The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-06-27

barbarity, and the entire village was
totally wiped out of existence by the
Boxers, The news created II strong I'm.
preston here. and the general feeling
Is that this wholesale massacre Is but
u prelude OF what Is to come. even IN
pekln itself, II the Boxers are not taken
In hand with the utmost severity. and
the policy OF encouragement adopted
towards them by the Empress Dowa.
ger and the Imperial clan generally
put TO an end"
Al the massacre at the village near
Tang.shu. where the Christians were
slain In their burning church. Il seems
that thc Christians had been trapped
In the church while holding service by
an advance crowd OF the rebels. The
doors We're barrlcaded before they
knew that they were trapped, None
had arms. and TO think of lighting was
out OF the question, There was moth
Ing but flight II way OF escape could
be found. but all had been closed. and
the unforIunates were herded back into
the hamcs until there was nothing left
but their oharrcd bodies lying In the
cmbers In the church,
The growing hordes divided au they
marched towards the capital. which. nc.
cordlng TO later adviccs by cable. az.
terwards fcll into their hands. They
ravaged kao-mi, slew the magistrate
and some OF the townspcoplc and
drove the German railway engineers
on the line near there. back To the
capital. Then several stations OF the
railway leading TO Pekln were destroy
ed, the last TO so down. before the
steamer sailed. being that next to Pc
kin. which cut of all traffic and com.
munlcation between the capital and
Tien Tsin.
II was then that the powers began
TO land their men at Tien Tsln. They
had at length combined TO bring home
to the Empress Dowagcr-thc evil gen
ius OF Chlna--and the Chinese central
government sense OF their sins of
omission and commission. IL was on
May 20 that they came 10 the dccis.
Ion TO act In unison. a consular con-
ference was then convened at Tien
Tsn, and II was resolved that the le'
gatIon guards be sent on 10 Pekin at
once, Special trains were run for the
transport OF the marines Of the powers.
The Americans landed from the United
States w0rships on Tlen Tsin on the
afternoon OF May 30 They were 100
strong. and took ashore two guns. ON
the day following Brltain's contrIbu.
ton to the allies was landed. and on
June lat France and Russia landed
men, who were followed by other pow
ers.
The numbers Of the allies In the sev.
eral contingents landed prior to the
sailing OF the Tartar were: Japanese,
100; Americans, 1875; British 1907
French. 100, Russians, i9s; and ital-
ians. 90. The American contingent were
the first TO arrive at Pekln, reaching
there on May 81, and under the pre-
text that he had not received any orr
der from the central government OF
China. the vIceroy Of Chill. who was
in charge, refused to allow the Amerl-
cans to enter the capital,
On learning OF the refusal. the rep
resentatives OF the powers Immediately
repaired to the Yamen and demanded
the transportation Of the troops Prince
Ching rel lied that he would give a
definite answer by noon next day after
seeing the Empress Dowager, who was
away at the summer resort. Upon this
the foreign ministers angrily took leave
OF the Yamen. declaring that should
there be made any attempt to prevent
the progress OF the troops from Tlcn
Tsln they would order up forces strong
enough to force their way. They were
ultimately obliged to do so.
II was the day before the first con-
tlngent landed that the station at
Fung-taI was burned with the rail-
way workshops. A number OF the en-
glneers and workmen tried to defend
the shops, but they were compelled to
retreat IN order to save their lives.
The Belgian, American and British
employees Of the line, according TO the
story telegraphed to Japanese papers,
formed a hollow square around their
women and children and, armed as
they were with rifles, fought a running
fight with the following Boxers until
they arrived in the vicinity OF Tien
Tsln. Several were killed, some of the
japanese papers giving the number as
fifteen, af
Day by day, as the Boxers continued
their advance, the throngs Of fugltives
which lined the arteries Of travel lead
ing to Tlen Tsln grew larger and larg-
err end as they arrived, carrying but
what they could In their hands Of their
property, the stories Of Boxer atroci-
ties began to pour in. First they told
Of the deaths Of the native Christians,
Of the massacres Of the various VII
lagos Of the burning Of the railway
station1and works, and Of the murder