting, raiding and fighting which is going on day after day almost at their very doors, and barely out of the range of hearing. Very effec- tive work has been done by starting these little expeditions off at night and arranging the march so that the enemy is encountered at some time between one and four o'clock in the morning The Filipino will fight on the drop of the hat, or merely for an afternoon's diversion, but he will not sit up at night. These namerons surprise parties have made the insurrecto faotions so tired that many of the distriots about the garrisoned towns have been temporarily cleared. A large number of prisoners have been taken, and contrary to the usual custom many of them have been retained and brought before courts on charges of murder, outlawry and robbery. The murder cases have been tried by milltary commissions, as it wa found that Spanish provincial civil courts have no jurisdiction over such matters; the robbery cases were heard by the civil courts. In propor- tion to the number of cases handled, the military commissions are far in the lead in the matter of convictions.
It has become the fashion of late, when speak. ing of the people who worry the American troops, to refer to all armed bands as ladrones and bandits, The word "insurrecto * bag apparently ceased to exist, and generals who a short time ago commanded brigades are now designated chiefs of robber bands. This is all very interesting, but hardly correct. I know of one American general who made a report on a week's work, including numerous raids and the capture of many guns and supplies, and the words insurrecto or Filipino did not ocour; the whole outfit was termed ladrones and gangs of thieves. Undoubtedly there are many such roving bands who profit by the country's distress to rob and kill indiscri minately, and the apprehension of such men will be a benefit to both sides. Occasionally the inhabitants of a peaceful barrio or suburb have some in and reported various deeds of violence to the authorities, and the soldiers have rounded up the criminals and had them identified by the sufferers These cases have been severely and justly handled by the military commissions in the various garrisons, and a number of the convicted, men are under sentence of death. So far no executions have taken pleace, and it is wise, for the Filipinos have to-day some fifty odd American prisoners, and if the execution of their countrymen is avenged, the American prisoners may suffer. Every effort has been made to produce a good impression as to the fairness and impartiality of the trials and the acoused have been given all opportunities for counsel, witnesses, and personal statements. The Americans wish to show the people that they are not punishing these men because they are Filipinos. or possibly insurrectos, but because they are dangerons characters to the community men who murder and rob and live on their own people.
The first death sentences that are publicly known of, are those imposed upon Morales and Gonzales, natives, who were convicted of mur. der and robbery by a military commission con- vened at Bayambang. The men have been sentenced to be hung on the 30th instant and the findings and proceedings of the commission have been approved by the governor general. This settles the matter definitely and they simply await the day of execution.
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These cases have excited an unusual amount of interest among all classes of nations and Americans. After this execution considerable Botivity is looked forward to in many different parts of the archipelago where criminals are under temporarily suspended death penalties
The property and life that is constantly being destroyed is really incredible, and to those
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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who are not actually with the troops, who are always keen to follow up an alarm, true stories seem like base fabrications. If these military commissions have really convicted the right men, that is the men who are without connec tion with the insurgent organization and at whose doors can be laid the numerous crimes that have been committed, the effect can not be otherwise than wholesome.
CANTON.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.].
Canton, 24th March. On the 17th inst. two men-of-war, Haitien and Haisou, arrived at Canton with Admiral Yea Chow-kwai and Commandants Liu Kan Hang and Li Ting Son on board from Peking, and called on H.E Li Hung-chang. The day after, accompanied by a foreign military instructor, they went by the gunboat Kwang-kang to inspect all the forts and overhaul all the old and rusty guns, which are to be replaced by new ones. It is said that they have orders from the Taungli Yamen to do so as a preparation against any emergency,
On account of the increased expenses for the additional soldiers and watchmen to look after the streets, it has been decided to impose a tax of five per cent. on the income of all actors, and they have to obtain from the local headmau of the guard-house,a license for their protection failing which they have to pay a fine or have their luggage seized and detained until the fine be paid, and a double tax imposed. Instructions have been sent to all the authorities in the dif. ferent districts to carry out this order.
[March 31, 1900.
since last year. So the blind, the lepers, the poor and invalids, men and women, went on the 23rd instant in a crowd of several hundreds to the yamen of the Nam Hoi Magistrate and made a great disturbance, trying to amash the things there. In these as in every other gocation in Canton there are what is called headmen.
a headman of lepers or beggars one must pay to the yamen $300 for a term of five years to buy the post, beside other squeezes during such time. One is expected to get back this sum of money® with interest. As customary, if there is, mar- riage or funeral or any convivial party in a family, the headmen of beggars and lepers and insist upon payment of so much would go to the door aud hand in their cards shaw "-say from 30 to 50 cents each beside food which they would bring a large number of for the beggars, &o.-failing the payment of beggars or lepers to annoy the family. So fin the case of a person removing from one house to another, he has also to pay a similar squeeze, and then the headmen of the beggars and lepers would paste their cards on the side of the door so that the beggars and lopers would not go district have their chiefs; they combine with near to annoy the family. Even thieves in enot the head watchman of the street to shield their r..bbery and share the booty.
oum.
