The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-08-22
HIS SISTER
IN PEK|NG
J. P. Mccoy Here From
China.
LONG A RESIDENT THERE
He Gives His Opinions of the Boxer
Troubles--Russians are
Cruel.

]. +. Mccoy. travelling auditor for the
New York Life Insurance Company, is in
the city. having arrived on the China d.
rect from the Chinese Empire. Mr.. Nc
Coy is a relative of Mrs. Along and Mrs.
Montana. and nephew of Mr.. Edward
Fayerweather of Chicago, now spending
his vacation in Honolulu. and he will re-
main here for few weeks. Having come
direct from the scene Of the Boxer upris-
ings. and having tasted of the horrors of
the war in China, MIR. Mccoy speaks with
q thorough knowledge Of the startling
events which have taken place there in
the last two months. He was born In
China and speaks the languase>of the
Empire with a fluency w4nch surprises
the Chinese subjects with whom he con-
verses. II was this huency OF speech
which caused his name to be sent to Cen
eral Chafee, the commander Of the
American forces. as an interpreter. Gen.
CLaffee jumped at the opportunity of APP
IpCmting Mr.. Mccoy on his staff and tele-
graphed for him from Tien-Tsin TO Che
/ fco. But the latter never received the
telegram. That IL was sent he has good
reason TO know, but he lays its non-re-
ccipt to the cunning of the Chinese tele-
g1 aph censors. Not having received the
appointment and having rush orders to
rtI Ort to the New York office OF the COM
pany which he represents in the Orient.
Mr.. Mccoy was compelled to quit the
land OF massacres.
/ Miss Bessie Mccoy. his sister is a
missionary in China, where she has la
bored for several years. She was in Pc
king at the time the trouble first broke
'out and she was last heard from on May
p Indirectly word was received of her
,on June 3 and since then her fate has
been held in the balance. II is believed
by her brother, however. that she is at
the British Legation with the rest of the
foreigners who were driven out of the
Methodist Mission and compelled TO take
rtfuge in the stronghold formed by the
buildings ana compounds OF the Legation.
The meager accounts which have perco-
lated through the uncertainty which
hangs over all the foreigners in Picking.
have convinced Mr.. Mccoy that his sister
is yet alive. but under what circumstances
he Is unable TO state. II was reported to
him that the women were living in dug
lofts burrowed into the soil and that their
Ideily rations consisted only of horseflesh
an6 rice. Another rumor which has an
uncertain foundation, Is that the pro-for-
eign element OF the Imperial officials in
Picking. has rendered ard to the beleaguer-
ed missionaries and Legation attaches by
ser ding them food.
IL was for this reason principally that
Mr. Mccoy was so anxious to remain in
China until the crisis is over and to &C
company the American troops to the
trent and be on hand when the gates OF
Peking were opened to free the foreigners
OF the city-if any are left This would
have been n reasonable excuse to for
ward to his company to relieve him of his
inf Int rrh Ia he mir 70
IUrcle Sans soldiers I'm the field.
When the bombardment took place a
= Tien-Tsin. where the allied forces made
a stand. Mr. Mccoy had a room in on,
+ OF the large mission buildings. Two shers
one following the other, burst in the room
, wrecking the place, but happily not in
jUring him in the least. He says tn
shells are filed with an inferior grade o
I pow der and failed of as great execution
az they would II primed with standar'
, powder. Mr.. X. f.. Diffenderfer. secre
tary Of the National Silver Committee a
" ashington during the campaign of lSs'
: was a large mill-owner at Tien-Tsin an
: his place was completely demolished. An
: eered at his losses. Mr.. DiffendeTf
shouldered a rifle. armed others wit
d, weapons, and went to the front with tn
: forces in the defense of the city. II
!, fought like a tiger, says Mr.. Mccoy, an
" he believes many Boxers were killed q
: his hands.
y According to his statements, the fol
eign powers are more TO blame for tn
!, practical declaration Of war of China tina
the Chinese Government. Mr.. Niece
states that when the English Admiral d'
lclared that the Taku forts should be bon
barded by the allied fleets, Admir
- Kempn decided he would not join In II
firing. None OF the American vesse
tick part I'm the fight. Had this bon
=, Eardment of Imperial forces not been e
=, feCted, the foreigners of Peking wou
- have been given safe conduct TO u
" coast. SAYS AR. Mccoy emphatically.
- 1T Is my opinion that the allied feet
~ with the exception Of the American
- made grave mistake when they unde
Ia took TO silence the fortresses Of the CT
- nese Government. Previous to that boz
~ tafdment there was nothing absolute
certain that the Imperial Governme