New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-07
A "HEATHEN CHINEE."
TRAGIC ENDING OF A PICTURESQUE
CAREER.

| The keenest interest has been aroused here py
reports from China that sentence OF deatn mas
been passed upon General Tcheng-ki-Tong, whose
| alleged mysterious disappearance" has 1urhisheu
| leading tonic of town-talk for weeks past Cen
eral Tcheng was the Charge dAffaires OF the Chln-
csc Legation In this city, and was by all oods
| the most popular Oriental who ever lved III
| France He was regarded by all who knew MN
| as a genuine Partisan, and his personal graces
and social culture were such as fully 10 ehtite
him 70 such consideration. There was no one
more thoroughly in harmony with the social lie
of Paris. whether in the clubs on the Boulevards,
or In the Bots. His literary rank moreover, was
high, During his six years residence here he
contributed frequently to leading newspapers and
10 the Revue des Deux Mondes," and other re-
views. These articles attracted much attention,
giving to Europeans, as they did, such view OF
China and tse Chinese as they had not had before.
The General was intensely patriotic. He pictured
China and all it's institutions in glowing colors.
The people were happy, prosperous and contented,
and the Emperor was benefcent deity made IN
| carnate China had nothing to gain from con-
! tact with Europe, and nothing 10 learn from
western civilization. Indeed. Europe would do
well to take few lessons from China in social
and political philosophy. These articles were
written in charming style, and won the admir-
ing notice Of the foremost literary authorities.
II Is true that ill-natured people have said that
| General Tcheng did not write them at all, but
| hired his old French teacher to do so for him.
But people who say such things are illnatured and
| llnatured people are not to be believed against
such charming man of the world as this Chinese
diplomat
| But it costs lots of money 70 maintain man
| of fashion In Paris: more money, in truth, than
| ipnO
of an occasional contributor mt together Cen
| eral Tcheng, therefore, had TO resort TO other
means to keep things going. Nor were such means
lacking. China is a country of vast possibilities.
and there is nothing more attractive to the average
| European fnancier than chance TO invest money
There In some great concession" There are rail-
| roads TO be built, mines to be opened and worked,
canals TO he deepened and many other puDnc
enterprises to be promoted. For these purposes
loans have TO be made by the Chinese Govern
ment, in addition to agreements with contractors;
In pushing forward such schemes as these General
Tcheng was indefatigable. Doubtless in an en-
tirely legitimate way he was thus able to ada
| largely TO his income But even this was not
enough.
About wear ago he walked one day into one
Of the leading banks of Paris and requested an
interview with the manager. Introducing MN
self the Vhinese diplomat represented that MS
Legation was much in need Of money for current
expenses. Why? Because the Compton dEs-
compile had Just failed and so the Legation was
unable to make use Of its funds which had I'M
fortunately been deposited there. This story was
entirely plausible and was unhcsitatingly be-
lieved by the banker TO whom it was addressed
by the glib Oriental; for the Compton DIES
compte had. as everybody knew had financial
,-;.1, oil
did not know. the Chinese Legation never de-
posited q cent there. But in respOns to the
Eeneral's application the bank Immediately
placed loan Of 81 900, not to the credit of the
LEGATION, but to the personal credit OF General
Tchenq himself. Subsequent loans were granted
in like manner. so that in the course of few
weeks the bank had advanced 100000 TO Cen
eral Tcheng All this used by him for
personal purposes, and no other member of the
legation knew a word about it. Unfortunately
for the diplomat these loans were to be repaid
to the bank at o stated time But when that
time came they not repaid, and so the whole
story came out. The worst feature of the case
was that in contracting one Of the loans, General
Tcheng had signed not his own name. but the
name Of the Chinese Minister probably by ac-
cident but certainly without authority.
In some way OF other this matter smoothed
career in Paris lie was entrusted or reputed
| 70 be entrusted, by the Chinese Government with
the negotiation of several large loans. which,
however, he failed to negotiate. But for every
| failure he had many plausible excuses, and
his position here seemed to be entirely secure.
About two months ago he suddenly disap-
peared Had the missing man been almost any
other First Secretary of Legation. not much would
have been thought about it. and almost any ex-
cuse would have been accepted for his abrupt de-
parture But General Tcheng was too well known
and his career has been too picturesque to allow
him to slip away unseen. RumOrs of all sorts
arose. Some said that he had returned to China
voluntarily ON purely personal grounds. to have
his daughters educated at home. Others declared
that he had gone to confer with his Government
rcoa riding some vast financial scheme which he
was to execute. Still Others had IL that the EN-
peror had sent for him to bestow upon him some
extraordinary mark of distinction. There were a
few who ventured to hint that he had been re-
called in disgrace and probably for punishment;
but these were set down as malicious slanderers.
II was discovered that passage had been secured
for him on a steamer leaving Marseilles for China
| on March 21. But IL was also ascertained that
| he had not gone on that ship, but had forfeited
his ticket About the middle of April there APP
peared in the newspapers what purported TO be
| a dispatch from China stating that the Imperial
| Government had authorized him TO negotiate a
large loan. But ot that time General Tcheng
| from his retirement to make the loan. Finally
on April 10 he suddenly reappeared, just long
enough to rush aboard steamship at Marsellles
ana sail for China. From Suez he sent back a
dispatch TO the press branding as malicious false
hoods all the unpleasant stories that had been
started about him, and denouncing their authors
| ak wilfll slanderers. But he gave no hint as to
| the cause OF his retirement and sudden flight
Now word comes from China that the Imperial
Government has taken him seriously TO task for
misdemeanors, Including mnny acts not hitherto
known 10 the public Of Paris. lie has, il is said,
been tried, found guilty of forgery, swndling, and
| of China into disgrace and has been sentenced
10 death In a few days, therefore, it is probable
that his illustrious head will he chopped of, 10
the great regret Of his many social admirers in
| Paris, and possibly 10 the satisfaction Of many
whom he has swindled BY his visionary financial
schemes.