Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-09-10

EVlQCncS OF LO6 Reported Ie6NO4G'
Victoria, b. c., September 9.-Pri-
yate letters from Shanghai, just re-
Ceiyed here, announce that the COM
mission appointed by the British and
American governments to investigate
The Ku Cheng massacre Of August l
reached Ku Cheng August Il. The
commission. consisting of the British
consul. Mr. r. ". Mansfield the Amer
lean consul Col. j. COuTtenay HiXsOn,
the British vice consul, E. /. B. Allen
from Pad0ga anchorage: Lieut.. Evans,
OF the United States ship Detroit; the
Rev. 81. BanniSJer representing the
English Church Missionary Society,
and Dr. Gregory of the American NJ.
Z. Mission. had an escort of 100 OF the
vicerOy's ill-armed and poorly discip-
lined soldiers, a circumstance which
supports but feebly the Chinese con-
tCu-iOn that the massacre was beyond
official prevention, owing 10 the cOun-
Try being in revolt. This defense is
regarded by all British and American
residents in Chinese territory as quite
as farcial as the commission, unSup-
ported as il is by any display OF Brit
ish or American force, and indignation
runs higl al the apathy displayed by
these governments in regard 70 the
massacre.
IL is argued that the official defense
is untenable. as under the Chinese law
q system of mutual responsibility pre-
walls. all the public officials being held
personally responsible FOR the commits
sion OF crimes within their jurisdiction
whether they are legitimately blam-
able or not. and are visited with penal
ties attached in the event OF their fail
ing 10 apprehend and punish The Grim
iual in person. The commission had,
20 las, advices. received the state
meuts OF three Witnesses, Dr.. Gregory.
of the American mission at Foo Chow;
the Rev. II. Z. Phillips, and Miss Har-
man. OF Eu Cheng, the latter two hav-
ing been eyewinesses of the scenes on
August ].
The Rev. Mr.. Phillips tells how he
was awakened at 8 in the morning by
shouting in the direction Of the stew
ards house. He al first thought II was
children playing. but soon recognizing
the voices of excited men, he dressed
hastily and Went over Il was met q
few yards from my dwelling 20 he said,
"by q native friend. who, while throw
ing his arms around me TO detain me,
told me the vegetarians had come. !
shook him OF and went on and soon
came in sight of the house from which
80 or 50 bandits We're carrying loads OF
plumber. their leader holding aloft q
small red flag. / could see nothing or
our Europeans. and. as l was III full
view OF the rioters. ! Crept up a hill IL
the brushwood and concealed myself
behind TWO trees. from 20 10 30 yards
from the house. There ! could see
everything that could be seen. As |
could see no foreigners. ! concluded
they had escaped, and as 10 20 down
was certain death. I though, i best to
wait where / was.
After q minute or two the retreat
horn sounded and the vegetarians be-
gan 10 leave first. however, setting
IRE 10 the houses. Ten minutes after
this ever vegetarian had gone. /
Camn down and looked about the front
OF the house. but could see no one. l
feared something dreadful had hap
neued. as heard the vegetarians as
they left say. Now all the foreigners
are killed / just then met one OF the
servants. who told me the Chinese were
in the house in which Miss Hartford.
of the American Mission, was staying.
I found Mr. Hartford daughter, Mil
dred. with q serious wound On one knee
and another severe cut. When l had
washed these l turned TO Mr. Steward S
SOL. who has feariully hacked and cut
everywhere.
Then Miss Codrington sent me a
message that she. too. was in the house.
/ found her in a fearful condition, but
with cold water and rags we managed
10 s-auuch the bleeding. She begged
me not 10 wait. es she thought TOpsy
Saunders was still alive l then rush
ell 10 the back OF the house and found
the bodies Of Miss saunders. Miss stew
ard. Miss Gordon and Miss Marshall.
The latter was awfully cut. her head
being almost severed. but beyond the
wounds given i'm the struggle, the bod
les were not mutilated Later found
Miss COombs's body at the foot OF the
hill in front of the house where II
had evidently been thrown. As then
I could see no signs Of Mr.. and Mrs.
Steward. Miss Saunders and Lena, the
nurse. we hoped they had escaped. and
returned 10 the house where the Stew
ard children and Miss COdrington were.
Presently Miss Hartford arrived. She
had received a cut under one Of her
ears. but had been saved by native
Christian. / learned late that the nVe
ladies of the Zenaua mission society
who uved in two houses which form
| the Ku Cheng sanitorium, after a futile
attempt TO escape, got ont of the back
end ana were Immediately surrounded,
some of the vegetdTianS were inclined
10 spare them. 10y were ordered by
their leaders 20 carry out their orders
Kill. and spare not. Had they been
able 20 escape into the brushwoOd
there seems little doubt they might
have been saved.
MIR. and Mrs. Steward were killed as
they sprang from bed. Lena, the nurse
died while protecting the baby, whom
Kathleen MANAGED 10 carry out OF the
house. though not before its eyes had
| beeu cut out. Miss Nellie Sanders was
also knocked down az the nursery door
when going 10 help the children, and
MS we afterward found the remains OF
a burned body there, We had little
1orbt that il was hers. For a long
lime we thought Mr. and Mrs Steward
had escaped. but later / found their
bodies. OF rather ashes. III what had
been their bed room.
~The Hau sang people seemed TO
,.--. t,1 Cd. "a whole no hand in the