The Washburn leader., 1900-06-23

the Empress characterization
at Peking Reported to Have been
Taken - seymour's Column Re-
treats to Tien-tsin.
war against the world when the Taku
forts opened fire upon the international
feet. The accounts of what took place
are still unsatisfactory, the best semi
official news being dispatch received
at Berlin from Che-foo.
According to Chee-foo special sew
enteen forts opened fire upon the war;
ships, whereupon the fleets replied in
kind, and silencel the Chinese guns
and the international forces subse-
quently
Landed and Seized
ment is stated to have been brought to
Chee-foo by Japanese warship, but
the date of the occurrence is not given.
According to dispatch the Chinese
bombardment followed an ultimatum
sent by the commanders of the fleet.
An official disDatch from the German
consul at Chee-foo, received in Berlin,
confirms tile arrival Of a japanese tor
pedo boat with the following message:
''The Japanese torpedo boat reports
that the legations at Peking
Have Been Taken
Whether taken by the Boxers or the
Chinese troops or a mob is apparently
not stated. A later dispatcl. from the
same consul states that an engagement
is proceeding at Taku between the
Chinese forts and the foreign war
ships. Berlin also has official notitica-
interruption of the telegraph lines no
trustworthy news whatever can be ob
tained of the events transpiring in
Peking.
Taku Forts Captured.
Later semi-oftical dispatch from.
Che-fOo announced that the Taku forts
had been captured after 4 combined at
tack by the foreign warships. Three
men on the German warship lltis were
killed and seven were wounded. The
dispatch added that the foreign settle
meIts at Tien-tsin We're being fired
into by the Chinese. When the dis
patch left nothing had been heard
from the German detachment sent to
Peking or from the German legation
there.
Narratives Vary Widely.
The unofficial narratives coming by
way of Shanghai vary widely and bear
internal evidence of supplementing the
main facts with guess work. One dis
patch says that the Yorktown partici-
pated in tue bonlbardment, another
/ asserts that American marines formed
part of the storming force CT 1000. An
Associated Press dispatch from Che
foo, dated yesterday. says: THE forts
on both sides Of Taku are now occu
pied. The Chinese opened fire uneX.
pectedly. The casualties of the mixed
force was as follows: Kille,l-British
1; German. 3: Russian. l.; French. L
| Wounhed-British, i: German, q; Rus
sian, 45; French, L. A Chinese torpedo
Boat Was Sefxed.''
The Shanghai correspondent of the
Daily Mail, telegraphirg yesterday
| says: "The forts began firing in OBJ
servance to orders from Peking. con
veyed in a personal edict of the EN-
| press dowage-, by advice of kang vi,
president of the -m;nistery of war.
Several warships were struck by shells
from the twelve-inch guns Of the forts.
The heavy Russian loss was due TO
the blowing UP of the magazine a,
Mand-shur. -Four hundred Chinese
are> reported to have hean killed. The
Chinese. when retiring fell i::to the
hands Of the Russi"n land force.
Scymour's Col1nln Retreats.
''The failure of Admiral Seymour's
column and its ratreat to Tien-ts.n IN
creases. it is presumed. the peril of the
legations in Peging. which are still isO-
lated, although Shanghai forwards
Chinese runors IL t thu eg tio:s We're
attacked by n!obs who We're moved
down by machine guns, AMI also that
the members of the legations were
massacred. The powers are taking
prompt action. FoIr :i..o.saLd Ger
man troops have ben:, crd rcd to
China; 10000 Fren:l, troops are watt
ing to embark at SAIGON. capital of
French Cochin China, and from 5000
to 5000 more Russians have been or
dered from Port Arthur to Taku."
Kempn Receives Ir:tYMctions.
Washington, June :O.-The instruc.
tions sent to .AGm raj Ke:npff relative
to his participation in tbs seizure of
the Taku forts was broad. consisting
of resolution to protect a;,ll American
interests, and to that eld to act con.
currently with the representatives ot
other countries. 1t is explained that
in the option Of the authorities this Or
der conferred upon Admiral Kempft
emple power to seize forts, to fight or
TO do anything in fact en- the sole con-
dition that in his Judgment his acts
should tend to the protection of Ameri-
cans.
Won Kettler's Death Unconarmed.
Berlin, June 2O.-An official Of the
German foreign Office SAYS: ",rhe re-
ports regarding the burning Of the lega-
tiOn and the murder nf the German
minister, Won Kettler, have not been
confirmed. Although the foreign Of
ficers have tried every possible way Of
getting something definite they have
SO far been unsuccessful.
.'f ,isis .l-.-z4--f..
HIS Head Blown on.
Canal Dover, Ohio, June 2O.-Philip
Spitzenberger, q farmer living near
here, set trap with a heavily loaded
4