Show WILA FORCES TO AID PRISONERS AMERICAN LEGATION REFUSES TO CONFIRM PEKIN RUMOR OF SENDING SOLDIERS hoped presence of soldiers will induce bandits to free hoat host ages held for ransom in mountains pel in american troops in manila are soon to be rushed to it was reliably stated here friday the american legation refuses either to confirm or deny the report the forces were demanded in a res alution forwarded to the state depart ment by the american chamber of 0 commerce it Is presumed they would be used either or passi passively pas shely Nely in attempting to induce the chinese ban aits to release their american prison ers seized nearly three weeks ago after the wreck of the shanghai pekin espres there are now approximately 1800 troops at including ma rines in pekin the british french and japanese legation guards number about the same it is doi dot how ever how many of the forces could be used since they now are assisting in guarding the pel in mukden rali rail way under the protocol of 1900 |