The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-10-02
THAT REIGN
OF TERROR
in PEKlN.
Mrs. John n. Inglis, Of classyille,
Pa, Graphically Describes the
Siege Of the
BRITISH LEGATION IN pEKIN.
A a Of Horror That Happily End
ed in the Relief Of the Be.
sieged by the Anles. HI

Among the American missionaries
fooped up in the British Legation in Pc
Kin during that reign Of terror that
happily ended with the relief Of the be-
asteged by the allied forces, We're Or.
an and Mrs, John NJ. Ipglls. Of claysyllle.
Pa,who are well known in Wheeling,
especially among PresbyterIana, Mrs.
ipslis. in a letter to her father and
/ mother, graphically describes The
siege. The letter, which was publ,sred
IN the Claysyille Recorder, Is given be-
low; r.
Isss5 PICKING, China, August Il, 1900.
n Dearest Mother and Father:- rwo
months yesterday since our home vas
burned and eight Weeks Tomorrow
Since we came to the British legation,
but our relief troops are this morning
pounding away on the south city wall.
we have been under fire fiye days now,
two days both cannon and rifles the
last two nights we have had the hard
est attacks we have experIenced Last
night they began before SUNSET and
ceased with dawn. But between their
Solleys we heard the roll of distant
cannon and the rapid click" "cliclt'
ofla machine gun planted by on. relie:
force at the Jung Tien Men, the en-
trance to the south city. They will
have q double gate to pass through to
get here. but they viii epier right At
the legations. None Of us slept, every
one was excited, saw Lady McDon-
aid dart across tho court, the bullets
whizzing about her like hail, and into
the main hall for the news.
Many, many times there have been
rumors Of foreign artillery, until 1t grew
to be standing joke. but last, night we
all heard it roll upon roll, volley after
yolley, and this morning plainer than
ever. Last night the firing was so
dreadful that thought perhaps God
took the baby to save her worse
death, and thought OF her In her quiet
little grave, the awful guns Bounding.
nothing disturbing her. But when I
heard the artillery so near, heard hys-
tprical laughter and talking all around
Ieould only creep back to her bed anu
weep for the little one. for, oh, how
We had planned to celebrate this
day.
Born in China.
Mrs. Lowrle's husband was born In
China, and he is coming with the Uni
ted States troops as interpreter. Mrs.
Lowrie has not seen him for sixteen
weeks. and she Is wild with delight.
In oil these eight weeks We have been
able to get but four mcssengers to Tien
Tsln and return. Think of it! Our
refugees are almost Starving, we are
nearly at the end of our horse meat.
having now killed eighty-four. Every
man who had 4 horse or mule gave 1t
up.
The heat and dampness for three
days past has been most eaervatins.
! Our clothes are saturated most OF the
time. I have been III for the past two
days. but will get up to-day to see
the troops come in. Word came on Fri
day last to expect them on the 18th Or
18th, as they were simply driving the
B Chinese before them.
Life here has been very Unpleasant
for some time past. Fleas and mos
tqultos are dreadful, and the sand flies
worse. Many are sick with diarrhoea
and a low fever. Dysentery has at.
tacked the Russian soldiers. The Sec
ond Russian victim was expected TO die
last night. Chinese babies are dying
4 by the score, but they are in a separate
compound.
Only Forty-Five Escaped.
a OF the nearly 800 membership OF our
Presbyterian churches in Picking only
-rorty-five escaped here as refugees. We
have good reason to believe that the
others have been slain. On July 9 the
empress issued an edict ordering them
to recant or be killed. Several times