The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-11-11

Minister. accompanied By ths1ntsrpreter. Mr.
Corde. proceeded to the Yamen In their usua
onicial sedan chairs. passing east OF the French
legation by the Tai Chi Chang street. to thu
Chang An Chieh. where they turned east
ward to the Ha Ia street. which Wa entered
Just below the single Memorial Arch (Tar
P'ai-lou) For several days In passing through
this street groups Of soldiers had been noticed
standing about. but they had attracted nc
special attention at this time
A few hundred yards north OF the arch al
a point opposite the mouth Of the Tsuns Pu
alley about thirty soldlers were posted near
a police station. Mr.. Cordes. who was behind
noticed the ohicer In command. who had a
white button and a feather In his cap. step q
littls to one side OF the rest and discharge a
rife At the Minister'S chair. Tho Minister
made no movement IN lea We the sedan and was
no doubt Immediately killed Mr.. Cordes
instantly arose. and a. he did 40 received a
1Ae shot in his thigh. inhlctlnx a dangerous
wound. But for his raising the bullet would
have penetrated his skull. The bearers I'M
mediately set down the chairs and fed. The
outnder rode on rapidly to the Yamen and
gave word Of what had occurred. while Mr..
Cordee summoned up hs strength IN escape II
possible
II seemed wholly out OF the question. a be
hind him were crowds Of soldiers. who at once
opened Are on him He ran toward the north.
entering the frt alley on the nsht-hand side
| 81 the street. and thence bv devious lanes.
pursued for Some distance by Chinese spear
inen. made his way 10 the promises OF the Meth
| odist mission. az least a third OF a mile distant.
Here he saw for the first time q foreign face
and lost consciousness He was az once taken
into the compound. and had his wound attended
20 by ID Ingram Of T'unx Chou. who happened
TO he near NJ hand. and who considered the
| prohs bilities Of recovery very slight His escape
was little less than q miracle considering the
number 81 his as.ailants and the severity OF
his injury
The sho. which killed Baron Won Ketteler
produced effects which the authors of the in
tsrnstional crime never intended and could
not have for-se~n Almost all the foreigners
In Pekin were already either within the legations
or the general rectangle supposed To be COM
msnded by them. or were at the Methodist
compound. So that the news OF the terribly
significant tragedy WAS Immediately spread
and its meaning universally and instantly
appreciated All thought 81 leaving Pekin
under anv kind NJ Chinese escort was dismissed
from every mind. tho absolute certainty Of
treachery being now clearly seen In this
respect Il IL literally true that the death OF the
German Minister was d v~icarious sacrifice
| which saved the lives " all the other foreigners
In Prkin
YtlGuT FROM IN " MISSION.
The occupants ~ the Customs compound
on the other side ~ the block Of which tho
palace ~ Prince Su comprised the western por-
tion, were now hurried over 70 the Br tish le9a-
tion. whittier tn" women had been already
removed several days previous. For many
DAYS The streets adjacent To the legations had
been patrolled nv Chinese troops. Now that
a Manchu guard had opened FIRE upon a foreign
Minister. the Chinese army was supposed 10 he
committed TO war with every foreigner. and n
behooved them all 70 make the hest Use ~
whatever defence might he within their power.
Orders were sent from the American legation
10 Capt. Hall 10 escort the civilians gathered
AT the Methodist mission to the legation, the
Chinese Christians helms allowed to follow
behind. BY the slime. however. that these orders
reached the seventy Americans there gathered
they were notified that they must he prepared
70 leave the premises within twenty minutes.
and with only such baggage "a could be carried
IN the hand. As soon "a this was made known
every one haateDad TO tho for'r ess-church TO
open his trunks with a view to removing the
articles Of absolute neoesst y. As 1t was doubt
ful whether anything now abandoned would
ever be seen again. very little pains were taken
70 lock the trunks. the whole building being
soon strewn with articles Of the most hetero-
ssneois description.
All too soon the command n fall into line
was given. the women and children behind the
twenty marines. the III schoolgirls following.
and after them the Chinese women and children
each loaded with whatever they could carry.
The Chinese men and boys formed a large COM
$50
ling bicycles for their shepherds. Several
cases Of condensed milk which II was impracti-
cable otherwise to save were servad out to the
Chinese. a few tins 10 each. Some weeks later
this would have been a priceless boon TO the
besieged when II was no longer attainable.
4 party Of German marines detailed as bearers
~ the wounded interpreter marched with
melancholy mien in the line. the rear of which
was brought up bv the handful OF missionaries.
most Of them armed with rifles or revolvers.
or both. Several Of the Chinese also were
furnished with guns and many with Chinese
pixies, in the use Of which they had every even
Ing been indefatieably drilled.
Taken altogether. il was a procession which
even In the terrible uncertainties Of the hour
appeared 10 many who took part in II at once
pathetic and ludicrous, One could not fail
u be reminded of the children OF Israel as they
ueI'n'tel from EREpt. 'nouRn no ~ ITOW DeIHR
laden with the spoils OF the Egyptians. the
refugees were In the matter OF baggage very
light indeed. Slowly the long and sad caravan
passed out ~ the Filial Piety alley. southwark
along the great street toward the Ha TIA gate.
thence turning westward into Legation street.
The chairman Of the General Committee had
the t~orethought to step down To tina. gate.
and inform the commander ~ the Manchus
posted there that. as the mission premises were
being abandoned for the time. IL would he a
favor II he would station a guard at the gate
To prevent looting by the nciahhors,
About midway Of the distance TO the Amert- |
can legation the barrcade was passed at the
eastern end Of the premises Of the Italian L.
cation. Here was planted the italian machine |
gun. and here the remainder Of the American
marines met the party. For some unexplained
reason the Chinese Christians were detained
at this point for a long time.
The impaseive faces OF the numerous |
who thronced the great street
gave little or no sign OF the Joy and
I triumph which some OF them must have felt.
as they saw tho visible closing In Of the net |
around the foreigner and his adherents, Per-
haps the most striking thing in the whole pro-
was the quiet. matier-of-fact way In
a. 4 A.