The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-09-03

was a cargo of nearly $11 600 In silver,
besides a half dozen bars of bullion. lie
was not arrested, but hastily decamped
after saving that he would soon be at
Headquarters to prove his property.
That was two days ago. He hasn't peen
heard from yet.
In every quarter of the walled city
were found men and women of the vel
low race who had unquestionably been
killed by hooters. A few badly WOUNDED
feigned death and escaped. The taies
they tell are naturally harrowing-most
of them unfit for publication. 1t Is sa1e
to say that 1t has been a long time since
Christendom has been so dissraceo as
II was by the barbarous looting mere IN
Tien Tsin, though as i have already stat
ed, much of this horrible work was oole
by the Chinese themselves.
Yet even such tragedies as have mere
been enacted have their lighter slde.
One sample was the experience OF some
Russian soldiers. They were approached
by Chinaman who limited that for
consideration, he would show them tne
site of some buried treasure that ne ala
not dare dig up for himself. BY amt OF
scraping their pockets they got together
the required sum. Just as they were
starting one of their officers got wind
of the affair and said that he would go
too That meant. of course. that the sob
diers would get none of the treasure for
themselves. They were badly disappoint-
ed, but they picked up shovels and start
ed in the wake of their pilot. He led
them outside the city to a spot on the
bank of the canal. Here he showed them
that three small sticks had been driven
Gown I'm the ground. They began to dig.
their officer experimenting the work.
For some distance they dug, but still no
gladdening sight of treasure trove. The
Chinaman signed them to dig further,
and deeper they went. So deep. in fact,
that they got beloY- the water level. and
found themselves working In the mud.
Before long they were up to their knees
In water, but still they toiled. At last
they looked for the Chinaman. lie had dis
creetly vanished. They toiled another
quarter of AN hour. though with mis-
givings. then gave 1t up altogether. Mad
der Muscovites could not be found either
in China OF Russia.
Millions of Taels' Worth of Plumber.
1t is hard to give exact figures of the
plunder English officers admit that
million taels' worth was seized by them
Officially" but that was according 10
the rules of war, and legitimate. Olh-
cial accounting will be given TINS treas
ure 1t is impossible TO state with strict
accuracy how much fell into the hands
of looters pure and simple. An estimate
has been formed, however, and is doubt
less a. accurate as can be made. This
a.,,mata conseryatively places the
amount of private looting at over seven
million taels Some of this was stolen by
the Chinese but by far the greater part
fell into the hands of European soldiers
and the flotsam and jetsam of white pop
ulation from the foreign concession.
In all this gloomy view of the barbarlty
of which civilized peoples can be guilty
at times there is one consoling feature.
Tien Tsin has been for decades a noto-
rious fence for Pekin. The Chinese
capital has always been terrorized by
bands of thieves. 1t was their custom to
ship their plumber by the river route TO
Tien Tsin where there were many native
merchants who would buy 1t without ask
ing awkward questions. Probably most
of the treasure in the way OF precious
metals. Jewels silks and furs that was
taken from the walled Coy was stolen
from natives who had themselves secur-
ed il from thieves. Even that. of course,
does not justify the Europeans for their
bloody, greedy work. But we may be
proud of our own soldiers. They have
shown themselves manly. honest, noble
fellows.
Today Tien Tsin is quiet. There is or
der scmblance of government, and
there will be no more looting. Guards
have been placed wherever requested,
provided il was SHOWN that there was
valuable property to protect
Copyright 1900