The state herald., 1893-05-12
the DEED or FIRNps,
Robbers Demand Tribute Of CHI
Town-Papie.6tr Stricken Natives,

THE DEED OF FiENDs,
Robbers Demand Tribute Of Ch1
Observation-Disclosures Natives. $1
One Of the most fearful disasI
OF modern times occurred Noveu{
80, 1892, at Kan Ii, In tho prov
Of Shin Hing, fifty miles west Of
ton, China. The Occidental and q
entail steamship Gaelic, brought
news to San Francisco says the y
aminer. M
While several thousand PED w
were assembled at a great thef
witnessing d performance a ban
twenty Chinese robbers appeare4
a temple near by and deinandedi
the priests several thousand taelsSy,
They said that they were hun III;
and that the priests had plenty G61
must give the money to them, ~
priests parleyed with the bandits a.,
til number OF their friends ~
sembled, and then refused. M
By this time so many OF tho priea1o
and their adherents had massed ~
gether that the robbers were powlf.
less. Thoy could not enforce thitf
demands, and were furious. FOX
In their anger, and before tS
priests knew it, they set fire to t61
greet mat she'd near at hand. M
Tho huge theater was In clo6e
proximity. The flames burst up, ar
the smoke entered the theater. In n
moment thousands OF people rushed
out. panic-stricken by the flames an(
smoke. and rushed into the temple. z
Hundreds were crushed to DEATH
Those who entered the temple met
far worse fate. Tho broad entrand
caught fire. and more than 1.4OO pee
Pile were burned and smothered q
death. 8
The wind was violent and drovS
the smoke and flames directly int
the temple, and there was no way .
get out by q rear entrance. y
Many priests and actors wer5
burned among the number.
The scene was appalling. Hun.
dreds OF women and children and
many wealthy merchants met theif
doom. No calamity so terrible had
ever before occurred in the province.
As II to crown tho terrible disaters
and make it more complete, tho
flames spread, taking building after
building, until more than 200 houses
were reduced to ashes.
Hundreds of helpless victims wero
roasted. One man was found alive
at the bottom of heap of dead
bodies. Others had their arms and
legs burned Off, while others lost
their sight and went cropping about
in the darkness, moaning piteously.
Children ran about the ruins of the
temple, theater and other buildings,
seeking their dead parents and
parents their children. Everywhere
were dead and burned bodies, and
people singed and scorched terribly
by the flames, yet still alive, were
numerous. The odor from the embcrs
was fearful.
The robbers meanwhile busted
themselves in stealing. They ran.
sacked the pockets OF the dead while
the panic reigned. Some of the peo.
pie attacked them and several robbers
were killed. but many escaped.
For time 1t looked us though the
entire city would be destroyed The
wind famed the flames until every
thing in its path was swept before
them. They moved in eddies and
circles till all OF the two hundred and
,n,,ra hnildipua waro ,n,a,c,aa
When the flames finally subsidized,
as they did the next day, and the
statistics OF the terrible disaster were
finally gathered by the magistrate oil
Kan Ii. II was found that no less
than l,940 people were dead and
missing. Tho record was carefully
made and recorded In his official
register.
II was given out by him that he
had no doubt the entire 1910 were
dead. He did not expect any excep.
lions would prove to this. as several
days had elapsed and the friends Of
each had been constantly hunting for
them.
1t was n fearful task trying TO iden.
tify and bury the dead. In hundreds
OF cases Identification was impossible.
Hundreds OF men turned out to rescue
tho bodies and bury them.
Collins were difficult to obtain for
so many people. On February 4 the
native hospital OF Oh Yuk Tong sent
more than 400 collins TO the scene.
The ncighboring city of Fatshan
also sent hundreds OF collins.
Tho Oi iuk Tong and other hos.
pitfalls were filed with burned mon,
women and children. These were
constantly dying. People who wit.
messed the awful disaster say they
never saw the Chinese so awe-struck.
Nothing like It was ever before
known In China.
The robbers who fired the mat shed
and caused the unparalleled suffer.
Ing. death and loss to tho city, were
brigands OF the most desperate type,
who for years had been robb!ng and
levying tribute on the people.
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