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Show APPALLING TALES OF OUTRAGE TOLD BY CHINESE Populace Relates Stories of Oppression to Point of Extermination HANKOW. China. Feb. 12. Appalling Appall-ing stories of a populace oppressed to the point of extermination by an uncontrolled un-controlled soldiery have been com inn to Hankow for week from the upper reaches of the Tantsze river. The reports re-ports are principally from missionary sources. The people in the western part of Hupeh province, these advices say. have been reduced to the direst straits by troops who demand tribute, levy taxes, seize and occupy homes and shops and live on the land without" restraint and those under the yoke have no possible channel open to them to voire their grievances. SOLDIERS CONTROL. flhihnan and adjoining; districts In the western part of the province are said to he wholly under domination of the soldiers. The area Is not far distant from the Yangisxe trans-shipment trans-shipment port of Ichang, which wan seised and looted by mutinous troops in December. In ordinary times it is secluded from the rM -of China with little or no communication with the oilier pmnliK'ep One the wMer laen of routes of transportation over the rujtged heights. it was In the early months of 1918 as a development in the strife between be-tween North and Houth that the soldiers sol-diers appeared here under the name of the "Psclfyintf Nation Troops" of Hupeh. These troops brought disaster. disas-ter. CUT SALT SUPPLY. Recently, by reason of differences, these forces have had with the Hrechuen troopn the source of salt supply for the district has been cut. Kor weeks, say the reports. It was Im- : possible to obtain .salt at any price ' with the result that the plague ap- i pea red among soldiers and people alike.. Here Is aauotation from one letter to i the AmefTcan church mission at Hankow, Han-kow, j "In one home the soldiers became riiraKm 111 itir miuuy taca n ir spect for them. One day the soldiers, who board without paying, threw the food of the household to their horses. The needy family could not smother its protests, for starvation was then upon them. The soldiers then promptly prompt-ly called out the eldest son and hanged him. liis wife immediately committed suicide snd the old mother then killed herself." |