The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-01
MISSIONARIES MENACED.
DEVICBs OF 1Hs CHINESE TO DRIVE
our CBRIsTTANs IN TWO PROVINCES

our CBRIsTTANs IN TWO PROVINCES
tn. Fa,,-rs Of J..,,es in ths sunep- M..-
sssr~-H-soiesee OF = Notorious vieeroy-
Areesi 60 the Fcretan Misi-ts~r st Fski.9
-Righty pfirtseers Idls - Unrhsw.
Foreigners In China are greatly exercised
over the decision in the SunRpu massacre case.
which permitted the guilty officials to es-
cape scot free. aud made the money COM
| pensations for the lives OF two poor
Swedish missionaries the chief feature OF
the settlement Indignation In Shanghai and
other treaty ports has run high against Swed-
ish Consul General Book for his agreement
to . compact that virtually snnuls the impe-
rial edict granting foreign missionaries the
| right TO live and teach the Christian religion
| in the interior Of China. The Swedish Con-
sul-General has replied to severe criticism Of
his conduct By saying that he had perfect
right to settle the case OF his own people: but
| the other Consuls unite in declaring that THE
| Sungpu case 10 Of vital moment TO every for-
signor In China and especially to the large
missionary societies which have scores
/ OF men and women In exposed outposts
and have spent thousands OF dollars where
| the Swedish society has spent shillinga
| Two Swedish missionaries. Lund and Lind
strom. associates OF the murdered men. have
presented an elaborate petition to the foreign
| Ministers ut Peking urging them to take
| prompt action in forcing the Chinese Govern
| ment to reopen the case and punish the guilty
| In high places.
This petition 10 o remarkably vigorous docu-
ment The writer's point out that Mr.. Book
| settled the matter without personal investiga-
| ton on the spot; without any guarantee that
| the real murderers or those who melted the
crime would be punished, and. lastly and
most important, without any distinct pledge
for the reestablshment OF the mission at
Sungpu. They also call attention to the de-
plorable fact that the blood money paid to the
relatives OF the dead missionaries was wrung
from Christian Chinese or from those who had
been the warm friends OF the victims.
This petition gives so many new facts about
the Sungpu massacre that It IL worth while
relating the most important. The writer's re-
view the experiences Of the two victims. WIKI
holm and Johansson, who went to Sungpu
shortly after the Chinese New Year OF 1893. The
place had not been Swedish mission settle
ment. At Maching. twenty miles away. two
years before. onaries had been driven out
By the magistrate. although the people were
unusually friendly. The missionaries built
hopes on this frisndliness. and they evident
~ counted on the good will Of the local
magistrate. When they first appeared they
were greeted warmly. and they found no
difficulty in renting house near the City
Gate. One day while absent at Wuchang the
magistrate at MachenR sent runners to their
house and seized two natives who had rented
them the house. The men were taken to
Macheng and severely beaten. Complaint was
made at once to the Taotai Of Hankow. who
promised to secure the release Of the prisoners
and to escort the mission aries back to their
house. He failed in both promises. and he
sent word that he wouldn't be responsible for
the lives OF the missionaries. as sunRpu was
greatly excited over reports that tho men
with this came tn: r.port that tn. native
Christi, =. Yans left in charge Of the mission
At this the two sw.des 90. on. for sunepu.
which the1 rs s safely. Th.r. .hsy we're
waited on By the mandarin Of Maehsna. who.
after vainly trying to induce them to return to
Hsnkow. promised guard Of four soldiers dur
ing the coming festival This guard he did
not furnish. nor did he do ANYTHING to prevent
the posting OF ant-Christian plscards calling
upon ~ s sooa Unne .o. 70 1f 8, nS
aevlis. VINO were sccusea Oh Liansppine chill
At the same time LIZ mkin-cnun hung =. s, s..r'a
which he invited several friends. He was
. personal friend Of the MAGISTRATE.
and yet there is ample evidence to show
that at this dinner A-kin.Chung PLAN
ned tn: murder . OF the missionaries Two
Gays OF the iesuvA passed ouieuy pus
on the third day L-kfn-ChunR and several
man appeared in SunRpu and in n few min
-. 4, -. -ht.,.-.s -. ts.t -. h.d -.
ules ~ was whisporoo soout 'nas Nc hso come
to kill the foreigners. An enormous crowd
gathered near the house of the doomed men.
6ut n vas insnjred mainIv nv curiositv Ths
local mand arm appeared soon sftar. but after
makine A surysy of the crowd he departed
Without taxing any measures to protect the
threstened msn. In a few minutss me mia
sionaries' housa was bombarded with bricks
and atom a and the whole front smashsd In:
40 thsy we're forced 10 esek refuge with
a frisndly Chinsse nesr nv This Thiness
sent An Urgent appeaI 10 the local maeIs-
trate 10 furnish help INIT hs rasponded that
he couldn't act Without orders from his
supsrior The moor mission sriss took rafnas
IN 4 ciosst from which they we're driven out BY
four professionai pugilists armed with long
iron roda THESE feiIows chased thu two man
over the roofs Of twenty houssa Finally the
fueitiyes reached a place where they must
lean to the Rround To eseape THAR pursusrs
but they fell among the rsSening mob. which