Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-23
SAW THE RELIEF COME
EYE-wITNEs4 OF THE ARRIVAL OF
CAPT.. MeCALLA AND MARINES.
GraphicsReeital of Conditions in the
ohinese Capital About
June L.

NEW YORK, July 23.-The following let
| ter. which, strongly indicates the alarming
| situation IN and around Pekin early last
| month, has been received In New York 1t
| was written by one of the ladies Of the be-
| leaguered legations to a sister in Japan,
who in turn forwarded the letter to another
sister In this city:
"PEKIN, June 2, 1900.
Here I am, still in Pexin, and the prob
abilities are that will soon be en- route for
japan. An English woman who has lived
quite long time in Yokohama, believe.
Is to chaperone me there. she goes d.
rect to that metropolis. But, and this but
is quite big under the circumstances, she
may be afraid to start down. as we might
get detained at Tien-Tsin or Taku or
Tonga.
Never More Critical.
The condition of Pekin is pretty bad. and
Sir Robert Hart says in all the years
he has been here. and in all the coups
d etats that he has watched, he has never
seen Pekin or foreigners In a more critical
condition than now. But I suppose you
have been reading kilograms from Pekin
and have kept au courant. SO I won't
bother you with facts.
I'VE were at the temple In the hills. and
the servants were necessarily bringing US
wild tales of what the Boxers were going
to do. and saying that 100 had left the
small villages near our temple to go to
Yang II and burn 1t. It Is station with
quite small collection of houses Of for
eigners and having bridge. The foreign
ers heard of the intention and escaped in
the carly morning.
I'VE thought the servants were dra wing
the long bow but about 4 o'clock in the
afternoon we were called to watch the fire
from our balcony. 1t was near enough for
US TO see all the smoke and the flames, too
There were thousands of Boxers about and
we were frightened lest the Boxers, on re-
turning to Pekin, might stop and loot our
dwelling, and incidentally kill US. There
was not foreign man on the place.
Guards Ran Away.
THE 'tsung II yamen had sent Chinese
guard Of twelve soldiers to protect US, and
they stayed at the temple until they be-
came afraid Of the Boxers coming that
way, so they deliberately ran away You
| can imagine our feelings. Three babies to
protect and lot of frightened Chinese
servants.
Mr.. 8. was in Pekin. and We did not
know II he would hear Of the burning of
1aogt IN time to get out to that night
Mr.. 8. had, however, learned of the
burning of the town, and had ridden out
at great speed to the temple, borrowing on
the way one of the four Russian Cossacks
~ IL IA tAO AluSSidl l6Sd-
We were ready for anything all night,
and at o'clock were up packing. At $50
our caravan had started for Pekin We GOT
into the legation at 1890 O'Clock Mr.. Pet
tue. Ii Hung Changes private secretary.
SAID ne feared for our safety and was ON
the point OF sending Chinese regiment for
| u.s. so Tor the hast four DAYS we have been
In the legation. and no one allowed to 90
out Rumors are flying broadcast, and
.iere IS excitement to know If the marines
terrified half to death. and Mr.. s. presented
a good many ofsthem with rifles and am
| munition.
American Marines Led the Way.
The marines of the English, the Russian.
| the Japanese and the French all came I'D
| the day before yesterday from Tien Tsin-
and when they finally landed at Pekln
there was great excitement as to which
| body OF marines should lead. CAPTAIN Nc
Gala, who had come up with our fifty ma
| rines. hurried his men double-ouick to GOT
| the lead and our troops were the f1rst to
march up Legation street There was an
enormous mob at the station, and they
were frightened and did nothing as the
| troops We're passing. However, they yelled
and howled and sWore curses on all the
/ soldiers ancestors. We have rented quar-
tiers FOR the marines just back of the iega-
lions. Captain McCalla Of the New
! ark, that Is at Taku, came I'D with the
| marines and discussed the situation with
| Mr.. Conger. The poor legations that had
no troops are terrified. The Spanish and
the Belgians have none. The Belgian sec
rotary had tea yesterday with US and could
only be gone one hour as he had been
| told he must come back and help guard the
legation should like to see a good har-
! rowing climax that would give the marines
a chance to use their Maxims and hear the
| cannon go Off"
The writer of the above letter did not
leave for Japan and is. so far as known,
| still in Pekin.