The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-08-29
Government Of China Directed
the Kansu Troops to Muir
der Foreigners.
PROMINENT CHIMAMAN'S DIARY.
II Also Says That the German Min
lister Was Accidentally Shot
Coatlagration in Chi
nese Capital.

San Francisco. Cal. Arg cs-From The
diary of high Chinese official in Pekin,
published IN the North China Daily News,
the following extracts are taken:
"By the 4th of June the Boxer outlaws
had begun to tear up aud destroy the rail
way between Prkin and Ten-Tsn and
from that day also began to enter the city
walls OF Pakin crowdirg IN al the rate OF
over q thousand 4 day. Al this time also
these outlaws began the wholesale slaugh-
ter Of Christians and burning Of churches
outside of Pellin until rone of the latter
have been left standing. As many as could
escape among the Christians then poured
into the capital. taking refuge in the leEa-
tions This state of affairs. | may say. ex-
listed in the capital during the first DAYS Of
June.
nth June. 7ana-1.th day of the fifth
moon. 26th year of Kwans Hsu: About
dusk while In the University Of Pekin. l
saw four places on fire, whereupon l i'nnle-
diately returned 20 my house, subsequently
learning that all the churches and mission
property inside the city had been Set on
fire and entirely destroyed. There was huge
commution and riotinc. both IN the east
ern and western great thoroushfares. after
which great fusillade of rifle firing sue
ceeded. This was due to those places be
ing near the Austrian Legation. the inmates
OF which hearing a great connection
against the Boxers in the great thorough
fares and seeing them approach close 10
the legation, began to shoot them. The
Boxers returned the fire. the mutual firing
lasting till 1l:S0 p. m. when both sides
ceased.
Pail Of smoke Over Capital.
18th June: To-day The fire and smoke rts-
ing from buildings set on FIRE on the great
street leading from the south gate of the
palace was awful. So dense was the smoke
that throughout the day there was pail
over the capital. making the sun a pale
yellow. II Seems that the Boxers had set
fire 10 the old-established I.ao-Tang drug
shop, and there being at the time strong
southwest wind blowing. the confagration
had destroyed several hundred shops.
18th June: At noon to-day. as the German
Minister and his Interpreter were riding in
Sedan chairs to get to the Tsung Il va
men. and had just got north OF the single
imperial arch. suddenly there was heard a
shot IN the Sedan chair of the Minister,
due to the revolver which he carried as
The soldiers on guard at the Belgian Le-
CATION suspecting that the shot had been
fired by our Government troops. the foreign
soldiers Immediately opened their gates and
began firing on passers by. The Belgian
Legation is Just next the Tehsing Tang
house Thereupor our Government troops
returned the fire. During the mutual fusil-
ladies' those in the Sedan chair were hit. the
German Minister fatally. This was the be-
ginning of actual hostilities. The Govern
| ment, feeling that, under the circumstances,
the matter had got beyond recall, according
IL decided for the first time to order out the
kansu Corps to attack the various lesa-
tons
Kansu Troops Begin Firing.
Goth June: At D. IN. to-day Kansu troops
| began firing on the Austrian Legation from
the Princes palace from the great street.
The firing lasted all night.
"2lst June: At about 4:30 p. m. the Aus
| trian Legation was captured by the Kansu
troops and at about p m. they began set
ting fire to the buildings near by. As night
fell the building Just east of the Austrian
Legation. namely. the Imperial Chinese
Bank and the Dollar Mint. got on fire.
.22d June: AS morning broke we could
see tnat the conhaSraIlon was spieduiis
and buring more fiercely than ever. and 1t
seemed that the large railway station be-
tween the Austrian Legation and the I'M
periaI Chinese Bank had also been de-
stroyed Then troops belonging to Jung
Las own personal command came on the
scene to restore order and preserve the
peace. But instead of doing this they ac-
tually Joined the Kapsu men in getting loot
Eventually 1t was found that Jung Liu's
own army were the greatest sinners In
this respect.
9th June: Commencing from to-day the
Soma OF rife firing has never ceased sp!:ns-
ing UP on all sides. that in the direction of
the brisge over the Imperial Canal beirg
the mos. severe.
..2?th June: To-day the british Legation
was taken and the foreign troops took
refuge In lane. The houses in Chia Ming
street had by this time all been burned
down to the ground, scarcely any being left
standing
Here the diary ends. A letter from an
unnamed refugee. also published in the
North China Daily News, confirms many Of
the above statements.