(FROM THE "CHUNG NGOI SAN PO.”) A merchant has applied to Viceroy Li Hung. chang asking to be allowed to farm out the Pak-kop lottery tickets.
He is willing to pay 400,000 taels as rent of the monopoly. It is said that this application will most probably be refused by His Excellency.
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It was rumoured that the Nam-Hoi Magis- trate Yiang the other day took with him a number of soldiers and went to Sai-chew to
On the 18th inst. the Nam-hoi magistrato. catch thieves It was not so; it is now said that
under order of Viceroy Li Hang-chang, went he has gone to Tez Tung to arrest the families
with some officers and a number of soldiers to Sai-- of the two men surname Lo, and seized their
chiu district to effect the capture of the members property. The fact of the maiter was that these
of the family of LoTang-fun, a Chinese merchant two Los are merchants in America, and sub-residing in America, who is accused of being a seribed to the fund got up by Kang Yu-we member of the society organised by Hong Yau- for the protection of the present Imperial dy.wai for the protection of Emperor Kwang Hau, nasty. This having come to the knowledge of
It was Mr. Wu Ting-fong, the Chinese minis the Chinese Minister in America, he wired
ter in America, who telegaphed to Viceroy Li the news to H.E. Li at Canton and had the Hung-chang for their arrest. It is reported families of the two men arrested,
that Wu Ting-fong, who got the list of the names of the society in question, called to his presence Lo Ting-fun, who was advised by the minister not to join Hong Yan-wai's society, but he refused to accept his advice and said some very strong words in favour of the Emperor. The minister, finding that he was unable to exercise his power in America, therefore sent the name by telegram to the Viceroy to effect the arrest of the members of his family, and thus intimi. date him. Only the wife and a cousin of Lo Tang-fun were arrested and brought back to Canton. The wife told the Nam-hoi magistrate that her husband had been in America for over ten years. She has three sons, two of whom are in Hongkong employed as assistant teachers in an English school, and the youngest has gone on a visit to her mother. The, magistrate has forced the clansmen of Lo Tang-fun to sarren. der his youngest son and his younger brother, under threat of severe punishment within three days.
On
For introducing the waterworks into Canton two merchants are competing with each other in their proposals to the Viceroy. Wong Chi- wan proposes that the water to be introduced shall come from Chang Po at Sheak-mun; that the water rate be six per cent. per annum the rent of each house, and that for every ten houses there be a hydrant in the street, and sight cash be charged for two buckets of water. The tender he offers is $20,000 per an- nun, and he undertakes to repair and cleanse all drains free of charge. He is a rich merchant and has plenty of dollars wherewith to oil the palms of the officials. But on the other hand Ho Kai-sow contends that the proposal of Wong Chi-wan is absurd; that the water-rate chargeable upon houre rent is exorbitant and would cause dissatisfaction and litigation; that eight cash for two buckets of water is too_dear considering that there are so many poor families in Canton. What he proposes is to raise a capital of one million dollars at $10,000 par share. He would introduce water from Chang po and charge for every tou persona in each house 20 cents, above ten 30 cents and 20 persona. 40 cents, and for water obtained from the hydrant in the street he would charge two cash for two buckets. The tender he pro- poses is also $20,000 and all the drains to be repaired and cleansed by him free of charge. He has a great influence with the mandarins. One is rich and the other influential. Which will prevail ?
In the east of Canton beyond the parade ground there are among others three of the noted charitable institutions known as “Lepers' Heme," "Home for the Blind," and "Home for the Poor and Old," containing over a thousand individuals in each institution. Every day the Nam Hoi Magistrate by order of the late Viceroy gives to each of these poor invalids one candareen of silver (—I sent and 1-4 cash), for his maintenance. Of late, by the peculations of the yamen runners, this allowance has been reduced to five cash per day which keeps the poor folks at starvation point. Even this has not been paid
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which was sent by the Viceroy to hunt out the On the 14th instant the gunboat Ngan Lau,
pirates, met five junks containing about one hundred robbers, who had just returned with the pirates saw the gunboat approaching they the spoils from some successful attacks. When
at once fired at her, and received in return the
same compliment. Owing to the accurate aim of the crew of the gunboat the pirates were at last obliged to make their escape. Eighteen were captured alive, thirty fatally wounded, and a god number injured. Some sailors of the gunboat were also seriously wounded.
Indian exchanges give the arrangements for the Viceregal tour in Assam. Lord and Lady Curzon were to leave Caloutta on the night of 2nd Marob, reaching Goslundo on the 3rd, and proceeding direct to Dibrugarh. The party journey. The Vio roy was to reach Calentta were to visit Tezpur and Gaubati on the return
on the evening of 15th March. Lady Carson was to branch off and go to Darjeeling, e tually returning to Calcutts on 26th March.
even-