The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-08-21
ESCAPE DEATH
BUT NARROWLY

ana tnree children, Miss M. J. Mcintosh
and Miss g. Taft.
Mr.. and Mrs. Goforth with their chill
dren. miss NJ. J. Mcintosh and Miss II.
A. Pyke OF the above party were mem
bern of the party of missionaries who had
fed from the Honan province ana who
were attacked by several hundred Chi
nese while on their way to Shanghai and
safety. DR.. p. c. Leslie, who passed
through here on the Hongkong Maru ON
the 11th instant, wounded and helpless.
was one of the same party and told his
thrilling story to an Advertiser reporter.
Di Leslie's story OF the brutal attack on
the little party of missionaries was pub
lished in the Advertiser of Saturday, Au-
gust II.
GoFoRTH's STORY.
It. was just after dinner last night,
shortly after the China had docked. that
Mr.. and Mrs. J. Goforth, with their five
charming little children, the Rev. and
OF es. and several others of the mission
aries aboard were gathered on the steam
er's deck and Mr.. Goforth and Mr.
Holmes told their interesting stories to
al Advertiser reporter.
Mr.. Goforth wore q large bandage
around his head. hiding an ugly and at
one time dangerous wound received By
svcrd in the hands Of an infuriated Chi
nese during the attack on the party In
which DR.. Leslie also figured. Mr.. Co
forth went over the story Of the attack
and brought out many facts which have
nor heretofore been published.
\ I'VE were connected with the Canadian
Presbyterian Mission In the northern part
of the province of Honan,' said Mr.. Co
forth, land up to the last moment before
the Chinese in our district received word
of the doings Of the Boxers, the natives
were most friendly to us and everything
was going on as well as cot.- be desired
But when official messengers burst IN
to the midst of our people. carrying aa
token Of war to the death q burnt
feather stuck into the end Of an arrow
and delivered to the Chinese the order,
coming from the Government as 1t must
surely have come, to put all foreigners to
death-then it was that the Chinese went
wild with hate for us missionaries and
threatened all kinds of terrible things.
Then came the order from our Consul 70
leave the country; indeed, we were all
ready to leave when the message came.
and it didn't take us long to pack what
things we were to take with US and start
for the southern part of Honan In carts
Ell route to Shanghai.
"Dr. Leslie no doubt told you how the
party of about eighteen which left Ho-
nan was split in two and how our party
was attacked by several hundred Chi
pese. Those attacked were Mr.. and Mrs.
NJ. McKensie and child, Mr.. and Mrs. J..
Gcforth and children, j. Griffith. T. c..
Heed, Miss NJ. ]. Mcintosh, Miss DIR. J. ].
Dow, Miss M. A. Pyke and DR.. and Mrs-
P. G. Leslie.
II do not believe that the attack by
several hundred Chinese on our little par
ty on Sunday, July s. was made simply
with the idea of robbing US Of our be-
longings and what money We had with
us. The Chinese may not have been Box
ers, but they were certainly imbued with
the spirit of the Boxers and knoR that
their first idea was TO do away with n
land not allow us to get out OF the co~l1'
try. Why! when we were attacked thets
were something like 10, 900 Chinese gather
ling from all around for we were near Z
biz town, to stand by and see us siaugh
tered. They did not move to help us, AMI
lof Them and believe that we would hev,
iau been killed IL II had not been for th1
lpleading Of the women. The fendish Chi
nese rushed upon with swords, stone
and a few firearms: we were almost de
fenceless, having only three fevo}vers u
the party. We fired first In the air
me aiming only to frighten them. but thi
lhao very little effect. DR.. Leslie, for ex
an pie, had fired all his cartridges excep
one without aiming at any one, when
lmaddened at last by his numerou
wounds, he shot and killed big Chimes
who was just about to strike him on tn
head with his sword.
I'VE .besought the Chinese to take ou
goods and spare our lives, but they an
svered Us that not one of US was to b
spa red. Then our women begged 30 eie
qLently for the lives of the little chi
dIen that the leader of the attackfn
party shouted a command to his men
srare our lives. Then rush was mad
for our little property and we were roll
bel of all We possessed The mules q,
tached to our carts were wild with frfgt
at the sound of the pistol shots, IN
shouting and general noise OF the cor
fiict. / was knocked senseless by fea1
full blow on the head with Chimes
sword and was almost run over by tn
frightened mules.
I'VE know the Chinese too waIa not
know that every one Of them is aga .n
the foreigner now. Ind why7 Becaus
they are ordered so to be. Chtuel
does little or nothing OF his own fr<
w:n He dare not under the form Of Co
errment which exists In China He do
what he IL told to do by his superiors
rot that which he wants to do. They ga
that the Boxers are conducting q can
lpaign on their own responsibility. II car
mot be so. The Boxers are undoubted
lauthorized In all their actions by the Ch
neee Government. Death to all foreigl
ersr Is the cry that now rings out On g
sI6es through the Celestial Empire.
know, and We all know, for fact tn,
ali Chinese officials are thoroughly in 4
g vor with the idea Of Kidding China OF q
e the foreign DEVILS
II when we all got to Shanghai after
long, tedious and dangerous journey, y
N felt relief impossible to describe.
}. course We cannot return to China uni
le Everything is settled, and am afraid th
E. by the looks of things at present that W
r be long time to come.
$50 DIR. G.. p. Smith passed throus
ID here, did he? knew DR.. Smith we'll