The Press., 1896-02-13
LETTER FROM CHINA.
SHARP PEAK, CHINA.

SHARP PEAK, CHINA. De0r Friends Ot Home
 You are anxious, I know, to learn our status with reference to the recent riots throughout China, and especially of the effect of the Kucheng massacre upon our missionaries.
 We were not personally acquainted nor had seen any of the killed or wounded. But all our associates were we'll acquaint- ed with them. How like a thunderbOlt, then, from 8 clear sky, was the news to them that Saturday morning.
 It seemed the Viceroy here knew of it twenty-fou hours before it was known to the foreigners, but let none of them know, which fact goes far to prove that the I officials are in sympathy with the rioters, if not directly their instigators. I am inclined to give in brief Miss Cod rington's report, which gives some details which no one else could give, as she was the only surviving witness of the scene at the English ladies' house. In her statement Miss Codrington says: II had been up about half an hour, and was nearly dressed, when I heard the shouts of men, followed by the report of 8 cracker, then the screams of children and servants over at the Stewart house. Going to the door 1 met one of the ladies l who had been reading outside, who said that the mob was upon us, she feared. We called to the other ladies to get up, and began shutting windows and doors. We had finished when the men reached the house and began cutting their way into the house with their spears and Knives. Soon we heard the men in the house plundering about. We locked the door of the bed room, but realizieg that | we had less hope of escape shut in there, we opened the door and made an attempt to escape through the kitchen, hoping the men were to busy plundering to notice us. But finding the kitchen door locked we hastened back, Miss Marshall receiv- ing severe wound on her shoulder ae we passed.
 Then we opened the shutters, hoping to escape through the window, but when one was half way out was driven back by spears. We then knelt together and prayed. The men soon rushed in and be. gan hunting in boxes and drawers fol money.
 1 Seeing the kitchen door open, four of us made rush for it, but the other got sep. arated from us and never saw her again l NJ the back yard we were soon surround. t Ny men. Some of them talked oi
 us and taking us to KUcheng
 c begged Gfrelll not to Dsnd lis
 Sllow us to walk on quietly. ] TWalk on, then, y they said. We asked for the privilege of taking our umbrellas, as the hot sun would give us great dis comfort. This was denied, and others then shouted, "Kill them '"
 An old man, wearing different dress from the others, then stepped up anC plead for our lives. Part of the crowd o men were inclined to desist, but at thai moment man with black flag stepped forward and shouted, You know you1 duty! Kill outright" And they fell tC 1 work
 One man seized me and pointed knife to my throat, but as our eyes met ht dropped his hand and turned away. In the scuffie l had become separated from the rest, but now returned to them and standing close together received tht onslaught. A blow on the head soon ren dered me insensible, and when I again re alized, 1 was lying between two of thC ladies, who were still breathing heard the cracking flames and the voice o kassie Stewart crying, 70, they've killed them all !''
 1 arose, dragged the others away iron the fire and went down the hill for help : l beckOned to man, but he was to- much frightened to come at first, but went to him and he helped me to Mis- tlartfOrd's house, where lay nnconsciou till Mir. Phillips came and staunched m, wounds.
 + do not think any of them suffere, much, physically, except Herbert Stew art, who was wounded most of all, an lived the longest"
 give you this account as it makes tn matter more vivid to know just how } was done.
 } Those eight collins, the wounded SUI vivOrs, and the two rescuers, formed tn saddest, most awful funeral procession that ever passed over the highway of thi great Empire, and was the result of tn greatest massacre in the history of Prot estant missions.
 There are circumstances which caus people to say and feel, that ''it migh have been avoided" First, and most in po1tant, if the home government had ts ken prompt and thorough action on tn riots and assaults upon missionaries g the north and south, there would probabI not have been courage to do this. Thi easy way of dealing with criminal offence against the English and Americans Ina been very bad discipline for China.
 Unless this one is rightly dealt wit there can be no safety for foreigners. Christian helper at Kucheng city heard ( the intended attack the night before, bl was sick, and so sent & coolie to war them. He might have reached there st.v eral hours before the rioters, but dallie
 by the way for some reason and reache F. there too late.
 Later investigation and confession r : veal the fact that about two hundred these so-called Vegetarians met to discus plans for plundering. They were to cas lots to determine where to go. Thre places were chosen. The same man wh
 wrote the lots also drew them. Thre times they cast, and three times the lc
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