The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1874-09-19
MASSACRE OF CHRISTIANS IN CHINA.

MASSACRE OF CHRISTIANS IN CHINA.
The French periodical Mission Catholiqxes
Of the last of July gives the first authentic and
detailed narrative of the recent massacre of
Roman Catholic and native converts in China.
The account, as translated for the London Tab
let, says: 8 9git $50 s34
The massacre broke out on the 25th of
February. when the ''literates." as the perse-
cutting party is called opened the campaign by
brheading two men in the service Of Pere
Doare and Christian, whom they then threw
into the river. The same day they burned the
three villages Of Trun Lam. Fio-Vinh and Bau-
Tach, and massacred the inhabitants that were
in them. Those who succeeded in escaping to
the woods were hunted down with hounds,
brought back and killed on the following day.
The river was covered with bodies floating
down it from the side Of Lareg. At that time
the murderrrs were massacreing the Chris
tians Uf the Parish Of Holven, and were burn.
ing their villages. Those who took refuge in
the cliffs of the neighborhOod were hunted
down and burned alive. The Grand Mandarin
Of Justice was at the market If Sa.Aam with
800 soldiers. but remained az inactive specta-
tor of the massacre of the Christians Of Nam
DuOng, only o few Of whom were able to es.
cape.
The literates. who were the heads Of the
militia appointed to massacre the Christians,
say that the work Of determination carried out
under the eyes Of the mandarins was concert
I'd between the Court and the literates, and
was done in reprisal for recent events. The
mandarns have just received orders from the
Court not to employ any other means save
| those of persuasion to stop the murderers IN
their career. One of the chiefs. who had just
caused two Christians to be murdered on the
high road. went on the parade before the Gov.
-rnor Of the citadel. by whom he was dismissed
with honor. On his return twenty women and
children fell under the sword Of this man and
his followers He had just come from offer
| ing sacrifice to the goddess Of prOsttion, to
whom Il famous temple that stands near the
| road is dedicated.
| In several localities they take an entire fam
| ,ly-father, mother and chdren-bind theu
together with bamboOs, and then fling the bun.
die of living humanity into the waves. First
however, they take care to cut of the man't
head. The multitude Of dead bodies thus fas
tened together in groups Of from eight to ten
block up tue principal river; but to the great
surprise Of everybody does not send forth an,
bad smell. There are then FIVE parishes, con
tanning 10000 Christians. which have to bt
hlotied out "f the missions namely, Lang
Thank Hny.n. Nam n-Duong, Hoy-Yen, and
Doreg. taank.
MANY Of the victims died in the midst O
flames A village Of more than 400 Christian
vas attacked by the literatrs, and soon became
prey to the flames. Among these 400 Chris
tians there were l2O. more or less. wh" sue
c-eded in saving themselves by taking refug IN
large building near by. The remainder. abou
300 were nearly all lnassacred. Two small VII
llaprs of Christians, situated two hours wall
from the place at which l then was. were
henmpd in by the pagans. The mayor visit
ed each house, numbered the Christians. ant
forbade them, under threat of most severe pun
Iishm-nt, to 20 out If doors. A few OF tn
Christian women attempted to go to market +
keep themselves from starving. ..
They never returned. Some pagan womel
WIN went with them say that the Christian wa
men were captured and beheaded. Two me-
from one Of these same villages hazarded
fight during the night They passed the grea
river by swimming, and came to me to tel
their m,sfortunes "Alas.' writes Archblsho
Gauthicr. from whose letter this information
chiefly derived, 4 could do nothing but wee
for them bring unable to do anything to succo
themr Two or three days afterward learnr.
+ that all the men in the village had had thel
heads cut off but the women and children wer
sparet. And. rs their houses were intermln
qled with those Of the pagans. twas foroldde
to burn them down."