Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-08-23
THE FALL Of PEKIN.
The Entry Of the Allies into the
City Officially Confirmed.
DISPATCH FROM ADMIRAL RENEY.


Washington, Aug. 20.--From Gen.
Chatfee yesterday the war department
received official confirmation OF the
fall of Pekin and the rescue OF the
besieged legationers. The dispatch
OF the American commander was not
long and contained but few details,
but the unconcealed satisfaction with
which it was received by officials OF
the administration indicated clearly
the anxiety that had been engendered
by his prolonged silence. The ex-
PLANTATION Of his silence is suggested
in advices by the navy department
from Admiral Remey, who, tele-
graphing from Taku on the 18th, says
the telegraph line between that point
and Pekin is interrupted.
The cablegram from Admiral Re-
mey contains some important infor-
nation not mentioned by Gen. Chat
fee. He makes the startling state
ment, on japanese authority, that the
inner city of Pekin was being bonn
barded by allied forces. Admiral
Remey says, also, that the dowager
empress is detained in the inner city
by Prince Yungedo.
Advices received last night from the
foreign office at Toxic, Japan, by the
Japanese legation in this city, con-
firms and ampIify previous accounts
Of the capture of Pekin by the allied
troops.
Following is the text Of the dis
patch from Gen. Chaffee, dated the
18th, as made public by the war de-
partment: I'VE entered legations
grounds at five o'clock last night
with Fourteenth and light battery.
Eight wounded during days fighting;
otherwise all we'll"
II will be noted that the dispatch
Indicates that the American troops
entered the legation grounds at five
o'clock on the evening Of the 14th in
slant. BY the Washington officials
and by several legation officials to
whom 1t was shown, the date Of Gen.
Chaffee's communication is regarded
d an error of transmission. 1t is be-
iieved that the word "l5tlk should be
"l6th."
Admiral Remey's dispatch, dated
the 18th, which contains much in
teresting information in a few words,
II as follows. Telegraph line to
Pekin interrupted. Information,
Japanese sources; empress dowager
detained by Prince Yungedo, inner
city, which Is being bombarded by
allies. Chalree reports entered lega-
ton grounds evening Nth. Eight
wounded during days fighting;
otherwise all WELL"
The startling feature Of the dis
patch II that fighting within the city
Of pekin was continuing, according
to the adyices of Admiral Remey.
The inner, or, as it is popularity
known, the Forbidden City, evidently
had not been taken. II Is surrounded
by a massive wall Of solid masonry,
more than 20 feet high, and 1t Is not
regarded as surprising that the Chi
nese should make their final stand
within its shadows. Prior to the re-
ceipt of the dispatch 1t was accepted
generally as fact that the dowager
empress, in company with the EN-
peror and a large suite, had left Pc
kin. While nothing is said in Admit
raj Remey's advices as to the where
sbouts OF the emperor, 1t is deemed
scarcely probable that he left the
city without the empress dowager'
Minister WI said to the Associated
press yesterday that he had official
edvices to the effect that the emperor
and empress dowager had gone from
Pekin to the province of Shen-Si, a
considerable distance west of the cap
Ital city. He hal not been advised to
what city they had gone, but it
seemed probable that their destina-
tion was the capital of Shen-Si prov
ince. The minister believed they
were entirely out of danger The
statement that the dowager empress
was detained by Prince Yungedo,
therefore, gave him little concern, al
though he expressed some interest In
Il. He said there was no Chinese
Prince Yungedo. 1t is not Chinese
name.
At the japanese legation the dis
patch Of Admiral Remey was read,
quite naturally, with the deepest in
terest There, too, II was said that
'Yungedo was not Chinese name.
No Japanese official of that name was
known to the legation attaches.
Their solution of the question raised
by the dispatch was that the name
should be Yung Lu. He is the COM
mander-in-chief Of the imperial Chi
nese troops, and is said to have
strong pro-foreign inclinations and
sympathes. No conjecture was of
fered as to the reason for the deten-
ton of the dowager empress by him.
Among Washington officials 1t is re-
garded as hardly likely that the EN-
press dowager is being detained by
any Chinese official II she be in Pc
- n Il