Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-10-08


open and sacrificed to the ghost of
Chang's 1avorite official.
Chang is said to have been consider
ate with his army so long as they per-
formed any valorous deeds. His usual
reward to soldiers was silk and money
But, on the other hand, whenever he
saw soldier lily clad, or one who did
not march as vigorously as he liked,
killed. 1t was related that once he
gave a soldier a piece of silk. The I'M
wise fellow complained to a comrade
that it's quality was not up to standard.
with the result that the soldiers indis-
Greet remark caused the slaughter of
the entire legion to which he belonged,
numbering 1000 men.
On another occasion Chang turned
his attention to the judiciary of the
provinces, including all the legal fra
ternity. In the royal city there were
500 projects, or judges, and others be-
longing to the pro- ession-wise men,
as they were termed. Within two
years all these were disposed of, with
the exception of twenty, all murdered
on slight pretext.
There were a number of eunichs of
the Tai-mung-se family who wouldn't
call Chang king, but persisted in ad
dressing him by hiN surname. Of these
500 were ordered out one day and
killed for this little breach of Ell
quette.
Next Chang turned his attention to
Chinese priests. He had about 10000
Of them brought together on the pre-
text that he desired to promote their
interests Then he ordered them be-
headed To his mind they had been
guilty of some little departure from
the strictest proprieties and they had
to go.
The Catholic worker next relates the
particulars of Changs capture of the
city of Nau-Chung, just north of his
province 1t appears that in 1916 he
raised an army of 100000 Sze-Chuens,
in addition to his own followers, who
had entered this province with him and
subjugated it. During the siege of Maui
Chung 10000 Sze-Chuens, tired of the
bloody domination of this king, desert
ed and joined the army in Nau-Chung.
Upon learning of this act Chang or
dered the massacre of every one of the
remaining 100000 Sze-Chuen soldiers,
wiling to sacrifice that number of his
army to avenge himself upon the de-
serters. The bodies of many of these
victims were skinned. These were
stuffed with straw, and, with the heads
sewed on, these figures were publicly
carried into the towns where they were
borne as a warning to their friends
and families.
Not long after this the king ordered
that all students in his province should
come together for examination. This
brought to one point Is, 900 candidates
for scholastic honors, who Delievd they
had been commanded to appear before
the wise men for promotion. Details
are lacking as to what grievance Chang
had upon his mind at this time, but,
instead of carrying out the examina-
ton, he commanded the execution of
every one of the candidates It was
done.
Six Hundred Thousand Massacred.
In 1916, when the Tartars entered
the province Of Xensi, adjoining SEE
Chuen, to give battle to Chang, he per-
petrated the most enormous criminal
and bIoodthirsty act of his career. He
raised a big army and moved to meet
his enemy. He was determined that as
he advanced the country left behind
should be made secure against any aid
or advantage to the enemy. To COM
pass this end his plan was to leave
neither habitation nor person in any
village or city. His army should live
eff those before it and the rear should
be devastated. His first act was to OBJ
literate the city of Ch1ng-Tu. This was
done by binding hand and foot more
than 100000 people. When they were
secured Chang, riding about the city,
Knocked their misfortunes. The unfor-
Inmates begged Chang to spare their
lives-cries, Martini says, which "pen-
etrated the very vault of heaven and
might have moved a heart composed of
stone or rock But the bloody mon
arch stood awhile, like an astonished
creature, apparently contemplating the
situation; then his cruel nature as
serted itself and he called out to the
soldiers, kill! kill! and cut off all
these rebes." Surprising as the state
ment may seem. Martini says nearly all
these wretches were killed in one day.
outside the city walls. The soldiers
fairly waded in blood. A few persons
were saved by Christian priests, who
were allowed to claim those they had
converted to their faith-a strangely