MRS PAWLEY’S STORY

Hokitika Guardian, 25 October 1932, Page 5

MRS PAWLEY’S STORY

TERRIBLE ORDEAL SUFFERINGS AT BANDITS’ HANDS (United Prcos Association.—By Electrit Ti. legrapli—Copyright.? LONDON, October 23. The special! correspondent of the “Daily Mail,” who accompanied the party which rescued Mrs Muriel Pawky and Mr Corkran from the Chinese bandits in whose clutches they had been since September 7, has cabled Mrs ’Pawley’s own story. She related her sufferings over the lono- marches after her capture, when she was forced to cover forty miles in sixteen hours, often through eight-foot-high grass, or marshes in which they were compelled to lie Hat to escape observation. “We were' drenched to the skin, were fnodless, and lapped water from muddy ditches to ease our parched throats. Our feet were cut and bleeding. Once I saw a train and I doffed by hat, hoping that my hair would attract attention. The bandit leader then struck me on the head with my riding whip, with which he often used to beat us. The rope round my neck almost strangled me. Once l we saw soldiers, and we were made to crouch in the roods, the bandits holding their dogs' noses to prevent them from harking,/The bandits held pistols to our heads and threatened to blow out our brains if we shouted. “On the third day, staggering along about midnight, I became lightheaded. We were imprisoned in a house, where we lay in a mud bed, with our hands tied to an overhanging beam. It was so agonising that it was impossible to eat or sleep. We were compelled to resume the march, suffering tortures through having to put shoes on our bleeding ■ feet. We were Postered hv mosquitoes, which covered us with blood. It was impossible to avoid them, owing to our bound hands. M e suffered similar misery for a week.”

BRITAIN TRANKS JAPAN. LONDON, October 22. The British Government lias conveyed warm thanks to the Japanese Government for assistance in securing the release of Mrs Muriel Pawley and Mr Charles Corkran.

WEALTHY FOREIGNER KIDNAPPED. SHANGHAI, October 24. Now comes news of the capture by bandits of a wealthy foreigner, Mr D. A. Flora,nee, in the Harbin district. The bandits are demanding a ransom of two hundred thousand jen. Harbin residents are particularly alarmed, and many foreigners ar e living daily in fear of being kipnapped.