The Red Cloud chief., 1898-10-07
RULER A SUICIDE"
CONVENIENT DEATH OF
CHlNA'S EMPEROR.


LONDON, Oct. "a dispatch from
Shanghai says kilograms furnished by
the Tao Tai, or local governor, 70 n
Chinese paper there, allege that tho
emperor OF China committed suicide
September 81, after signing the de-
crees which placed the dowagcr en-
press at the head OF affairs In China.
This, IL Is added, Is understood TO
mean that the emperor was assassin
ated.
All tho English-spcalsing secretaries
and the principal members of the
Chinese foreign Office, it is further an
nounced, have been seized and ban
ished.
At the timn the resignation OF the
emperor kuang lisu was announced n
dispatch from Shanghai announced his
death. This report was denied from
Pekin, but as the emperor is rarely
seen except by q few immediate at
tendants, the matter has been in
coubt. 1t WAS announced in the decree
hat IN view of the complications Of
the situation In the empire the dow
ager empress, the cmperor's aunt, had,
at his earnest request, assumed con-
troll OF the government. At the same
time guarded statements were given
n that II emperor was in poor
health and that lie could not live long.
These, it was generally believed, were
TO prepare tho public for the news Of
his sudden death.
Among the reforms advocated by
the emperor that led to his downfall
were his determination to allow a free
press and to Introduce European dress.
He had ordered all brought
to him so that he might find as direct
~ as possible the condition of public
opinion. He had also appeared in
public in European costume. 1t was
suspected that he had designs against
the sacred queue.
Two or three days before tho dow
ager empress came into power, it is
said the emperor informed Kanr
fuwei, one of his chief advisers, of the
plot, and urged him to escape, telling
him that he himself would be assassi.
mated.
According to a dispatch to the Lon
don Times from its Pckin correspond.
ent, the Imperial decree issued yester-
day Diminishing from Office and banish-
Ing to Iii, Chinese Turkestan, Chang
Yin Houan, Ii Hung Changes oppo
nent in the foreign Office, and former
minister at Washington, ''acquits the
dismissed official Of completely with
kang Yuwci, the Cantonese reformcr.
but convicts him vaguely as crafty
and treacherous."
The true reason for his dismissal
and Punishment, the Times CORE
spondent asserts, is that Chang Yin
Houan was q powerful supporter Of
the emperor's party.
Kuang Hsu, the emperor, was born
twenty-sevcn years ago, and assembled
the throne In 1857. His aunt, the
dewagcr empress, was regent until he
was proclaimed emperor. Since that
time she has been the power behind
the throne. Tho empress Is e5 years
old. She was sold as q slave by her
parents and was bought by q ~viceroy,
who sent her to the emperor as a pres
ent. At that time she had the reputa-
ton as the most beautiful woman in
the empire. Tho emperor fell in love
with her and made her queen of his
harem. Their son he proclaimed heir
TO the throne.
As the emperor grew old he allowed
his young wife to control the affairs of
tho empire. His ministers despised
her as only a woman, but when they
expressed their dislike they lost their
heads. 1t became unpopular to criti-
else. After the cmperor's death her
son came to the throne, but died in q
few years. For sixteen years she was
Tho real ruler Of China.
The present emperor never succeeded
In escaping his aunts control. When
he selected his wives his aunt vetoed
his choice md made him marry an
ugly niece Of her own. 1t 10 said she
feared the women Of his choice would
deprive her of her influence.
The assumption of power by the
dowager empress Is believed, in spite
Of official Chinese denials, to mean the
restoration of the roactionarg party to
the ascendancy aud the domination Of
Russian instead Of British influence.