The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1900-07-12
POISON OR SWORD
,rrny.TIyE OFFERED EMPEROR
AND THE DOwAGER.
cameron Took Poison and Died,
IN, the Crafty Dowager Took
ouly a Portion of what Was Of
tered Her. and Survived = Small
Basis for Hope That the Stories Of
the PICKING Massacre Are Untrue
chinese Preparing for q Long
Campaign United States Force
My he Augmented.

London, July THE story that all
foreigners in Picking were murdered
on Jrne 30 or July appears to be
circulating simultaneously at Chefu,
shanghai and Tien-tsin. Yet. as 1t Is
not confirmed by official dispatches
and is not traceable to the Southern
yiceroys, who are still In certain con
necton with Picking, there Is basis
for the hope that ii is untrue. Cau-
tjous observers at Shanghai recognize
that even through these reports are re
iected, events in Picking must be gal
Looping to a tragic end.
Correspondents of the Express at
Shanghai gathered details from Chi
nese sources, which, pieced together.
relate that when the foreigners am
munition was exhausted the Boxers
and imperial troops rushed the British
legation and poured into the court yard
with faLatical fury. The foreign
troops were so
HopeIessly Outnumbered
that their fate was certain. The mo-
ment the mob broke In the court yard
was converted into shameless. 9th
ers of the invaders spread into the I'm
terror of the building. One CORES
pondent adds: 1T Is only left to hope
that in the final rush Of the murderous
hordeS the men of the legations had
time to STAY with their own hands
their women and children. The Chi
nese are whispering the terrible story
under their breaths. Their attitude
toward foreigners in the streets has
undergone a strange change. The de-
meancr Of the better class of Chinese
Is one of pity rather than of triumph.
Even the rabbie in the native quarters
are silent. Something Of this cul-
minating tragedy in the CHASTITY his.
tory Of recent events in Picking seems
TO pervade the very atmosphere here
and to compel belief against all our
hopes. The consul fears the
Report Is Too True
and the Chinese officials do not appear
TO seek rea2ons for n denial
Two Manchus who have arrived at
Shanghai certify to the truth of the
statement that Prince Tuan visited the
palace and offered the emperor and
the dowager empress the alternative
of poison or the sword. The emperor.
they say, took poison and died within
an hour. The dowager empress also
chose poison. but craftily swallowed
only portion of what was offered
her and survived On the same day
the Chinese customs bureau was de-
stroyed, Sir Robert Hart, the inspector
of customs, and his staff escaping to
the legation. Intense Indignation Is
felt in Shanghai against the action OF
the powers in restraining Japan from
sending an army to Picking immedi-
ately. The powers are accused as be-
ing as guilty of murder as are Prince
Tuan's fanatics, and Sir Robert Hart
Is blamed for not having informed the
foreigners of the importation of arms,
especially few weeks ago.
Preparing for Long Campaign.
The Chinese commanders are prepar.
ing for long severe campaign and are
putting into operation plans drawn UP
by German officers last year for resist
Ing an invasion from the seaboard by
Russia. The correspondent Of the
Daily Mail at Shanghai, telegraphing
under date OF July s, 12:15 p. m, says
that he believes that when official In
formation comes regarding Peking 1t
may inclnde news OF the outraging OF
English women and torturing of chill
dren. 1t may be taken for granted, he
asserts, that all foreigners In Picking
have been wiped out. These are the
whisperings in the native quarter, and
1t must not be forgotten that the tele-
graph lines by which alone the news
can come are solely In the hands of the
Chinese. The native rumors are likely
to have their source in solid basis
and the native officials are believed to
be preparing the way for the reception