The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-09-05
G, c, BENGENER { BRO.
LETTER FROM A MISSIONARY.

Philadelphia, Sept "a letter has been
received by Rev. Il. s. Dobbins, in
charge of the Baptist missionary boarli
of this city, from Rev. w. M. Upcraft
at HanlSow, China. He also sent news
paper called the Celestial Empire, pub
lished at Shanghai, which contains a full
account of the recent riots in the Szechamn
province which caused THE entire suspen-
sion of the work of THE West China mis-
sion.
Mr.. Upercraft is in charge of the mis-
sion there and a number of the workers
are from this city. In his letter, Mr. Up
craft skates thalt the trouble began I'm
Chentu, the capital of the province, on
May 18th. Three protestant missionary
societies are located there. The first
warming of the trouble was THE posting
of a pDacard in several places of the
city reading as follows:
Notice is hereby given that at pres
emit foreign barbarianlS are hiring evil
characters TO steal some small children
that they may EXTRACT oil from them for
their own use. have q female servant,
Lii who personally seen this done.
-ttherefoEe- exiaoait you, good people, mot TO
allow your children ito go out. hope
This was soon followed by an atitaIck
on 1.-THE Canadian Methodist mission,
which was destroyed. The stations of
the Baptist missionary union n Szechaun
were at Sulcharlfu, Kiang and Yachau
The first trouble WAS alt Kiang, which was
nearest Ito Chentu, where the riots began.
On THAT day the streets were full of peo-
Pile, who at first seemed peaceable, but
became more aggressive and began to
loot the mission houses. A magistrate
at Yadhau aided THE missionaries to es-
cape down the river on a raft The
guard of soldiers were sent with Them.
They had trouble at several places ON the
river, but were safely passed an the
missionaries all finally reached Sulchaufu
ON Sunday, June 9th. A..
Mr.. Beannan, of Ithe KiaItamg mission,
who had remained behind in % small boat.
HOPING to be of service 10 Yachu friends
who might come down In boaIts, had o.
thrii,6ng experience. During the night
he was A. atttacked by a band of robbers.
Who stripped him Of everything he had,
clothes and all. His life was in Imminent
danger and several wished to Kill, but
the leader of 1.-THE gang WAS satisfied
when he found the money and finally, by
the kindness of THE boaitman, Mr.. Bear
man got AWAY.
After many thrilling escapes the panty,
consisting of Mr.. Hill, his wife and boy,
Miss Bliss, Mr.. Salquist, Mr.. Viking
his wife and baby, and Mr.. Upcraft, ar
rived ait Hankow.
I'm speaking of their position Mr.. Up
craft says "Our work is broken up
and possessions left lto the pleasure of
the rioters. We were eleven days going
Ito Szechaun. Delayed by wind and raim
and in constant fear of destruction from
whirling water and angry rapids, our
women were TRUE heroines. They stood
1.-THE trial nObly. After THE hong strain, re-
action must set i'm.
"While our experience with the Chinese
officials has left mo ground for complaint,
in other places it is different. Many
think that our present degraded vicerpy
is ait the bottom of THE whole thing. lb
was a systematic scheme to free the
province of foreigners"