Show Jells ell Thrilling Story of Capture by Cl Chinese Bandits 1 By N. N E. E E A. A A N N FRANCISCO Cal May 11 11 S 5 It It was a grim rim gamble with gamble with American lives pitted against t barbarian cupidity And Yankee ingenuity and courage courage cour cour- age in the face of or horrid odds v won on the hl high h stakes from front the wiliest an and most bloodthirsty thirsty of oC all semi semi- the savages the Chinese bandit Such Is the tale talo of his escape told In Iii San Francisco b by E. E J. J Purcell Pur- Pur cell one of the thc lie American construction con con- en engineer ineer captured by Honan brigands ands in March larch an and held lucid for lor or ransom With yes nerves shattered h by by- his ex- ex ex experiences Purcell has just returned to this country countr Purcell together with G G. G A. A K Kyle lc another American 1 p S. S Wu u a a. Chinese cn engineer and a n. surveying survey survey- ing in party part was captured capture on Match 4 near the tue village of uC Chang Pa chuang after a stiff sLice battle haUle with a alan large lan e body bod of brigands BETRAYED BY GUIDES Betrayed IJ by their 0 guides and deserted by th their ir folI soldier I es escort es- es cort the lie Americans were forced forcel to 0 surrender and for Cor weeks they lucy lived under constant threat or oreath death eath while their theli captors negotiated aLe for Cot ransom For weeks said aid Purcell we were permitted to sleep bleep during the thea day a an and compelled to move with our captors at night The Thc bandits were lIO ic uneasy and aUth Often Clen shifted quarters two anti and three times lines a n nI night nl ht I According to the standards of or orthe the ho brlan brigands wo we were rather rathel well treated as far ai as us physical corn corn- was pos possible Canned Cannel provisions were brought In for or UK Ut when it was vais found l that wo could not en cat t the oriental fare Practically al a always s 's a n guard buard of or four COUl out bandits was vils kept over us Americans American and any attempt at aL es escape escape es- es cape calle then lien would have o he been n fatal However Ilo I If wo we iero physically were sub suh- call cally not iio mistreated we to the lie most niost fearful earful mental UI t I I In Iii villages cg where our captors felt safe we would be lie placed on un I public exhibition The bandits villagers village that would explain to the I and antl that our out ourI we e were wela captives heads would be cut off ocr unless ran ran- I som Bom money was not noL soon forth- forth corning I These announcements would I li bo be accompanied hy by mock executions executions ions In lii which swords s would bo be heads beads swung over 1 our I This constant subjection to lii- lii in indignities dignities and was a heavy strain upon our nerves ONE WAS DIFFERENT Only one of uC our captors was IS I I He Ie Ic a humane sort Very sort Aery much out of elf place P r lf 1 tin I S 'S hi h's hs M fil fello ii Wo Q hi him hh s. s S 4 z E E. E J. J Purcell p This picture re was taken tak immediately y after his escape e from rom Ch Chinese brig brigands d dy the tIle gentleman bandit It was he who luo finally helped us escape Meantime l Chinese soldiers were on oil the lie move mo against the lie brigands On 1011 the morning of March X 5 the thu soldiers succeeded in the outlaws and nd a J. J sharp shall battle began with tho thu hi bandits retiring over ocr tough lough country The Tho general confusion gave u us UI out our chance Tho led by hy byu Wu u u the Chinese engineer and myself manage managed man luaU age aged to Lo get t behind most of the he band and slid fortunately wo 0 so found oun ourselves guarded only h by hy the tho gentleman bandit After some persuasion and a a. pledge to protect him him v WO o got hot this lu lv v with us for oJ freedom freedom free free- dom and under a It of shots a and auth by lIy fortuitous loi circumstances we wc e managed to i 1 lOuch uch military tan protection pro at bt Yeh under escort of oC Major Maju Yul Yu l Kyle yle at latest report had been heen released by lIy the brigands Mr Ir Hitchcock had offered to I disburse out of or his hits own pocket oo for fol our Iel release a and anti Dr Tenney had hall offered an additional OOOO ransom lawsom The brigands were verc playing ln for Cor high stakes |