The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-05
CREAM OF JAPANESE PAPERS
INCIDENTS OF THE FIRST FIGHTING
IN AND AROUND TIEN-TsIN.
Commander Morris Report, Which
shows the Boxers and Imperial
Troops Acted I'm Harmony.

on the steamer City of Peking from china
and absolutely denied the story of the
shooting of wounded soldiers by Admiral
Seymour on the retreat from Tfen-Tsin.
The doctor states that he was present when
Admiral Seymour arrived and that the
wounded were with him. Il met the column
when it arrived" said DR.. Smith land
assisted in attending the wounded men on
their return l talked with them and am
positive there is nothing in the story that
the men who were wounded were shot dur
ing the retreat. The admiral had barely
enough men to carry the wounded and look
after them, but there was no shooting of
them. He was hard pressed and the city of
1fen-Tsin was also in straits when l was
there"
The Kobe Herald of July II prints the
full report of Commander Mort to the
Japanese government on the attempt of
Admiral Seymour to reach Peking. On
June Ii the relief expedition first became
convinced that the Boxers and Chinese I'M
perial troops were acting in concert In
reviewing the skirmish on that date Com
mander Mort reported: 1.-THE troops fac
ing the British were General lungs main
body. They carried flags with the telegraph
'Tung' blazoned in gold on a red field and
In the intervals of these flags were BAN
ners with green borders surrounding a red
field. These standards showed that we were
confronted by mixed army of regulars
and Boxers. The troops on the enemy's left
were General lungs rear guard, and the
whole numbered about 2,00o Our force at
the time mustered about 1,1OO In
The skirmish that followed $50 of the enemy
were killed. The allies losses were seven
English and Germans killed and two Ger
man officers, one Russian officer and over
forty English, German and Russian soldiers
wounded. The Japanese had no casualties.
The flags captured had the idographs I'm
rerial command inscribed on the right cor
ner, whereas all the Boxer flags previously
taken bore merely the name Tho and
place name They had also seven idographs
sgnifying the Tho save the empire and
destroy foreigners Such a legend was now
seen for the first time. 1t showed that the
Boxers and the imperial troops were act
ing in combination
THE SIEGE OF TIEN-TSIN.
According to Japanese papers refugees
arriving at Kobe from Tien-Tsin give in
teresting details of incidents occurring
there between June Is, when the Boxers
first appeared, and June g. when the allies
entered the city The most determined
fighting of the siege was at the military
school, which was captured by Major Luke
with two or three hundred marines A stout
defence was made but inside of half an
hour the allied troops had climbed the walls
and forced the gate, the military students
retiring to a large room upstairs from
gal fro Pc
fusing TO surrender some sixty or seventy
barricaded themselves and made a last
stand there, and when an English blue
Jacket battered in the door with an axe
they shot him dead and served another in
like fashion before the attacking force got
III and baynotted the whole lot The place
was set on fire before the allied force with
drew and burned for hour or two, amid
constant explosions of cartridges
Among the casualties in the settlements
were two deaths in the household of Tong
director of railways. This well-known
Chinese officials wife and daughter sought
safety in the residence of Chang Fee Now
the director of mines and railways This
house was hit five times by shell from the
Tong, carrying away both the unfortunate
lady's legs. Her daughter also was killed
the same day.
On June 20 the authorities decided to send
messenger to Taku for help For this
perilous undertaking, Mr. Watts, of the
Ilen-Tsfn volunteers, offered himself. He
set out, accompanied by three Cossacks
After a hard, exciting ride during which
they were frequently pursued, the party
arrived safely at Taku, having taken
twelve hours to cover the distance twenty
eight or thirty miles by road. On this date
II was found that the ammunition was get
ting scarce, and orders We're given to reply
charity to the evening fire June q.
Six junks were sighted floating down the
river, evidently with the intention of form
ing bridge for Chinese soldiers to cross
Fire was opened on them as they ap-
preached and the occupants driven below
and as they came nearer a young British
MILDLY got on board several of the craft
and set fire TO them That attempt of the
enemy failed therefor. Heavy firing went
on all day long from the fort and musketry
fire from across the river. The French con-
cession. which was exposed on three sides
suffered terribly, and the secretary of the
French municipal council was killed He
was speaking 10 French officer when a
shell fell and exploded. killing two or three
persons.
A good deal of stir was caused the next
day by the arrest of two influential Chi
nese, Chang vi Now and Tong, suspected
of communicating with the Chinese troops
outside by means of carrier pigeons
Ii was afterwards found that Chang
and Tong were arrested without cause
who were under arms and who
conducted the blue jackets when they
went to arrest Chang was Disgrace
full one person firing off his rifle ia the
mandarin's house and telling him in the
most mandatory manner that he was being
taken away for execution. A lot of valu-
ables inside were looted. Chang was the
Eaost pro-foreign of all Chinese about Tien-
Tsin and is known to have written to
Peking before communication was cut off
urging the authorities there whatever else
they did, to be sure to give the ministers
of the powers a safe passage out.
although scarcely any civilians suffered
during the bombardment of the city by the
Chinese scarcely night passed without
enc or two of the defending forces being
killed. One young Russian officer was shot
dead by a Chinese, of whom he had de-
manied a passport. The Chinanan showed
his passport with one hand and with the
other drew a revolver and shot the officer
and two other men dead. falling himself
by well-directed shot Immediately after
waros. After that no Chinese without Eu-
ropeans We're allowed on the streets under
penalty of being shot at sight