The sun., 1900-10-02
WERE IN THE PEKIN SIEGE.
nm. AND MISS OODWARD AND OTHER
BErU0EEs REACH san FRANCISCO.
Prai.. for the Heroic Defenders of the LeEa-
uo., women Made sandbsEs for the
B.rrtcades out OF Costly siiks-worksd
Hard 20 Keep From Thinking Of Their Peril.

Hard to Keep FROM VI th'' V''s
SAN FnANcIsco, Oct. Mrs NJ e. Wood
Ward and her daughter. Miss lone Woodward.
Of Evanston. Ill, who were guests OF United
States Minister Conger and his wife when The
legations In Pckln we're besieged by the Boxers.
arrived in San Francisco hast evening. They
we're passengers on the steamer Coptic, and In
company with other Pckn refugees landed
to-day, happy TO be once more In their own
country and safe from further molestation at
the hands Of murderous Chinese.
Il can't talk Of that awful affair without
living II all over again" said Mrs, Woodward,
and that is nything but pleasant. IL is diff
cult TO describe ones feelings during an ex-
psrience such a. We went through during those
awful two months at Pekin. We were all in
a porllous plight and We all realized II, but We
did not dare TO think OF our danger IL was no
time TO give way 70 fears and emotions. IL
was an occasion for heroic acts and courageous
daoGs and the siege showed OF what excellent
stun those leeat.oners were made, When We
found that We were hopelessly penned
up in Pekin, threatened with entire annih-
aton or worse fate, we all decided TO be
brave and make the most OF our situation.
A you may know, We started TO leave Pc
KIN on June 5, but We were one day
too late Accompanied by a small guard that
was placed at our disposal by Minister Con-
ger we went 20 the railroad station on that
dav and waited from o'clock in the morning
until II o'clock at night for train 10 take US
10 Tientsin But the train never came. Con-
nection with the outside world had been cut
off the day before 50 we went back TO the le-
cation and prepared for the worst. We were
surrounded by bowling mob of Chinese at
the railroad station and made our way with
much difficulty back TO Legation street, al
though none OF the Chinese offered 10 do us
bodily harm. 1t was not long thereafter that
serious trouble began. however. The very
next day missionaries from the burned Catho-
lie cathedral at Nantung came TO the legation
for protection and we had our hands full look
ing after their wants
There were hundreds OF wounded native
Christians. / saw little children with spear
wounds all over their bodies. and many others.
old and young. bleeding and burned 1t was
an awful sight and impressed Us with the fear
OF a worse fate for ourselves. With two chill
dren at home and a daughter with me was
afraid to think so | turned in and did what
| could for the immediate comfort Of the suf-
fering ones under our care.
After we all took refuge in the British lega-
ton elaborate plans for our defence were un-
dertaken. We experienced no difficulty in
getting to the British legation, although con
any har9ssed 9y Boxer ,R mob dhG hHSsiad
British legations. The men cut through the
intervening walls and then made our retreat
There was plenty of work for the women sew
ing sandbags, &C. Our forces made sortie,
captured the establishments Of number. Of
nCh Chinese merchants and appropriated
enough silks and rich stuhs TO clothe an, army
In raiment a. rich as Soomons. This all went
for sandbaRs. We made sandbags out of
costly silks and the richest embroidered fabrics
to be found in the realm of the Empress Dowager.
II seemed an awful eGtrayagance but cheaper
material was not at hand and the silk cost
nothing but an effort. The houses OF the
Chinese had to be burned to drive out their
After this there was continued fighting
day and night. The Boxers We're not wanting
in diligence and one, night captured wall
that separated us from the native city. W.
regained It. however. through the heroism Of
Of the Newark's men. With his little score Of
brave lads h. made rush for the wall and
captured 1t without a, scratch. Shortly after
that Capt, Myers received spear wound and
on top Of that suffered an attack Of typhoid
fever that threatened his life.
c5s TRe Es deye9Rf RRn TRo7 heT9ss sS Sir
commander chief Of all the allied forces and
Secretary Herbert + .squrea Of the American
and carried out the defence Of tho legations
with the advice and cooperation of the other
Minister'S. Our men made their own ammun-
ton when ammunition ran short. Bullets
were moulded In the ground We captured
lots OF Chinese p9wder Joseph Mitchell.
gunner of the oS Newark was o 9ne Of 3rcs the
lie captured an old English gun that was made
back In lS6O, mounted II on an Austrian carriage.
loatei il with Russian ammunition and Chinese
powder and fired IL day and night throughout.
He vent through this trying ordeal without
a scratch to the very day the relief forces ar
rived when he was shot in the arm. The brave
fellow was taken to Tientsin and when We left
II was feared he would lose the arm. We called
the gun International and il was the pride
of the legations 70 the day the last shot was
fred"
Mrs Woodward said the legations had plenty
Of canned fruits, meats and ieieS. but lacked
and mules, even, favorte riding animals were
slaughtered.
Miss Payen, n miniature painter. refused
~ talk Of her experiences in Pekin without
ray. She had no experiences different from
the others.