The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1900-09-07
THE NON-COMBATANTS
Allied Troops Numbering Defense
less Women and Children.
The Chinese In the Pei ITO valley
Are Reported 60 he Paying
Dearly for the FoIIies OF
Their Government.

I
the ordinary penalties of war. Along
the river and the roads travelled by
the foreign troops between Tien-Tsin
and Picking an orgie of looting and
destruction continues, with much use
less slaughter of unoffending inhabi-
taniS. While the international forces
were advancing the commanders, no.
tably the Japanese, American and
British. enforced a certain degree of
protection for property not needed
for military purposes.
At that time most OF the popula-
ton except the fighting men had fed.
But now the people are returning 10
their homes. only 10 find no shelter
or rice or occupation. In the over
crowded, famine-threatened districts
away from the river their lives and
small possessions are at the mercy of
bands OF soldiers travelling about
without officers. The conditions
prevailing leave little ground for the
favorable comparison Of civilized war
fare with Chinese methods.
Robbery and murder and violence
10 women are 80 common that every
respectable person one meets contrib
utcs stories from personal observa-
ton. The walled city of Tung Chow
was the only town in the pathway of
the international forces whose people
resisted and attempted 10 continue
business.
When the armies advanced. how
ever. the guards were REMOVED. only a
small British and American garrison
being left outside the wall. 4 CORE
spondcnt. returning from Picking.
found Tung Chow stripped like a
cornheld after a plague of grasshop-
pers, c,rything portable of the small
est value having been taken goods
from shops, clothing. food and furni-
turc. Parties OF soldiers OF every ma
tionality were roaming about unre-
stricted. and. presumably, were doing
much wanion destruction. in the spir-
:. Of deviltry. smashing furniture and
glassware and trampling books and
pictures under foot. Most OF the Chi
ntse were submitting 20 all this in
abicct fear. The few who dared 10
protest were kicked about
Several bodies lay In the streets. ap-
parcntly those of non-combatants.
The inhabitants. without food or
clothing. were budding in back yards
in a pifiable condition.
The villages 20 the southwark were
even worse dcspoiled. One week after
Picking was taken the traveller 10 TEN
Tsin WAS seldom out Of sight OF burn
ing houses. Fires are started daily.
although the shelter viii Ice much
needed II the troops are 10 hold the
country during the winter. The sol
diers are having fine sport" in using
as targets natives who creep back 20
their houses or attempt TO work In
the fields The sight of a farmer ~
ing where he was shot. with basket
of grain or an armful Of other pro.
duce near by, Is quite common.
The Russians are the chief actors in
this style of conquest, but the French
are remarkably conspicuous. consid.
ering their small numbers. The In
dian troops and the ohpancse are
participants only when beyond IA,
ken Of their officers.
From the beginning the conduct OF
the Russians has been n blot on the
campaign. The recital of notorious
ffcts speaks more forcibly than could
any adiectivcs. When entering Pc.
king. the correspondent saw CossaclSs
smash down women with the butte
of their guns and pound their heads
until they were dead. The Cossacks
would pick up children barely able 60
walk. hold them by the ankles and
beat out their brains on the pave.
ment. Russian officers looked on with.
out protest.
While Gen. Chaffee was watering
his horse at stream under the wall
of Tung Chow. the Russians found a
feeble. old man hidden in the mud
except his nose and dragged him out
by the queque. shouting gleefully
Diey impaled him on their bayonets
Gen. Chaffee remarked. THAT is not
war. IL is brutal murder"
American officers at Taku. DAYS az.
ter the fighting was finished. saw
Russians bayonet Chinese children
and throw old men into the river
clubbing them 90 death when they
tried 10 swim. The Russians killed |
woven vito kneh before them and
begged for mercy. These incidents are
so numerous as TO compel the con
clusion that they are not isolated cpl |
sodes, but the ordinary practices OF
Russian methods of warfare.
The Russians on the walls of Pc. |
king would apparently shoot every
Chinaman within range outside. \
correspondent found many newly |
killed In the fields outside of the Rus.
sian section of the wall
Coiorcd Murderer Hanged.