The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-06-26
International Forces Raised
the Siege June %.
Relief Column Started I'm
mediateIy Toward Pekin
TO HELP OUT OTHERS
Who Started Over Same Route
Two Weeks Ago.
Conditions in Beleaguered City
Found to Be Horrible.
Dead Bodies of Massacred For
eigners Fill the Streets.
Dead Bodies of Massacred For
eigners Fill the Streets.
CHAFFEE TO COMMAND
Will Sail For China July l
With Sixth Cavalry.

Washington. June 2s.-The navy de-
partment has received the following
cablegram from Admiral Kempn:
"Taku. June 25.-secretary of the
Navy, Washington:
Relief force reached Tien Tsin. 23rd,
loss very small; Pekin relief force which
left Tien Tsin June 1O,reported ten miles
from Tien Tsin, surrounded: force left
Tien Tsin oath, to render assistance.
''KEMPFF"
DEAD LIE IN THE STREETS.
London. June 26.-1:2S p. m.-The ex-
elusive dispatch of the Associated Press
from Che Foo giving Rear Admiral
Kempffs authoritative announcement
Of the relief of Tien Tsin June %, re-
mained for hours the sole news of this
occurrence of world wide Importance.
At about / o'clock the Hong Kong and
Shanghai banks London branch re
ceived confirmation of the news and at
about the same time Mr.. Dawson, del
egate from Singapore to the congress of
the Association of Chambers of Com
merce of the United Kingdom. now in
session here. informed his fellow dele
gates amid loud cheering that he had
just received a dispatch from his son
announcing the relief of Tien Tsin.
The news reached Berlin later from
the German consul at Che Foo, who an
nounced that the relief column entered
Iirn Tsin during the afternoon of June
23 and started again June "A, to rescue
Vice Admiral Seymour, who, with the
foreign ministers was said to be occupy
ing a position twelve and a half miles
from Tien Tsin. where he was surround
ed and hard pressed by a great force of
boxers and Chinese regulars. Possibly
the japanese report that Seymour is
prisoner and that+he ministers had left
Pekin guarded by Chinese soldiers is
merely a distorted version of the Berlin
story. But in any event definite news
may be expected speedily, and it is con-
fidently believed here Seymour and his
companions will be safely delivered
from their plight.
According to the report of a China
man refugee who has arrived at Shang-
hal, the condition of Tien Tsin is horri-
bic. Everywhere in the streets are the
bodies Of massacred men and women.
Americans as well as all other nation
ahtes. The Hong Kong and German
banks were both destroyed early during
the bombardment
Shanghai also reports that the Ameri-
cO-Russian relief force was sO badlv
ambuscaded that the forces were obliged
TO abandon several field guns and much
ammunition. About $50 Russians and
IL Americans were killed or wounded.
The German gun boat Iltis and a Rus
sian torpedo boat destroyer are patrol
ling the Pei Ho and raking with ma
chine guns the native villages on the
river banks.
= dispatch to the Associated Press
from Canton says that city remains
quiet, but the female missionaries from
the outlying districts are coming in
owing to the warnings of native Chris
tiaus. The missionary hospitals are
being deserted by the students and SER
wants
Although it is officially said at Can
ton that Ii Hung Chang will not go to
Pektn he continues his preparations for
departure. a telegram from the gov
ernor of Lao Chou, dated June %.
which has reached Berlin. announces
thal acceIdlng 70 reports from chinese
sources, Vice Admiral SeymOur's force
has reached Pekin. This is probably
merely a retteratiOn Of the previous re-
ports on the same subject.
Washington. June 26-The Navy de-
partment announces that the armored
cruiser Brooklyn with Admiral Remey
VIII take 800 marines from Manila to
Taku, stopping at Nagasaki enroute
The gunbOat Princeton has been order
ed to Swato Annoy and Foo Chow
thence to Shanghai to install an electric
plant. keeping ever ready for i'm
mediate active service.
New York, June pa dispatch to the
Tribune from London says:
The dense fog has not lifted from
China The wires are down in every
direction from both Pekin and Tier
Tsin and Chinese messages received al
the seabord from the interior towns arr
not entitled to credence. An old time
official who resided in China for a Ions
period told me yesterday that he haC
followed the details closely, and tina
apart from the dispatches Of the ad
mirals at Taku there had been no au
thentic Information for q fortnight from
any source
The most significant and ominous fac
in the situation, he declared, was Primo
Tuau's presence as commander of tn
Chinese forces near Tien Tsin since thi
was a proof that the most powerful
leader Of the court was at the head o