Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-09-07
REFUGEES FROM CHINA.
The Experiences Of Missionaries
While Fleeing From Boxers.
HYsTERIO LAUGHTER SAVES LIFE.

ecuted After Terrible Suffering,
Burst Into Merriment rOwd
Laughed Also and ExecutiOners
Decided ia Spare Her-Nindness of
a Chinese Official.
Among the passengers who recently
arrived ut Vancouver from the orient
by the steamship Empress Of China
were the Rev. j. MenZics and the Rev.
NJ. Mckenzie, who have been in China
working under the Presbyterian board
of missions, says the New York Her
aid. Mr.. Menzies left Chu-wang in
June and got safely to Shanghai with
hundreds of other refugees. Mr.. Nc
KenZic says the mission was attacked
by the mob, and II adults and 5 chill
dren fed southwark. They were pro-
vided with an escort by the governor
and had IA wagons filed with goods,
but when II days out they were stop
ped by a mob of 10000 and pelted with
stones.
They were then mobbed, their horses
killed, and, standing at bay, they
fought for their lives. Mr.. McKenZie's
wrist was nearly cut through with q
sword. Each husband stood close to
wife and children and fought for them.
Every one of the party was severely
wounded. All thought their hour had
come when a shout was raised that
there was money in the carts, and the
mob left them to loot the carts, and the
party dragged themselves away in the
darkness. Twice more they were set
upon by mobs and robbed of every
thing. ever their outer garments. On
the fourteenth day relief came, and
friendly Chinese soldiers escorted them
to Honan.
Mrs. Mckenzie, wife of the Rev. Mr..
Mckenzie, gave further details Of the
terrible flight. She said: 1.-TWO mis-
sionary ladies', young Swedish women,
of another party were taken by the
mob and stripped and in Il nude condi-
ton were compelled to walk 100 miles
in the burning sun to a place where
they were to be executed, a iccring
mob reviling them the whole length Of
the march. The heads Of these poor
women were actually vel the block
when II of them burst into ~hysterical
1n1r6tn, o,,1 chrtoJ,r H1o ox,,4;,,,n
paused, while the fury of the mob
changed to amusement. When the
poor woman laughed, they laughed,
and the affair ended by the execution
ers becoming merry also and letting
the women go free"
On the way to freedom a missionary
met Mr.. Mckenzie fleeing to a place Of
safety, like himself, and told him that
he knew of Il missionary who had been
soaked in coal oil by the Boxers and
his body set on fire. lie also spoke of
two Catholic priests having their
threats cut on the altar of Confucius n
q sacrifice.
The China Mail has succeeded in get
ting a letter through the lines from
Picking dated Aug. I. The letter was
woven in the straw hat of Il native
runner, who was three times searched
by the enemy and flogged and allowed
to go. The letter speaks of the near
approach of the relieving party and
the hopes Of the besieged rising with
the distant boom of friendly cannon.
The writer says that the news of the
taking Of Taku forts was the signal for
attack on the legations. 1t speaks of
the legationers occupying Prince Chu's
house, opposite the British legation,
and preventing the Boxers getting
squarely in front of the besicged Legal
ton. All the le%gationers. however,
would have been overcome and massa-
cred had not the arsenal at Tien-tsin
been lost and ammunition run out.
The Rev. r. w. Holmes of the Amer
accompanied by his wife and three
small children, recently arrived at San
Francisco, has a different story to tell.
as he was saved by the kindness of
the Chinese magistrate Of his district,
says the New York Sun. He has work
ed for sever years with his wife for
the American Baptist Missionary union
at Kinhwa.
GAS soon as the news came Of the
Boxer proclamation Of death to the
foreigners" he says, "all the common
people became very hostile, but the
Chinese magistrates assured me and
Mr.. Bousfield and family that they
would protect us. Major Sio. chief of
magistrates in Kinhwa, warned us that
the message had been received that all
missionaries, all foreigners, were to be
destroyed. He warned us that our
lives we're in danger and that we were
likely to be set upon by a fanatical
mob at any moment. He offered us
the protection of his quarters and guar
anteed to take care of us Two magis-
trates also Joined him in offering us
protection. A few days later a large
mob attacked our quarters, but we
frightened them off with rifles. They
camped near by, and the magistrates
came to reason with them. We adj
mitted the magistrates to the cathc-
ilral, but the whole mob came in with
them and looted the place. The mob
tried several times to burn the missions
buildings. Finally, on July IA, Sio sent
4 military escort and said we must go
to his yamen. From there he gave us
an escort to Shanghai, going all the
way himself with his brother and two
relatives to see that u safety was
assured"
Counting Death.
The shah of Persia has purchased GO