Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-28
MURDER OF AMERICANS
DEFINITE NEWS CALLED BY CONSUL
GENERAL GOODNOw.
Remained at Paoting and Were Kill
cd, Although Promised PrOtec-
ton by Authorities.

The following dispatch has been received
at the State Department from Consul Gen
eral Goodnow, at Shanghai, dated July %:
IAN official telegram received here on the
18th. said that all foreigners and many ma
tive Christians had been killed at Taoting.
the missions burned. Americans Sincox
family. Taylor. Pekin, Misses Gould. Nor
ril. The customs office reports disturbances
at Yunan yesterday"
The cablegram Is somewhat confused, but
Is given out exactly as received by the
State Department. 1t probably means that
the Americans who were killed comprised
the Sincox family. either a man or wo-
man named Taylor. another named Pitkin
and the Misses Gould and Morril.
The name Pekin 10 believed at the State
Department to be Pitkin as inquiries for
all American Of that name have been made
at the department.
Taoting is about seventy-ive miles south
west Of Pekin.
Missionaries in the Interior.
The Department of State is in receipt Of
a cable dispatch from Consul Fowler at
Cfefoo. In reply to one sent him asking in
formation Of missionaries in China Mr.
Fowler. In his reply, says that only one
missionary, presumably French, Is known
to be In the interior Of Honan. At Shan
tuns only Americans are situated. Those
not rescued are the persons who went to
Pek1n belonging to the American board Of
foreign missions and are believed to be Ar
thur Smith and wife. Wyckoff sisters
Chaplin. wife and two children. These
names We're given in previous cable dis
patch. In which Mr.. Fowler said that only
two foreigners were In the interior, both
French.
First Definite News.
Consul General cnodpo-'s 5{vn,t,b g.. tho
first definite news of the murder of any
American missionaries The only previous
reports of the killing OF any Of the workers
in the missionary field were those Of
Messrs. Norman and Brooks. English mis-
scenarios; Of Bishop Fantoxzatti and some
Italian priests. and Of several Roman Cath
olics at Mukden.
The New York Herald says regarding the
americans who have been killed:
Ten adults and six children OF foreign de-
scent, most of whom were Americans, are
known to have remained at Pao-Ting.
Though their mission buildings had been
burned. both the Taotai and the Viceroy of
Chilli promised to protect them. notwith-
standing that the Boxer" movement origi-
mated and showed Its greatest strength in
that region.
There were then about twenty mission
aries connected with the three missions at
Pao-Tlng. The stations belonged to the
Presbyterian board of foreign missions to
the American board Of commissioners of
foreign missions (CongregationaD and to
the China inland mission Of England.
Several missionaries refused to trust the
Chinese viceroy and fled to the coast, es-
Gaping to Japan and Corea. But there re-
manned In Pao-Ting until too late to escape
the following persons:
The Rev. and Mrs. F. z. Simcox and
three children. DIR. and Mrs. Cortlandt Van
RENSSELAER, Hodge and DR.. G. Yardley Tay-
lof OF the Presbyterian mission; Miss Annie
Mnr G
Rev. Horace 7. Pitkin OF the Congrega-
tional mission. and Mr.. and Mrs Bagnall
and three children of the China inland mis-
sion.
less than year. Both occupied prominent
positions in Philadelphia society Dr. Hodge
being the nephew of Alexander Van Rens-
seiaer, who married Mrs. Drexel-PeIl. They
had been devoted friends since childhood
and before their marriage last year they
decided to give up their positions in So
ciety and devote their lives to spreading
the Gospel as missionaries.
Mrs. Hodges applica ton was made out in
her maiden name. Elsie Campbell Sinclair
DR.. Hodge resigned leading position in
the Presbyterian hospital, at PHILADELPHIA
to take up missionary work. They were
married. and sailed for China as their we'd
ding tour
Dr. G. Yardley Taylor was born Of aristo-
cratic parents. at Taylorville, Pa, on May
Is. 1852, and had a promising future be-
with high honors at the University Of
Pennsylvania. He left his home In Buring-
ton. n. j.. in 1885. to take charge of the
hospital connected with the PRESBYTERIAN
nission at Pao-Ting.
The Rev. F. e. SimcoX of Bullion, Pa.
became a missionary in 1892. One year
later he made Mary L. ellison, whose father
now lives In Ludon. Pa. his wife They
had three children. all of whom accom-
panied them. One was only few months
old.
The Rev. Horace T. Pitkin, who was born
in Philadelphia, left this country four years
ago. shortly after his ordination in the Com
grega tional Church. in Cleveland, Ohio.
Mrs. Pitkin and their one child are visiting
her father. at Troy. Ohio. Mr. Pitkin was
a graduate of Yale University and of the
Union Theological Seminary.
Miss Mary S. Morrill, and Miss Annie A.
Gould were both from Portland, Me- They
were first reported to have gone to Pekin,
but We're detained. They were intimate
friends and sailed for China together
Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Bagnall, who
were connected with the China inland mis-
SION have been In China more than twenty
years. They were Of English birth. They
have three children. one of whom Is known
to be with them.