The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1900-10-01
Conf, ms Rumor of Chinese slaugh-
Special Dispatch to the Call,

New YoRK, Sept. Il, - Confrma-
tiOn OF the brief account given by
the Moscow correspondent of the
Standard OF the massacre Of 5000
Chinese inhabitants OF Blagovest-
chensk by Russians is con ned il a
more detailed recital OF the event in
a letter from Professor g Frederick
Wright OF the Oberlin Theological
Seminary, Ohio, under the date OF
Strelenski, Siberia, August 6. Mr..
Wright describes the friendly rela
tions existing between the Russians
aud Chinese along the railway line
prior to the outbreak Of the anti.
foreign Disturbances and cont ues:
Bat in h &, twinkling Of au eye alss
this was changed AS soon as the
Russian troops went down the river
on transports DULY IA the fort at
Aygun began with warning to fire
upon passing steamships, and on
the 18th fire was opened upon Bla-
govestchensk and some Russian vii
lagos were burned opposite the fort.
"The actual injury inflicted by the
Chinese was slight, but the terror
caused by it was indescribable and
it drove the Coss4cks into a frerzy
OF rage. Peaceaole Chinese to the
number of 30G0 or 1000 in the city
were expelled in great haste, and
being forced upon RATS eutirely IN
adequate were most Of them drown
ed in attempting to cross q o river
Thu stream wag fairly black with
their bodies. Three days after we
counted hundreds OF them in the
water.
"In our ride through the water
country TO reach the city on Thurs.
day, the 10th, we saw as many as
thirty Villages end hamlets of Chi
nese in flames. One of them was a
city Of 5000 or 10000 inhabitants.
We estimated that we saw the dwell
ings of 10000 peaceable Chinese in
flames that awful day, while parties
of Cossacks were securing the fields
to find Chinese and shooting them
down at sight. What became of the
women and children no one knows,
but there was apparently no way for
them to escape to a place Of safety.
con our way up the river for 500
miles above the city every Chinese
hamlet was charred- mass Of ruins.
The large village OF Motcha was still
smoking and we were told that 400
Chinese had been killed.
"We do not mention these facts 10
excite prejudice against the Russian
authorities or against the CoSsacks.
This work Ct devastation. has not
been ordered by those high in
authority. 1t is rather the result of
mob violence, such ca instigated the
promoters OF lyuch law in the South
ern States, or, more nearly, such as
has from tins immemorial animated
the pioneers in America against the
Indians when wholesale destruction
Of property and Of life was thought
to be military necessity. The wives
and children Of the Cossacks were
in terror.
Since we left we hea, that Aygun
has been taken amid great loas OF
lifs to the Chinese. Work in the
mines is parall zed and laborers have
been driven out. Peace between the
Russians and Chinese, two of the
srt atest nations # the world, has
come to an end. Years rarnot wipe
out the enmity eugendered.
The Chinese eastern railway ey-
tends for 1900 miles through coun-
try that must remain hostile. The
American Indians were 70 few that
they could be exterminated or alb
eorbed. The absorbing capacity Of
the Chinese is fully equal to that OF
tho Russians. Yet these nations are
now brought into contact with q
line 2000 miles ia extent, The pros
pect is not pleasing. Can the breach
be- healad2 Can time erasa the mamn.