The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-31
Correspondence OF the United Associated
-presses}s

Correspondence OF the United Associated
-Presses}s t
Toxic. Japan, Aug. I2. via San Francisco.
Aug 80. An extraordinary instance OF the
readily excited anti-fcrsign n in flanma bilify
Of the tDwer orders in China has Just oc-
currcd at Foochow.
On the 18th Of July some foreigners ac-
compaDied by their serva Its, went for u
short excursion from that city, a nd arriving
at the Temple of the Goddess Of Mercy
in the suburbs. eLtered into conversation
with the abbess as To the meaning OF some
yotive bags suspended in the temple.
The abbess explained that the bags con-
taiDed the names of children who, ON being
attacked by smallpox, were brought to
the temple and offered at the altar of the
goddess, after which ceremony supposed
to save their lives they were taken away,
the bags containing their names being left
in their stead
While this conversation was going ON u
crowd OF children collected outside aed
beSan crying out Foreign devii,'' The
foreigners took no notice, but their SER
wants rebuked the children, telling them
that If they did not desist the Foreigners
would catch them.
CAUSED BY CHILDREN
The children ran off in alarm and re-
ported TO their parents that foreigners had
come to seize and carry them Off. A pane
quickly ensued ....... --
The alarm was given, aud amid the
beating of gongs a large number of peasants
and rowdes, variously armed, began to
assemble for the purpose of attacking the
foreigners iu the nunnery.
Fortunately the elders of the place sue
ceeded In quieting the tumuit. and the
foreigners got home without any knowledge
OF the fate they had SO barely escaped.
But the train had beeu fired Rumors
Were quickly spread that the foreigners,
then engaged in building at Ching Yang,
wanted a number OF children to bury 1t the
foundations of the new bouses, the. ground
being iuconveniently soft, and were also
about TO steal all the named bags in the
temples to be used as charms.
general stampede of children and
families took place, some flying from Foo
Chow and others running To it for refuge.
SOne boats arriving at a place fifteen
miies down the nyer Were seen to be
manned by persons wearing hight jackets
and Japanese-made straw hats
PRIESTS WERE BEATEN
These We're mistaken for foreigners come
TO seize the namebags in the temple at the
place, and a rush was aGe for the temple.
The priests, Closing the doors in appre-
tensions OF a not, were accused OF having
been bribed by the foreigners. aud in the
sequel, the temple doors were broken. tae
priests badly beaten and all the name bags
recovered by the people, who then started
en- nlasse for Foocbow-
The Mandarins are said to have made
no attempt to allay these absurd suspi-
cionS-
The story constitutes u striking com
mentary Of the ideas entertained about
foreigners by the lower orders in China
Everywhere the theory seems to prevail
that Chinese children are special objects
OF foreign ferocity.
A man recently arrested in Human for
killing a child, confessed under the bamhoo
torture thathe ha / bcenhirel by foreigner
Had the magistrate taken him at his word
the missionaries in the neiShborhood would
have been murdered. But a
further application of the bamboo induced
the man 80 withdraw his confession.