The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-09-05
0rgie Of Lootipg
Rapiue and Death.
THE FATE OF PIE no
VALLEY.


VALLEY.
Taku, Aug 80, via Shanghai, Sept
3.-The Chinese in the Pei 10 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 lootiDg and de
struction continues, with much useless
slaughter of unofending inhabitants
While the international forces were
advancing the commanders. notably
the Japanese, American and British,
enforced certain degree Of protec
ton 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. NO OCCUPATION
In the overcrowded, famine threat
ened districts away from the river
their lives and small possessions are
at the mercy of bands Of soldiers
travelling about without officers
The conditions prevailingl cave lit
ground for the favorable comparison
Of civilized warfare with Chinese
methods. Robbery, ravishing and
murder are so common that eveyr
responsible person one meets contri
butes stories from personal obeerva-
ton The walled city of Tung Chow
was the only town IN the pathway of
the international forces whose people
remained and attempted to continue
business During it's occupation the
Japanese patrolled the place efficient
ly, protected the people and prevent
ed looting beyond the amount inevi
table with any army Gen Chafee
stationed a guard around the historic
temple outside the wall, forbiddlng
his troops to enter The com
manders encouraged the inhabitants
to resume business, promising pro
lection to all peaceful persons.
When the armies advanced, how
over. the guards were removed, only
a small British and American gar
risou being left outside the wall. A
correspondent of The Associated
Press, returning from Pekin. found
Tung Chow stripped like corofeld
after a plague of grasshoppers
Everything portable. of the small
est value, had been taken, goods from
shops, clothing. food and furniture
Parties of soldiers of every national
ity were roaming about unrestricted
and, presumably, were doing much
wanton destruction. in the Split of
deviltry, smashing furniture and
glassware, ard tramplipg books and
pictures under foot Most Of the
Chinese were submitting to all this
in abject fear. The few who dared
to protect were kicked about.
Bodies lay in the streets. apparent.
'y those Of non-combatants The
inhabitants without food or clothing,
were budding in back yards in a
pitiable condition.
The villages to the southward are
even worse despoiled. One week
after Pekin was taken the traveller to
Tien Tsin was seldom out of sight Of
burning houses. Fires are started
daily, although the shelter will be
much needed if the troops are to hold
the country during the winter.
The soldiers ale having ''6oe
sport" in using natives who creep
back to their homes or attempt to
work in the fields as 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
the Russians has been q blot on the
campaign the recital of notorious
facts speaks more forcibly than could
any adjectives. When entering Pekin
correspondents of the Associated
Press saw Cossacks 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
onkIaa and heat ont their hraina m