Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-30
THE FLIGHT FOR PEKIN,
Miss Croucher of Massachusetts Tells
of Missionaries Escape.


From the Boston Post; --ss
A relative of Miss Miranda Croucher. a
Boston woman and .one of the women mis-
sionaries at Tien Tsin, received from her
by mail on Wednesday the following letter:
TEN TSIN June I, 1900.
"Of course, your hearts have all been
stirred by the reports which the papers
have given in the last few days
When l was in Pekin at that time
never expected to be alive to write another
letter to any one, but God has spared us
thus far, but how much longer l do not
know.
we had four days of busy conference
work full of every kind of rumor and truth
me CHRISTIANS from every mission were
hooking in great numbers with most dread
ful tales of murder of men, women and
children. There were large numbers of ref
ugees in the A B. c. F. NJ. compound
THE tales are terrible; 1 could not tell
you half. There we were, all filled with
horror by the news that two men, Mr. Rob-
inson and Mr.. Norman of the English mis-
sion, were assaulted by Boxers. The au-
turned out Of the yamen, and were In flight
to a temple. Robinson was cut down, while
Norman taken for ransom He has
since been killed.
"A party of thirty Belgian engineers and
families on the new railroad below Pao-
ting-Fu left there with an escort of SOL
diers, who deserted them. and they literally
fought their way through to Tien Tsin
Three died on the way, or, rather were
killed party of Cossacks went out to
avenge them, and the leader was disem-
boweled. The American Presbyterians and
A. B. c. NJ. ladies and one man are shut I'M
in Pao-ting-Fu. We have not heard from
them for forty-eight hours and fear the
worst. If Chinese soldiers do not protect
them, there is no hope for any of us. There
is trust to be put in any OF the soldiers
They say that if the Boxers don't kill us
they will.
ION Monday last a party of us, three
ladies and six men, left Pekin for Tien
Tsin We arrived at the station only to
hear that the bridge was down thirty miles
away, and that one engine had gone out
with an inspector to look at things We
wired him and he sent the engine back A
train was made up and we went on, not
knowing whether we could get through or
not We found out afterward that no en-
gineer would take us, but that we went
through without authority with only fire.
man.
"Our men were heavily loaded, with
three Mausers, pistols and other firearms
and we approached the disturbed place
they hung out of the windows with arms
cooked and ready for use, while we ladies
kept still and out Of sight. They did this
as we passed three stations. The stations
had been burned and an attempt made to
burn the bridge.
1--WE got into Tien Tsin alive but found
every one scared to death about u.s. with
wires going back and forth. Since then
two more stations have been burned by
Boxers and trains have gone through
to Pekin.
1.-THE rest of our party are now cut off
there.
1.-THE girls school, with 1876 girls in it.
cannot be closed DR.. Terry is there, too
Mr.. King and Dr. George Lowry, whose
families are at Thun-Hua for the summer
to bring their families from there, as the
consul has ordered. Dr. Hopkins and Mr..
| Hayner have gone up to get them all away.
There are twenty-four gunboats at
| Taku but they will do no good off there
There, are about 500 sailors Of various
| nationalities in Tien Tsin. The United
| States army men are stationed near US,
and oh, 1t does seem so good to have them
| there. -
| Our preparations for flight are all made.
At bugle blast we are ito cross the street
| to another compound, end thence through
private gates and grounds to Victoria road
| Il sleep in my clothes every night, and
until last night did mot sleep at all, but I
could not keep awake. Oh. it is very ter
| rible. Ns-
"If the Chinese soldiers go against us we
are done for, and they do hate us ALL 1t
isn't an anti-missienary movement; it is
anti-foreign. English, French a!; Belgian and
I'VE hear that 10000 men are at Manila
ready to come. I Wish they would hurry
up: a,
| 1.-The Cantonese are I'll frightened, for
they are as much foreigners as we are, and
will come in for slaughter, too.
| Zone hears a dreadful fumor one moment
and then it is contradicted, till we don't
know what to look for from one moment
to another. The foreigners are aching for
a fight, for II there is one the thing will
be smoothed over till all the troops are sent
| away, and then there will be another reign
| 81 terror.
Pray for us that our faith fail not. 1t
| is wonderful to see the faith of the native
Christians.
| with love to all, yours as ever,