The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-01-08


Sight and Made for the HIns-Monel
was Carried Away in Sacks and Much OF
1t was Dropped Along the Street
Greedy Ones Were Speedily Killed and
Rats Ran Out and Nibbled at the Bodie,
Before They Were Cold.
James Davidson, son of c. II. David
son of the Kansas National bank OF
this city has an intensely interesting
aetter from Flo1noSa in Sundays Chi
cago Inter Ocean On the same mail
with this letter James sent his father
here bale Of tea. the finest pickings
OF the finest grade in the world. This
Mr.. Davidson has received here.
The letter deals with the shout-lived
Republic of Formosa- Formosa was
passed over 10 the Japs by the Chinese
after their war. A clique there ct
once set up a Republic. Loung David
son tells how it fell. Exciting por-
Hions of his letter are as follows:
''Ke1ung, the best harbor in FOrmosa
and eighteen miles from the capital
Taipefuh, was protected by splendid
Qualifications that crown many of the
high hills and bluffs overlooking the
little harbor with its marrow entrance,
and had distributed among them the
following modern guns: One twelve
inch, one tsn-inGh, two eigiht-inch ard
two siX-iTech ArmsaGong's, besides Ke-
lungs appordionInent Of sixty Krupp
mountain guns, of six and one-half cen
timetreS, and several machine guns
from the arsenal at Marking. The
Japanese landedthe last of May, TO the
north, a short distance from KeIung.
AS soon as this news reached headquar-
tiers at Daipefuh, joined a camp Of 500
soldiers, who Were ordered at once to
Kelung as re-inforcements. I then re-
ceived my first correct impressions Of
Chinese soldiery.
Ws made the trip on the government
railway, and I was in the officers car
ATTACHED TO the special train conveying
the troops. The station was crowded
with the braves and their luggage,
which, from its character, would lead
one to believe they intended house
keeping" on the Battlefield. Rifles.
bayonsts, tWoInanded swords, knives.
OF all sizes and conditions, cartridges,
cartridge belts with eighty rounds Of
ammunition, a blanket, and a bowl for
s'at1ons, composed the equipment In rea-
son; but this was the smallest half of
their luggage: lamps, lanterns, baskets
containing pipes, pa ckages of tobacco,
small boxes, pictures, tea pots, tin
cams, pieces of rope, rags, pieces of iron
and other miscellaneous stuff too num-
eroGs 30 mention. NEXT came boards
and sticks fastened together and bun
dies as big as bushel baskets containing
know not what.
1t T1als raining alt the time and these
disciplined soldiers were quaweling, pull
hing, and pushing to ride in three of the
covered oars rather than on the flats. |
Arriving at Kelung found this city in
a great state Of excitement, for the jap
anese were drawing near. Retreating
soldiers were struggling In from the |
bautlefeldS an day, ami although four
Japanese heads stuck on bamboo poles
were exhibited about the city 1T was |
only too evident that the japanese |
were slowly driving the Chinese forces |
ahead Of them, and would soon arrive |
IN THE city. The Chinese who brought |
in the heads were paid the schedule |
price, 100 taels (aibout $50 in gold for |
each, and proclamation was posted /
about the camps stating that go 900 /
taels would be paid TO the soldiers who |
would drive the Japanese back to the |
sea-
The next day several Japanese mem
of-war boUnibarded the ports, two col |
umIDs of Infantry closed upon the city
and the battle commenced. In a few
hours all was over and the japanese
were an complete possession and the
remnant OF the 1000 well equipped"
Chinese soldiers were scampering over
the hills for safety, a. thousand remain
ing on the field dead
In the Japanese field hospital were
seen many interesting cases. ilIust trait
ing the wonderful penetrating power
Of the snall-caliber bullets. One Chi
nese had been shot through his back
Through his right lung, and then the
buIleS Through his arm, which must
have been close TO his body. The wound
In his back was "a small red spot, as
large around as a lead pencil; on his
chest a wound mewthat larger, while
his arm contained a hole large enough
to put ones finger through, and the
bones were badly shattered. Another
case was that of man who had been
shot in the elbow joint, the bullet fol-
loWirG; along in the arm through 10 |
the wrist and striking the small bones
Of the hand, literally tore ii TO pieces.
The aperature at the elbow resembIed
a small round burn, with the skin OFF.
No opening could be seen, and from
the appearance of the arm one would
think 1t uninjured
Upon returning 10 the city I found
the runor current that the president
Cor rather eX-GOveT nor), commander
IN chief of all the forces, was. like the
other brave Chinese commanders pre-
oed-ng him. going TO attempt sn escape
TO The mainland that might: which. If
such movement was carried into execu-
ton, simply meant tf1at the city was
going to be handed over ID the Chin
ase soldiers. Therefore, l was Interest
I'd in finding out the Eruth: 50 started
under the cover Of darkness. for thu
governors palace
Arriving at the wall about midnight
speaking 70 the guard. and showing a
dollar through the opening betwean the
massive gates. was u~5na.lv admit
ted and passed throu-. he C.on0a--a-
lively quiet Streets, Vle heavy rain
ana pitch darkness driving everyone
not having business outside under shel-
ter. Reaching The Yamen I saw q. big
guard out sd the gates. ready 70 fi~e
m any suspicious cha racterS After
Satisfying The guards inside that I had
business With the governor and rlr,a-
seEainy another dollar l was admitted
the gateway. opened lust
wide enough 70 let me through. ---,
closed, and 1he big. heavy beam placed ,
across and securely fastened. The
guards were keeping Very gu:et.ans .,,-
-.