Salt Lake Telegram | 1932-06-08 | Page 1 | Horrors of Life in Bandit Camp Bared

Horrors of Life in Bandit Camp Bared American Freed After Being Being- Held by Chir Chi Chi- r r- nese Tells Harrowing Story Is Br Dr Associated Press Frets SHANGHAI June 8 A 8 A harrowing tale of five months of terror and filthy living conditions was told here today by Captain Charles Baker American steamboat captain who was released last week near by Chinese bandits who him last winter Captain Baker who was re released ed through the efforts o of American mis mis' s after many previous al attempts nt- nt tempts had been b n made to lo meet ransom ransom ran ran- som sam demands of his captors arrived here herc on his way to the United States where he ox expects to rejoin his famIly family family fam fam- ily in Oakland Cal He planned to remain here for a short time however he said in order to recuperate rate from the effects of the hardships he suffered during his liLs cap cap- tivit I was threatened with death fifty times he said I never expected to survive These half-civilized half treacherous inhuman band bandits ts who call themselves communists are arc conducting conducting conducting con con- ducting a wholesale busi busi- ness Their victims are any foreigners foreign foreign- n. n ers or wealthy Chinese the they can lay their hands on who they believe would be capable of paying huge ran ran- During the entire five months his food consisted only of half cooked rice and fish twice a day he said It was vas filth filthy he said but I ate it occasionally I refused to drink the water they offered me me however until it was boiled I slept in mud muc huts on bare boards beside the out laws Although he hc was frequently threatened threatened threat threat- ened with execution because the ransom ransom ran ran- som demand of Mexican dollars was not met he was mistreated physically physically cally only once Then I was vas chained and beaten he hc said apparently because a newly arrived chief chiel wished to impress his followers Captain Baker told a 1 talc tale of ot widespread wide wide- widespread spread lawlessness over an area beginning beginning beginning be be- ginning a short distance from lInn han kow and extending miles along the north bank o of the Yan Yangtze tze This vast area consists of the so so- called Chinese communist government government govern govern- ment he said which is made up of outlaws such as held me They hold the whole hole countr country In an Iron grip the peasants and bleeding them of every possible cent in add addi- addition addition addi- addi tion lion to carrying on wholesale kidnap kidnap- ing ingI I 1 was told they are arc now holding Chinese for ransom most of whom are arc doomed to die because the ransom payments are lre Impossible The provincial and national governments ire are helpless before these outlaws who mal make nake c their living killing plundering and ind He said the they appeared to maintain a harsh discipline among themselves I