The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-07-16
Murder of Ministers and
Others in Pekin Now
Taken for Granted.
ATTACKS ON THE LEGATIONS
REPULSED WITH GREAT SPIRIT TO
THE LAST.

Chinese LOnt Hundreds In Killed - FOR
eigners Reported to Have EIade II Sor-
tie rs n Last Resort In which 1900 of
the Enemy We're X IIed-Ch,n sc Jilic-
laIs Said to Have Known the Fate of
the Legations w eek Ago.
London, July 1880 a. NIT seems
impossible to entertain any longer the
least doubt as to the fate Of the Euro
peans in Pel1in. The Associated Press
learns that Lady Hart wife of Sir Rob-
ert Hart director of Chinese imperial
maritime customs, on July 5 received
the following telegram from her hus-
band:
"Our people, including the women, are
in the legations. Prepare to hear the
worst
The European governments have re-
ceived from their representatives at
Shanghai a dispatch from the governor
of Shang Tung, dated July 7, reporting
that the European troops made sortie
from Pekin and killed two thousand of
General Tung Fuh Siang's forces and
that the Boxers were mounting guns to
make a breach in the defenses.
Under date of July - the governor of
Shan Tung wires as follows: ''Native
soldiers and Boxers have been attack
ing the legations for some hours but
have not yet effected an entrance. They
are now all bombarding with large can
non to make a breach for heavy on
saught / fear that all the ministers
and the government as well are In great
danger. The government is intensely
anxious"
Finally came the news from Shanghai
that a breach had been made and the
foreigners killed All the dates proba-
bly, refer to a much earlier period but
the presumption Is that the successive
dispatches give an outline of what has
happened. The Europeans, having
reached the end of their resources,
made desperate sortie and then brave
ly met their fate The details of the
horrible story will probably never be
known.
The Shanghai correspondent of the
Daily Mail says: II can assert positive
ly that the Chinese authorities had the
dreadful news from Pekin week ago,
and that Sheng knew all the foreigners
in Pekin were dead when he asked the
American consul to cable Washington
proposal to deliver the foreigners in
safety at Tien Tsin on condition that
the allies would suspend their opera
tions 20 the north of Pekin.'
The correspondent adds certain de-
tails of affairs at Pekin after June 25.
According to his story the members of
the legations made daily sorties, some
times by night, and so successfully as
to compel the Chinese to retreat from
the immediate vicinity. These reverses
had a disheartening effect upon the
Chinese. and there soon began to be
open signs of disaffection followed by
desertions to Prince Chings army
which was endeavoring to cooperate
with the besieged. Ultimately Prince
Tuan decided to make night attack in
three powerful columns.
cat O'Clock in the evening of July
6th" says the correspondent fire was
opened with artillery upon the British |
legation, where the foreigners were con-
were battered with shot and shell and
huge breaches were made in them. |
Then a general advance was ordered; |
and the Chinese infantry, volleying |
constantly moved toward the gaps |
The fire of the defenders, however, was |
so accurate and steady that hordes of |
Chinese soldiers and Boxers broke and !
fled in the widest confusion, leaving |
E. So
around the legation. They could not be
rallied until they were out of the rifle
range of the foreigners
"Then Prince Taun, making des-
perate appeal, induced them to stand
and return to the attack Artillery fire
was then resumed and at the middle
watch a second attack was attempted.
But before the attackers could accom-
plish their intention they were again
driven back.
prince Ching fell and was supposed
to have been killed; but as the search
for his body was unsuccessful, it is
now believed that he was only wound
ed and was carried off and secreted by
his faithful retainers
General Wang Wen Shao, although
gray-haired and seventy years old val
iantly led his troops IN person. He was
killed. and his force, which was COM
plete'v outnumbered was routed
Throughout the night repeated at
tacks were made on the legation, but
these were invariably repulsed with
heavy losses. Toward the end of the
third watch, about 5 a. M, the allies
had practically defeated the besiegers,
who were wavering and gradually with
drawing. But just then General Tung
Fuh Sang arrived from the vicinity of
Tien Tsin with a large force of Kansu
braves BY this time the walls of the
legation had been battered down and
most of the buildings were in ruins.
Many of the allies had fallen at their
posts and the small band that was left
took refuge in the wrecked buildings, |
which they endeavored hastily to for
tify.
Upon them the fire of the Chinese