Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-09
THE CHENGTU RIOTS.
Details of the Outrnses Committed
Last May.

Acting Secretary Adee today received
from United States Coasul General Jerni-
gan at Shanghai dispatch, dated July II,
inclt sing four letters received by him from
missionaries, giving in great detail ac
cot nts of the EVENTS in China leading up to
the riots against the missionaries at Cheng
tu in the province Of Szechuen.
One of these, from Spencer Lenir, very
comprehensive in scope, dated Chungking,
China, says that the West China Mission
of the Methodist Episcopal Church is the
only American mission represented at
Chengtu. The Americans there were the
Rev. Olin Ca1y and wife, II. l.. Cartwright,
MD, and wife and two children, and Rev.
]. F. Peat and wife and two children. This
mission owned but one piece of property
in Chengtu, on which was Chinese build
ing fitted for the residence Of two families,
a Chinese building used as chapel, dis
pensary and minor structures. Mr.. Lenir
says that substantially all these are gone,
even the paving stones being carried out
of the courts. The total loss. exclusive of
personal losses, is about 5000 taels.
The American Baptist Missionary Union
had stations at Sui-fu. Kiating and Yacheo.
The mission and personal property in Kia-
ting and Yacheo is probably all lost,
though particulars had not been received
by Mr.. Lenir when his letter was written.
At Sui-fu the Americans owned a great
deal Of property, but not much damage was
done TO IL.
Mr. Lenr describes the various attacks
made on the missions at Chengtu, particu-
lars of which have been published in the
American newspapers. In the attack on
the premises of the Canadian Methodist
Mission. the two physicians in charge of the
new hospital and chapel which were after
ward looted and burned, kept the mob at
bay, but, says Mr. Lenir, the officials would
give no assistance, although several of them
were quite near Late on that evening,
May 2S. the members of the American
Methodist Mission sought refuge in the
district magistrates yamen, but were re-
fused admission, and told they would be
protected If they returned home. Relying
on this promise they were entirely unpre-
pared for the mob, which soon visited them,
and barely time to escape. Operations were
renewed by the mob at daybreak next day,
and before noon the attack was general on
all of the Catholic and Protestant mission
places. The American Methodists from
their hiding place in an attic, only six feet
away, watched the mob for twelve hours
plundering the houses.
Some of the ten thousand soldiers of the
province assisted in the 1ooting, and dug up
a number of bones which they took to the
district magistrates yamen, represen ting
them to be the bones of babies which, they
and consequently all lower officials, says
Mr.. Lanir, were simultaneously suffering
from a severe attack Of indiSposition. He
makes serious charges against the viceroy
Chico Taoti, claiming that as he had been
degraded and was soon to be recalled, he
was bent on giving a parting hit, both at
the foreigners whom he hated, and the gov
ernment.
When the flames burst forth from the
Roman Catholic bishops residence, scarce
ly d stones throw from the viceroy's va
men, the viceroy remarked, according to
Mr.. Lanir, that this was matter for his
successor to attend to, and he states that
only after everything was quite destroyed
did the viceroy make an effort to restore
order. In the meantime he sent out tela-
grams that a mutilated child had been
found at a foreign place, with a result
that nearly all the natives believed the
story
Mr.. Lanir scores the viceroy severely and
demands the punishment of hostile off,
cials. He incloses copies of the infiamma-