The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-09-07
WADSWORTH MAN
AT TEN TSIN.
He Tells of the Thrilling
Experiences
OF THE BOXER UPRISING
Professor clifford of the Imperial Univer-
sity at Tien Tsien visiting at the
Home OF His Parents, Relates
An Interesting Story.


Home OF His Parents, Relates
An Interesting Story.
Professor Oliver c. Clifford, of the
Imperial university, at Tien Tsin,
China, Is at the home of his parents, in
Wadsworth, and he has with him his
wife and baby daughter, who shared
with him the thrilling experiences of
the Boxer uprising in the Flowery King
dom.
Professor Clifford arrived in wads-
worth, Saturday evening. He had sent
word to his father Of his arrival In
san Francisco, but for weeks pre-
vious to that the anxious parents had
waited In vain for news from their
sons. Professor Clifford had his youn-
ger brother, A. Bert Clifford with him
In Tien Tsin, but instead Of returning
home together after escaping from the
Chinese city, the younger brother start
ed on trip through Europe and Is
now visiting places of interest on the
continent.
WAS FIRST ASSISTANT.
Professor Clifford is young man and
went to Tien Tsin to join DIR. Tenney
in the great work of building up the
Imperial university He was DR.. Ten
ney's first assistant, but at the time the
school was closed by the uprising, the
faculty had grown in numbers to eight
foreign members and many Chinese
teachers. Professor Clifford had an ex-
cellent opportunity to observe Chinese
customs, habits and manner of life.
and he studied the nature of the China
men closely.
To the reporter who called, Professor
Clifford related his experience much as
follows:
The foreign city of Tien Tsin was
composed of 500 or 1000 people of vari-
Gus nationalties, and were set off from
the native city by natural and artificial
divisions.
This uprising has been brewing for
long time and the foreigners in Tien
Tsin have been constantly menaced.
During all the past winter the only pro-
lection we had consisted of 25 British
marines and no other within immediate
reach. Had we been attacked then we
would certainly all have been killed.
II am sure that the present uprising
is not wholly Boxer movement 1t
stands to reason 1t is not for the Box
ers are sworn to use nothing of for
eign make or importation while the
enemy that has been opposing the allies
and the enemy that fired upon foreign
Tien Tsin used only the finest and latest
Krupp field pieces and the latest pat
terms of Mauser and Manlicher rifles.
SUFFERING FROM FAMINE.
"The trouble has arisen, / believe,
from a fact that has not been brought
out prominently in the reports of the
situation. The Chinese farmers have
been suffering for nearly two years
from a famine. Their crops have fail
ed absolutely, and they are constantly
stared in the face by the prospects Of
starvation. They have grown highly
dissatisfied, impatient, restless and
even desperate. They are in good con-
dition to listen to the anti-foreign SEN
timent of the Boxer representatives and
have been melted by them to take part
in this uprising.
"Then, too. the government is back
Of the movement. None Of the foreign
ers doubt it, for the enemy that fired
upon Tien Tsin was trained body of
imperial troops, armed with the regu-
lation government arms.
1T was well known to the foreigners
at Tien Tsin, that the viceroy there had
the Boxer leader for that district in his
Office one day, just before the uprising,
but instead of seizing him and having
him executed, he showed him the great
est respect and prostrated himself be-
fore the robber chief. The Boxer"
story won't do much longer. 1t Is the
Chinese government the allies are fight
ing and state of war exists.
FOOD AND WATER SCARCE.
There will be great difficulties in the
way Of the allied army soon. Food
will be scarce in the districts where
1t is at work and the great cry is for
water. China is a dreadful place as far
as water is concerned. The streams are
all polluted by the dense population
along their banks, the rains are uncer-
tain; the springs are few and far be-
tween, and the wells are more danger
/, GUS than the streams because of pollu-
tions or blackishness. Distilled or boil
ed water Is used almost wholly by the
foreigners. The hordes Of Chineses will
mass themselves about the little allied
army and cut Off communications
when it will go hard for the foreign
soldiers until more help comes.
But to go back to the uprising. We
knew the thing was coming. Several
times we found the native city placard-
ed with announcements that on such q
date all the foreign devils would be
killed, but the matter did not assume a
serious aspect until in May, as you
know, when the first outbreaks &C.
Cured.
''The troops began to come In as the
situation became more grave. Admiral
Seymour's relief column was organ
ized and started on it's mission to res
cue the legations in Pekin; saw those
boys march away and also saw them
return. At this time / took Mrs. Clifford
and the baby down to Tang Ku at the
mouth of the river, where she took
steamer for Nagasaki. Japan. / did not
see her again until five weeks later
when l found her In Yokohama for the
trip to the United States. / had prom
ised DR.. Tenney that / would come
back to Tien Tsin and so / went back
from the river mouth which was 2s
miles away But l was detained at