Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-06-11
Is NOT CONFIRMED,
The Reported Massacre of Mis-.
sionaries in China.
WHAT Is KNOWN AT WASHINGTON

about the Situation OF the Missions and
the Danger Of Mobs-Possibility That
the Locality of tho Horror Has Been
Wrongly Given-Secretary Morton Sends
Out His Crop Report for june 1-Olney
Takes the Oath as Pre- mier.
WASHINGTON, June 1l.-Thc Chinese
legation has received no information as to
the reported massacre Of ell missionaries
in Cheng Tu and strong hopes are enter
tained that the affair may be less serious
than the nleager reports indicate. 1t is
stated at the legation that Cheng Tu is
large city II the interior Of China. The
people are far removed from the centers
of foreign commerce, such as Canton
and Shanghai. Recently, however, by
the treaty Of peace with Japan, this in.
terror city was one Of several places to be
opened to foreigners and foreign com.
merce. Fhis fact, it is explained, has
agitated the peoplewho have lived by them
selves ftm time immemorial. The mis-
sionaries are the only foreigners who
have heretofore settled at Cheng Tu. e..
HaIdko Prevent Mob Violence.
II is said that the number of mission.
nries, including their families, in the en-.
tire province Of Sc Chun, of which Cheng
Tu is the capital, must be less than 100,
including all nationalities. The mission
nry headquarters is at Cheng Tu, where
1t is believed there arc not exceeding ten
missionaries, the rest being scattered
through the province. 1t is said that tine
emperor of China and the tsurg Ii va
men have given every possible protection
to the missionaries. although it has been
found impossible to guard against mob
violence, particularly at remote interior
points. The Chinese government has
asked foreign governments to appreciate
, these difficulties, and has advised that the
missions should be kept within safo
limits. But the zeal of the missionaries
has led them TO push inward, without
fear Of results, to places where the Chinese
officials have had difficulty in alfording
protection.
Mistake In the Name of the Place.
State department officials, however,
hftcr investigating the reports said that
they thought an error lad been made in
the transmission of the name Of the place
where the massacre is said to have oc.
CURED. 1t is believed that this name, in
stead of Cheng Tu should be Chang TIE,
the capital Of Human. In this place there
arc a number of foreign missionaries, and
the anti.forcign feeling is very strong. In
1898 there were threatening demonstra-
tions by the people, and the missionaries
were kept for some time in n state OF ter
rorism by the display of placards abusing
the foreign DEVILS and warning the ma
tives against aftiliation with them. The
condition Of affairs was regarded by
United States Minister pcnby as grave
enough to warrant representations to the
Chinese government, and the facts were
made the subject of several reports from
the minister to the state department.
Chang Tc is accessible to small gunboats,
and a British warship visited the neigh
borhood several years ago.
Seems That Nobody Was Killed.
Since the above was written the follow
ing cablo has been received from Shang-
hal: "Tho report of the total destruction
of the missions of Cheng Tn, kiating, and
Yoachohu has been confirmed. The local
officials refused protection to the mission
nrics until the mob had completed tho
work of demolishing the buildings The
mission stations ut other places have been
threatened. About twenty adults. be-
sides u number Of children, have taken
refuge ut Cheng Tu, and YamenVicc-
roy Lin is blamed for the affair"