CO129-376 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1911 [3-4] — Page 481

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Enclosure 1

C O 17131

Extract from the "China Mail" of 29th March, 1911.

A TERRIBLE OUTRAGE.

(Mail.

ERIGANDS DISMEMBER A CHILD FOR

LACK OF RANSOM, 27.5." Reports to hand toll of a terrible outrage perpetrated not long since at the village of Ch'un in the Nan Hoi district. A family named Ho was robbed by brigands, and after the usual ransacking of the houses the robbers carried off seven children and held them for ransom. A few days ago, i one was found, cut in pieces, and deposited at Sheung Pak railway station. According to the story, the robbers demanded ten thousand dollars for each of the children. ere they would release them. It happened that only one of the little prisoners! was the child of a really rich man; the others were sons of middle class families. The brigands, in order to intimidate the rest, took the child of the poorest of the lot and slaughtered it in the way described. This has led to great consternation among the remaining parents. The rage of the robbers was further intensified because the rich parent brought the matter to the notice of the officials and so complicated matters. At present it is said that the robbers are willing to accept fifty thousand dollars for the lives of the remaining six. They threaten, however, if the lady are not ran- somed at once that their fate will be the same as that of the first little victim.

It is said that the robbers are hiding somewhere in Macao; at any rate the letters demanding money are sent from Macau. The parents of the children have managed to get together ten thousand dollars, but this sum has been rejected. The officials have been stirred up on acr count of the affair, and one or two are in the country at present trying to get on the track of the robbers. Indeed, one man named Loi has been arrested, who boldly i confesses that he took part in the robbery but will disclose nothing further, The officials have not finished with him yet. It is likely, ere his examination is over, that some more information will be extracted! from him, for notwithstanding all edicts to the contrary when there is a case like this to be investigated any means are thought expedient. Meanwhile the case is com- plicated because all parties are fearing that any sudden step may precipitate what all parties, even the robbers themselves, are anxious to avoid, namely, the murder of the chi'dren.