The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-08-06

BUFFALO, Aug. 5.-Samuel Gracey
of this city, late United States consul
at Foo Chow, China, was interviewed
today on the reported massacre at Ku
Cheng. Mr.. Gracey said: ''Ku
Cheng, the place mentioned in the
press dispatch as the scene of the lat
est anti-foreign riots in China, is in
the Fug KEN province, about ninety
miles above Foo Chow. 1t is fully
hundred miles from Pagoda anchor
age, the highest point of navigation
for steamers in the Min river, hence
is entirely byond the protection of
American or other foreign gunboats.
THE Literati have been stirring up
trouble against the foreign residents
there for many months and the
danger to life and property became so
great that about two months ago all
American residents were recalled to
Foo Chow. These were the Rev. and
Mrs. w. c. Wilcox, the three children,
Miss Abel Chatford and Miss Rouset,
the two latter representing the
Woman's Foreign Missionary society,
and all of the Methodist church. The
other foreigners there were three or
four members of the English church
mission who may not have been re-
called during the recent troubles. 1t
is probable that matters may have
quieted down there after the for
eigners came away and some may
have been encouraged to return.
Foreigners Are Obnoxious.
''The common people do not dis
tinguish between Japanese, Ameri-
can, English and German nationaH-
ties. but all alike are foreign and
obnoxious. We cannot but fear that
outrages such as have just recently
transpired at Cheng Tu, in the north
west interior will occur in other To-
calities where foreign missionaries
are residing, far away from the
treaty ports and hence beyond the
protection of foreign gunboats.
The people and the officials of the
Fug KEN province, in which Ku
Cheg is located, have been the most
friendly in the whole territory and
this massacre was most surprising to
all familiar with the country. An
article printed in the North China
Herald of July 5, is as follows:
cat Cheng Tu, the officials who have
more than an adequate force at their
disposal, made no serious attempt to
stop destruction of the Protestant or
Catholic property, though asked - do
so from the first, although when the
destruction was complete they pro-
tected the lives of the missionaries
for the words seemed TO. have been
drive out but not kill. The chief of
police at Cheng Tu, a Hanau man. a
Toatai in rank, issued the following
proclama ton on the second day of the
riots: AT the present time we have
ample evidence that foreigners de-
ceive and kidnap small children. You
soldiers and police must not be dis
are brought before us, we certainly
will not be lenient with them
melting the PopuIace.
Another placard which appeared a
day or two before the riots read:
ut is hereby noticed that at the
present time foreign barbarians are
hiring bad characters to steal small
children that they may extract oil
from them for their USE
Another placard put out the day
after the riots, and evidently intended
as a sort of justification, read: AT the
present time when Japan has usurped
Chinese territory, you English, French
and Americans have looked on with
your hands in your sleeve. If, in the
future, you wish to preach your doc
trines in China you must drive the
Chinese back to their own country;
then you will be allowed to preach
your holy gospel throughout the
country without hindrance'
There was also a proclamation put
out by the viceroy attributing the out
break to the presence of foreigners in
the parade ground during the fruit
throwing that accompanies the feast
of the fifty day of the fifth month, but
as a matter of fact there were no
foreigners on the parade ground the
whole day."