Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-09-14
The Chinese Massacre.

reports from China describe the late mas
sacre thus The origin Of the outbreak was
a rumor that had been widely spread among
the lower orders Of Chinese by the native
priests, that the Catholic missionaries, who
we're all French, had been kidnapping chill
dren and scooping out their eyes for medcin-
al purposes Absurd as this story was, the
natives gave full credence to ii, the more so
as kidnapping has been and is still extensive
ly practised all through China, by persons
who are recruiting for the brothel, theatres,
and other places where slaves are in demand.
The outbreak had long been threatening, and
at length, says the Shanghai Netcs Letter, on
the 10Th of June, a crowd assembled in the
native city, mile and half above the for
eign bend After time the French consul,
who lives in that quarter, succeeded in induc-
away, but still exhibited signs Of hostility to
foreigners Shortly after the attack again
commenced, some French priests being beaten
by Chinese mob. The French Consul at
tempted to ntefere. He had not gone many
steps before he was seized by the Chinese,
his uniform torn off, his body beaten, and
eventually cut and stabbed with knives and
spears. His death must have occurred at
about the same time as Mr.. Thomassin's--
the one near the Yamen, the other near the
Consulate Poor Mr.. Thomassin was fated
never to see his wife alive again. He fell be-
meath the spears of the blood-thirsty Chinese.
The sight of blood now warmed the rufians
to their appointed work, and they rushed to
the French Consulate. Madame Thomassn
met them bravely at the doorway with a pis-
tol in hand. One, two, and some say three
Cinnamon fell before her pistol shots, when
numbers overpowered her, and she was killed
by the blow of sharp instrument on the
back of her head.
The Consulate buildings were then burnt
and destroyed. Meanwhile the Convent house
of the sisters of charity and the French Ca
thedral were being assaulted by the mob. A
priest at the doorway was killed, and ten wo-
men quickly shared the same fate; but in a
more horrible manner. Most of them were
beaten, their clothes torn off, and then they
were seized, and placed on their heads against
the convent wall, aud hacked to pieces in the
most savage manner, their eyes dug out, their
breasts cut of, and every cruelty that savage
brutes can effect, too sickening here TO mar
rate, was perpetrated. One Of the sisters
named Louise, and well known as a faithful
and constant attendant at the hospital in
Shanghai, was reported to have escaped in a
4 Chinese dress and thus concealed by some
Chinese female friends until night, when, at
tempting to 60 back to the convent, her Eu-
ropean shoes discovered her to be white
woman, and she was quickly taken and killed.
The Chinese burnt the Cathedral and con-
vent buildings, and it is supposed that at least
sixty Chinese children perished in the cellars
of the building, where they had fed for safe
ty. The bodies of the sisters were thrown
back into the building after being killed, and
burnt Their charred remains were after
wards collected by orders Of Chang and sent
down to the foreign quarter of Tientsin.
The butchery did not end here A Rus
sian officer, Mr.. Protopopof, and his wife
married but the day before, were riding
| with Russian gentleman named Rasscoff,
near the French Consulate, when they were
set upon by the mob and killed. Their bo-
dies were thrown into the river. Mr.. Chal-
maison and Madame Ohalmaison, Mr.. Simon,
! Secretary at the French consulate, were the
) further victims Of the Chinese. Mr.. A.
I Courts was the only Frenchman in Tientsin
5 who escaped with his life. He was concealed
0 after he managed to e.aie his pursuers, and
.
| made his appearance in the foreign settlement
| the next following night after the massacre.
' Mr.. Staman, German, with his family, es-
y capped after being hidden in a stable thirty
s six hours
r The Chinese next turned toward the Prot
I estant Mission. Here they found their would
:. be victims had fled The houses and chapels
4 were destroyed, after which, having completed
n their work of destruction, the mob disap-
Q peared as quickly as it had formed.
2, Mr. Stanley, an American Missionary, was
0 in the interior Of the province at the time, and
y his his absence being without protection,
fed to the foreign quarter Of Tientsin, with
Miss Thompson Of Ohio. Had Mr.. Stanley
been at home, the family would doubtless have
9 shared the same fate as the other residents OF
= that district.
k A proclamation was published by the En-
Q peror from Pekin, which extenuates the mas
Q sacre by asserting that the French Consul
d used his revolyers during the conference. Ii
IS contains some fulminations against the riot
) ers, and says that q commission has been ap-
i pointed to inquire into the massacre and pun
9 sh the guilty. Thirty or forty Cinnamon
r may be executed and there the matter wall
8 end if the French Government does not insist
s upon full indemnity. '-'