The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-10-17
LOOTED IS
CHINESE CAPITAL.
ONLY THE SACRED CITY
HAS SO FAR ESCAPED
THE FOREIGNERS.

sensus of opinion Of the American
and British ministers and generals is
that seldom II ever in the history of
the world has any city been more
completely looted and gutted than
Pekin and It is mainly due to the
influence Of G en- Chaffee and the British
general, Gaselee that tho sacred city
itself has not suffered the same fate
In fact. most Of the members of the
eabsssies, their families aud even the
missionaries think that q great mis.
take wss made 10 not looting il and
burning it to the ground. They
argue that If all the property of the
merchants, bankers. brokers and
the houses of the very poor have
been looted and burped. Why should
the property Of those mainly respon.
sible be saved aud held sacred for
theis future use. 2,a
Il 10 % every day sight to see col
diers. camp followers end members of
the riff raft that 10 following the army,
selling all sorts Of tAipgs. particularly
the silver shoes, which were used 90
cssh. valued ss 81. $18. $50 and $50
according to weight Hundred
dollar Watches we're selling for IS,
but now prices have gone up and
silver shoes ere selling for two thi.ds
OF their value aud other thlugs
accordingly -
The proprietor of the Pekin hotel
hss sought. il is stated. silver worth
over quarter Of . million dollars,
st cost Of less than $50. 900.
The Sikh soldiers have done . lot
Of trading in silver. buying from the
Russisns chesply snd selling st q
profit A former street arab from
New York hss made clear $4,000
with . capital Of nothing except
unlimited cheek aud no scruples
whatever on the subject of his right
TO loot
Auction Gales take place at tho
Britlsh Legation every afternoon Of
looted goods turned 10 by the troops,
bot tue prices are high. fetching
sometimes more than the things are
ssually sold for in the stores in
norusl times ~ = -
Msj Wsller hes 10 bis possession q
vast smoout OF stsG. . large portion
Of which hss been taken from iooters
Geo Chaffee has not yet decided with
regard to ito disposition, but it
probably will be sold s< auction
American soldiers have no, been
officially allowed to loot, but only to
forage. which means that parties
have gone out daily over the Ameri
can quarter and collected the things
most needed by the troops, such az
bedding, furniture for camp use, etc.
Most of the soldiers on the march TO
Pekin threw away their blankets and
other implements which rendered the
march under borning suu uudesira
bile At night now they would
suffer from cold il they had not been
allowed to commando. the necessary
covering. Il is only human nature
il the soldier boys in that duty
should pick robes Of ermiue. gray fox
skins and other warn fura rather
than those Of . cosrser snd uglier
appearance Some of the most Der.
sistent Iooters have been the mission
sries
Recently meeting one with Eve
carloads Of fore and antique furni
ture. Maj Waller asked The missionary
by what right be had taken the
things. and to his astouishmens was
told that they had been taken by
permission Of Maj Waller He in.
formed the missionary that he was
mistaken. ss be himself wss Ma;
Waller. and that be should confisca,e