The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-22
S~LAUGHTEREDBY HUNDREDS
An Astonishing Story Concerning Two
Alleged Massacres in China.
A Terrible Conflict Over the Seizure of q
Plot of Ground as the Site of a Temple
Nearly One Thousand Persons Killed.
New York World.

MIR. y. Iune, Chinese merchant doing ouSl-
ness in Pell street, this city, has just received a
letter from China, dated Nov. 16, at Koa Chung,
in the province Of Kwong Tung, stating that a
war had broken out between the neighboring
townships of Ko and Ju, both of which were
destroyed during the conflict. The cause of the
trouble was the seizure by the Kos of y piece of
ground belonging to the Jus for the erection of
a temple to their ancestors. There had been a
standing feud between the two villages for a
long time, and the appropriation of this ground
brought the matter to a crisis. The ground was
first selected and laid out for the foundation of a
temble about four months ago, since which time
the building has been in process of construction.
The Jus made no open opposition at the time,
for the inhabitants of the Ko village exceeded
them in number, but quietly nursed their wrath
and waited their time for revenge. The oppor-
tunity soon presented itself, and a terrible series
of battles has been the result, with great loss of
life and property.
The two little villages are situated next to
each other about ffty-fve miles from Hong
Kong and the sea coast. They are separated
from each other by a high division wall, three or
four hundred feet in length, ending at a high
eN So oe ~ N1Nh VI SAo WV $4,000 ~
stretching out into the open country at the other
end. The wall is made Of brick, and is about
three feet thick and twenty-five feet. high.
In the middle of this wall is a high gate, which
it runs the main thoroughfare. Until very re-
Gently this partition, mounted by sentinels, was
the only means of defense the one town had
from the petty depredations of the other. Even
this obstacle could be overcome by a circuitous
route over the mountain, or either town
might be entered by a journey out
into the country at the other end of the wall.
When the Kos seized the land from the neigh
boring village, the Jus, anticipating future
trouble. began the erection of several forts
about their country, and the Kos soon followed
their example. Four frontier posts were estab-
lished at the four corners of the Ju territory,
one of which was on the slope of the hill over
looking the Kos. Before they struck the final
blow. however, the owners of the temple site de-
manded from the Kos that the land they had
seized should be restored. The Kos paid no at
tentiOn to their overtures. The Jus then con-
Guided their preparations for war. When all
was ready they sounded the tocsin and fell upon
their aggressors without mercy.
The erection of temples to the spirits of their
dead ancestors is one of the immemorial customs
of the Chinese. The Jus had a population of only
l,50O, while the village of Ko had twice that
lumber. 1t was upon this superiority in num-
bers that the aggressors relied. The land seized
was about twenty-five feet square. The temple
consisted of a pagoda, with a vestibule and two
wings. The top of the vestibule was open to the
sky, and was decorated with flower plats and
aquariums for gold-fshes. The hall of ~feasting
opened out of this. from which a wing extended
on either side, to be used on great feast days,
when there is a large concourse of people. At
the end of the hall was a dais raised to the height
of fifteen feet. approached by a long flight of
steps, and on this the tables were spread for the
sented by little wooden forms, a foot and a half
in height, carved and painted in green ard black.
with gold ornaments. On each form a label
bearing the name and date of death of the ances-
tor represented, was inlaid, and these forms
were seated on benches around the tables. This
custom finds its origin in the creed of the
Chinese, vino believe that the spirits Of the dead
need food and drink like the living.
The building was finished in November, and
the morning of the 18th was set apart for the
first celebration. The temple was decorated
with flowers and flags, after the Chinese man
ner, and a large number of the Kos were inside
at the ceremonies. The enraged Jus chose this
time as the moment for the initial blow. In the
midst Of the ceremonies, while all the worshipers
from the Ko village were within the building,
the Jus secured the entrance to the vestibule and
set fire to the outside. There was no escape. A
terrible scene ensued. The crowd outside
shrieked and danced about the burning temple.
This was the beginning of open hostilities. The
temple was completely destroyed, and $50 men.
women and children persisted in the flames.
The Infatuated JUS, excited by their first
success, rushed into the neighboring town and
surprised the inhabitants at their daily occupa-
tions: So complete was the surprise that the
assailants met with little opposition, and burned,
pillaged aud destroyed whatever came within
their reach. Before the Kos had prepared them
selves to oppose the invaders 500 men had been
killed. and many wounded. The bloody battle
lasted for three DAYS and three nights without
cessation. The Ko village was RACED to the
ground. The women and children who escaped
unhurt fled for protection to the neighboring
towns, and spread the news of the invasion. At
the end of the three days fighting a small de-
tachment Of the naval force consisting of thirty
or forty men, arrived at the scene of battle I'M
der the command ofTong Jau, from the province
Of Ten Mon. The county and district author.
tiles had endeavored to put an end to the con-
flict. but without avail. When the naval de-
achment arrived a council of war was held, and
the Jus were persuaded to lay down their arms.
The force than proceeded to the 10 village,
hoping to meet with the same success.
Before they could do so, however, the Kos,
hearing that the Jus had laid aside their arms,
rose and fell upon them with terrible effect.
The same scenes which had been enacted in the
Ko massacre were repeated here. A desperate
struggle followed, and out of 500 inhabitants of
the Ju village 300 men were killed and Is or 30
wounded. The Kos attacked the hospital in
which the wounded Jus were confined and
burned it to the ground. They then fired the
other large buildings of the town, and in a short
time the village was in ashes. By this time the
news had spread among the neighborlng villages,
and allies poured in from the adjoining country.
Both the contending parties were thoroughly
maddened, and they rushed furiously on each
other with their long bamboo spears. Detach-
ments of skirmishers were sent out into
the outlying fields of rice and fax and
lay in ambush for the enemy. The villagers
were divided up into squads of thirty and
forty men, and leaders were selected for the diff
ferent bands. A sort of guerilla warfare was
p~racticed by many of the Inhabitants, for the
fight had now ceased to be a simple contest be-
tween two jealous townships. but was a hand
to-hand struggle for life and home. The forts
that had been erected in case of future trouble
were quickly demolished and new ones as quickly
erected. A Chinese fortress is a simple affair,
and can be constructed in a day or two. or, in a
great crisis, in a single night. A foundation of
red earth and clay is first thrown up to the
height of several feet, and on it are piled, layer
after layer, big straw bags filled with earth.
They are sometimes raised to the height Of ten
or fifteen feet. and on the ton of these harri-