The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-10-01

The Pittston Gazette. in a recent Is
sue, publishes an interesting letter
from Rev. Courtenay Fl. Fem at Pc
kin, who was supposed to have been
among the victims of the Chinese Box
ers.
Mr.. Fem is son of Mr.. and Mrs. s.
P. Fem. of Susquehanna avenue, West
Pittston. He is a missionary Of the
Presbyterian church in Pekin, and was
there with his family when the siege
of the foreigners in the Chinese capital
began. The last news received from
Mr.. Fem was dated the middle of
April. 1t was known that he was in
Pekin throughout the long siege. and
grave fears were felt for his safety.
His parents for long time. during the
gloomy days of the siege, gave up all
hope, but were encouraged when cable
news came Of the release of the for
eigners to hope that their son and his
family were among the saved. Daily
since then they have scanned the
newspapers for tidings as to the where
abouts and welfare of the missionaries.
None came, however, until an extended
letter was received by Mrs. Fem from
her son, announcing his safety and
that Of his family and giving graphic
description Of the siege.
The following extracts will doubtless
be Of interest to all:
British Legation,
Pckin, China, July %, 1900.
started letter to you about six weeks ago.
hut postal communications were cut of that
vnrv IlN md ci,pN 1,n,1 1,a, E.vt.t IL
life. We optimists have been in the wrong this
time, and there remains to us only the salts
faction of remembering the weeks of worry we
were saved before the grand catastrophe. As
this letter may not reach home before do,
shall not attempt to write in much detail of
the remarkable events Of these weeks, but my
pen may run on II ! am not too often interrupt
ed by the demands OF the -four mill. Yes,
have turned miller, and am grinding out several
barrels of -four and cracked wheat every day.
How many Of our messengers got to Tien Tsn
with news I know not as but one of them has
returned to us, and he after many perls. There.
fore do not know how much you may have
heard OF our position. With Just statement
that our one messenger who got through brought
sure ~ word Of the starting OF $1,000 men from
Tien Tsin July Goth Tor onr relief and that we
now look daily for their arrival, turn back to
where l left of many weeks ago. I must
rapidly on the 9TH and sth Of June that 1t was
decided to leave all our compounds and unite
in self defense at the NJ. L. mission, not far
from the legations lIurriedly completing the
packing begun forsPeitaite, we left all our pos
sessions, save few trunks and boxes. and on
the evening of our wedding anniversary, June
s. we arose from the supper to which we had
invited the InSlses, to go to that mission com.
pound. There we found almost all the other
Atr1Np
ranging the rooms assigned to them. l. was very
reluctant to run away in that hasty fashion, as
it made the Chinese feel that we were forsakng
them; but Alice and Mrs. Ingls dared not
stay; so We went. Mr.. Whiting, however, re-
manned on our place. Next day, | went back
there, encouraged our Chinese as much as pos
sible and brought Mr.. Visiting away with me.
On Sunday ] went to both our compounds and
attended service at our own. The country RET
ugees OF other missions had gathered in such
numbers at the N. Z. mission that We. hoping
and really believing that there would he no
disaster in Pekin City. encouraged our church
members to stay in their homes and only to
come to us in case the danger became extreme.
Meanwhile, at the II. +. mission everyone was
busy building barricades, stretching barb wire,
digging bitches, fortifyng and provisioning the
church, which, except for its proximity to the
wall Of the city, made most excellent fort.
shooters, and we bricked up the windows. leav-
ing only "loop holes" The United States min.
lister sent us twenty marines ont OF his fifty
three, and the British minister loaned ten rifles,
in view OF our protecting London mission con-
verts. got one of the rifles, and we had drill
every evening for some days. The ladies' spent
most Of their time making coats and trousers
for the American Marines who had only heavy
clothing. We men had regular hours on guard
had ~ fka lima f, q D
to 8 p. n., patrolling about 200 yards of lanes
from the mission compound to the University
compound. A few Of the 800 Chinese refugees
had pistols; Others had spears made for them.
THE FIRST BOXERs.
On Wednesday morning, June l3, as l
returned from the United States legation on
bright red sashes and yellow turban walking
rapidly toward the city gate near by, one for.
ward, the other backward, brandishng their
long knives in front Of an admirng following
OF idle men and number Of Chinese soldiers.
Strangely they paid no attention to me, and as
! had carelessly left my revolver at home,
was glad OF il. A little later, two Of them went
along Legation street with a crowd, The Ger.
man minister jumped into ricksha, pursued
them. captured one and tied him up in the ls.
CATION. During these few days marines raded
several temples and drove out Boxers, the war
rant being their threats in the city aud massa-
cres in the country, Wednesday evening, as we
came out after supper, some one cried that the
NJ 4. street chapel, not far away, was burning.
For moment we were in CONSERVATION then
women and children and baggage We're moved
quickly to the big church, we meen took places
on guard, while a few marines charged out
through the lane to the great street, driving
back the crowd pressing down our way to burn
and pilage, and killing few Of the Boxers
But there were not enough Of them to do more,
and through that night from the church roof,
we watched all the chapels, churches and for
eign dwellings in the city blaze up one by one,
burn furiously for hours and then die to dull
glow What did not so that night was burned
next day. We knew well what it meant, not
merely all the material work of years, and the
treasures Of many lifetime, but massacre oi
our native Christians; aud We dreaded the
morning. The next few days were the most aw-