The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-10-04
.RAPPROAcHMENT
NEAR AT HAND
CONTINUED from page Oneo

Il
man was given three hundred blows
and the demand was made that he
should secure all the arms In possession
Of the mission. There were according
ly given up two pistols and two rifles,
The demand was made on behalf OF
Mrs. Atwater. who was about to be
confined, that they be allowed few
days OF respite, but the prefect insisted
that they were to be sent away TO the
coast and must be ready the next day.
Four country carts were prepared for
them and their goods duly packed.
They were to start on August Is, A
guard OF 20 soldiers was made ready, AS
soon as the arrangements were made
the foreign houses were sealed up, The
missionaries requested that they he
permitted to sell their houses to secure
silver for the journey, The official re.
piled that all the property had been
conhscated by imperial decree and
could not be sold. but that small
property in a country village could be
iisnosed of. This was accordingly
done and small sum Of silver secured,
The escaped teacher rode horse Civ
en- him by Mr.. Atwater. The soldiers
compelled him to dlsmount and ride on
the cart. He overheard remarks by
the soldiers and from these he gathered
that mischief was meant, and on the
advice of one Of the soldiers escaped
from the party some few miles from
the village OF Ksi Shh. The party was
supposed TO he sent TO Ping Yao. about
thirty miles from Flu Chow. When not
far away on his line Of escape he heard
the firing OF a gEn. He afterwards
learned that this was the signal for the
attack upon the party. They were es-
corted by the soldiers a few miles fur
ther when they were met by another
detachment and all were attacked and
killed with swords
The officials here place no doubt in the
accuracy Of the report. which is said
to have heen confirmed by close ques-
tionins and further upheld by a mes
sage from Mr.. Price. This was written
m a hit Of linen which the refugee
brought with him and surrendered to
an officer at the gate OF the walled
city when lie arrived.
Going back to carly June this man
gives a graphic and apparently reliable
account Of all the murders in the Shan
81 province. Much OF II is too horrible
for publicity. Men. women and child
rem were butchered. their bodies mutt
lated and in many instances their heads
placed IN the gates Of the Villages, so
far as known the first murders oc-
CURED June 2s when two OF the women
members Of the China Inland mission
were killed at Hsiao II Hsien. These
two were Miss White Church and Miss
sewall. who lived alone at the mission.
a remote place.
On the day mentioned about three
hundred Boxers sorcad an entrance into
the mission compound and some Of
the village men smashed In the gate
The local magistrate was sent for, but
II Is said he reproyed the messenger
for disturbing him. The mob took this
as an indication that they were not to
be interfered with, and forced an en-
trance into the house. The two women
made vain appeals for mercy but were
beaten to death with clubs and heavy
glass BATTLES. It is said that one Of
them survived the assault about an
hour. Their cl)thing was stripped off
and their valuables stolen. When the
local magistrate was informed OF the
murders he sent two boxes in which
the bodies were placed and buried in
the baptistry. The details Of this out
rage were learned from a messenger
sent from the American board mission
at Yen Chou Flu.
The next outrage took place at Shou
Chang. about IS miles from Tai Yuan
Flu. which was mission station Of the
workers on June 20. The
story Of this massacre. II true. leaves
little doubt Of the guilt Of the local
Chinese authorities and also Of the
governor Of the province. In all thirty
three persons were slain 1t appears
that Mr.. and Mrs. T. W. Plggott. their
son; Mr.. Robertson. a teacher; Miss
Duval. teacher, and two daughters Of
Rev. Mr.. Atwatar, Of Yen Chou Flu,
were driven from their homes and for
several days hid in the mountains. FL
nally they determined to return to the
mission. They were arrested and sent
to Tai Yuan
They were chained and handcuffed |
and iron collars were placed around |
their necks. and during the terrible |
march they suffered terribly. They |
were not permitted to purchase food. |
and during the entire march were prac-
tically without anything to eat on
arrival at Tai Yuan they were placed |
n separate rooms and suffered many
ndignities. In the meantime most Of |
The foreign houses N Tai Yuan were
burned, foreigners taking refuge In the
home Of Mr.. Farthlng, Ok the Eng
ish Baptist mission. One woman, Miss
toombs, the principal Of girls school,
however. failed to escape and fell
'ictlm to the mob. Hampered in their
.fforts to protect her she was separated
rom the others and secured by rioters
Who were looting the burning building.
n spite Of her pleading she was siezed
ND tIrn-rr, irntn Ahn nnnnec