The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-09-05
Orgie of Lootiug
Rapiue and Death.
THE FATE OF PIE HO
VALLEY.

Taku, Aug 30. via Shanghai, Sept
3.-The Chinese in the Pei Ho valley
are paying dearly for the folly of
their government The retribution
they are suffering exceeds the ord;.
nary penalties of war. Along the
river and the roads travelled by the
foreign troops between Tien Tsin and
Pekin az orgie of looting and de
struction continues, with much useless
slaughter of unoffendiug inhabitants
While the international forces were
advancing the commanders, notably
the Japanese, American and British.
enforced certain degree of protec
tion for property not needed for mil
itary purposes.
At that time most of the popula.
ton, except the fighting men had fed
But now the people are returning
to their homes only to find no rice,
NO SHELTER. OCCUPATION
In the overcrowded. famine threat
ened districts away from the river
their lives and email possessions are
at the mercy of bands of soldiers
travelling about without officers
The conditions prevsilingI cave lit
ground for the favorable comparison
Of civilized warfare With Chinese
methods. Robbery. ravishing and
murder are 90 common that evnyr
responsible person one meets coutri
butes stories from personal observa.
tion The walled city Of Tong Chow
was the only town 10 the pathway of
the international forces whose people
remained and attempted to continue
business During its occupation the
Japanese pstrolled the place efficient.
", protected the people and prevent
ed looting beyond the amount iuevi
table with any army Gen Chatfee
stationed q guard around the historic
temple outside the wall, forbidding
his troops to enter The com
msnders encouraged the inhabitants
to resume business, promising pro
lection to all peaceful persons.
When the armies advanced, how.
over. the guards were removed, only
q small British and American gar
rison being left outside the wall. A
correspondent of The Associated
Press. returning from Pekin. found
Tong Chow stripped like coru6eld
after plague of grasshoppers
Everything portable. OF the small
est value. had been taken. goods from
shops. clothing. food and furoiture
Parties of soldiers of every national.
ity were roaming about unrestricted
and, presumably, were doing much
wanton destruction. in the spirit of
devilt'y, smsshing furniture and
glassware. and trsmpling books and
pictures under foot Most of the
Chinese we're submitting to all this
in abject fear. The few who dared
to protect we're kicked about.
Bodies lay iu the streets. apparent.
y those Of non.combatants. The
Inhabitants without food or clothing,
we're budding in back yards in
pitisble condition.
The villages to the uthward ste
even worse despoiIed. One week
after Pekin was taken the traveller to
Tien Tsin was seldom out of sight of
burning houses. Fires are starsed
daily, although the shelter will be
much needed If the troops are to hold
the country during the winter.
The soldiers s,e having "ioe
sport" 10 using natives who creep
back to their homes OF attempt to
work in The felds az targets The
sight Of farmer lying where he was
shot with . basket of grain or armful
OF other produce nearby is quite
common. The Russians are the chief
actors In this style Of conquest but
the French are remarkably couspicu.
Gus, considering their small numbers
The Indian troops and the Japanese
are participants only when beyond
the ken Of their Offices
From the beginning the conduct of
tho Russians has been q blot on the
campaign The recital of notorious
fscts spesks more foroibly than could
any adjectives. When entering Pekin
correspondents of the Associated
Press saw Cossscks smash down
Chinese women with the butts of
their guns and pound their beads
until they were dead The Cossacks
would pick up children barely old
enough to walk, hold them by the
ankles and beat out their brains on