Evening star., 1900-10-13
Many Spectators Flocking to Pekin
and Tien Tsin.
THEY Are USUALLY DISAPPOINTED
More Stories of Russian Brutality
and Butchery.
FIENDS IN HUMAN FORM

Tien TSin from Shanghai and other cities
in the south.
Most of them are acting under cable in
structions from dealers in America and
Europe, the most exaggerated reports hav-
ing been spread of the value of the plunder
taken in the sacking of these two north Of
China cities 1t is. of course. impossible
to even approximate the total value Of the
loot secured by the thieves. For the greater
part of it there is no standard of value, its
chief worth lying in the fact that 1t is loot.
and a souvenir of the Chinese trouble 1t
is given fictitious price. 1t is safe to pre-
dict, however, that Europe and America
will be flooded with curios and relics which
have never seen either Pekin or Tien Tsin.
because so far the spectators have met
with keen disappointment. There is today
any quantity Of stuff for sale, but practi
tically all of it could be bought In any
curio or oriental shop at home.
In every by-street and the environments
Of the camps soldiers Of all the powers
gather In little groups bartering the spoils
OF war. 1t Is all done very quietly, and Is
apparently winked at by those in authority.
These little extemporiZed baZaars are eX-
tremely picturesque. Japanese. Americans.
Frenchmen. Russians. soldiers of every
flag, gather in eager groups, while civilian
traders and curio seekers haggle with them
over prices in true oriental fashion. By far
the greater portion Of the stuff Is practi-
cally worthless, except. as has been said,
for its value relics. There are and have
been few real bargains, and these have
been in furs. To the American eye they
have proven the most attractive and some
exceedingly handsome fur robes have been
secured at low prices.
Character of the Furs.
Persian lamb and mink as the dressed
hide of the unshorn lamb is locally termed,
are probably the most valuable Of the fur
of this region while some sable and a little
ermine has found its way into the hands
of those earliest on the scene. AS a rule.
the robes sold openly are lambs wool. very
beautifully dressed calf skins. rabbit and
Mongolian goat hides.
A piece in really frst-class condition Is
rare. Most Of the robes have been worn
or have suffered in the sieges by exposure
to water and fire. There Is curious alb
sence of bronZes or porcelain. One has a
hard hunt to find bit of either, and then
1t is usually Of an inferior grade. The ex-
pianation is found in the fact that the
common soldier is not usually a cOnnoiS-
seur in art and many dingy vases of real
value and bits Of priceless bronze lie un-
touched and shattered under the shell-torn
walls Of the native city here and OF Pekin.
1t was the gaudy that caught the eye Of the
plunderer, particularly Sikhs and Cossacks.
and tinsel ornaments of quartz and col
ored rocks, set in gilded silver or white
metal pins and rings adorned with cheap
enamel and lacquer are onered 1or sale In
great quantities.
BY far the richest loot procured was sill
yer bullion in sice, as the helmet shaped
ingots are termed. These are worth about
10 taes each in bullion, or from $40 to 500
gold Each bears the imperial stamp on the
under face and are the standard OF value
for the Chinese currency. 1t sells IN the
loot market at quite discount. One buyer
from Shanghai told the Associated Press
correspondent that he had secured about
$50 600 at a price Of 10000. A heavy ex-
pense however. is involved in transport
ing the sice and considerable risk Is taken
in getting it to market.
Surfeit of Arms.
OF arms there is surfeit An immense
number Of Manlicher and Mauser rifles and
carbines fell into the hands Of the allies
and they are drug In the plunder bazaars
Most of them have never been fired, and
they bring a small price. Five dollars, Mex
lean. or $3.50 In gold purchases gun in
excellent condition. Singols. or the two
men Chinese guns, huge unwieldy affairs,
carrying almost a half-pound ball, are
plentiful, and for the weapon collector this
region is mine of richness. Silks and
embroideries in small quantities are pur-
chasable, but they bring good value, as all
easterners are natural judges OF textlies
At Pekin conditions are practically the
same. There, however, were found a larger
number Of furs and silks. Silver bracelets,
pins some jade carving and native cloth
ing Of fine quality go to make up the loot
of the two cities, but the grand total, ex-
cluding the silver bullion, is very small
Out in the camps the tents Of both officers
and men are well supplied with native fur
niture, some Of 1t very handsome. ITS bulk
and transportation to Europe or America
however, renders it valueless to dealers
Teak. cedar and ebony chairs, tables
chests and lockers are as common as splint-
bottom chairs at home, and the soldiers
often eat army rations from the inlaid tops
of mandarin tables.
Chinese BrutaIly Butchered.
TUNG CHOW. August 3O.-It is eighty
miles by river from Tien Tsin to this place,
and now, two weeks after the allied forces
marched through. the signs Of war and de-
vastation are more apparent than they
we're at first Posts have been stationed
at intervals of few miles, and the troops
have completed the work of desolation and
ruin.
The villages that were only partially
burned are now utterly destroyed, as they
were found to be hiding places for snipcrs,
who attacked single travellers. and Occa-
sional small parties. The American and
British troops are supplied with chickens
and eggs by the Chinese who sell the
| chickens at q dollar a dozen and eggs for
| one dollar a hundred. The Chinese avoid
Russian camps, as the Russians are even
| now killing them in the most brutal and
| cold-blooded manner, irrespective Of age or
| sex. There is hardly man in the Chinese
| relief expedition who has not story to tell
| Of Russian barbarism Of which he has been
| an eyewitness. Some Of the stories are SO
| excruciatingly revolving that 1t is difficult
| to believe them.
1t Is impossible to go far on the river for
| floating bodies passing your boat; not the
| bodies of Boxers killed in action, but those
| Of coolies killed for no other purpose than
| to satiate the bloodthirstiness and cruelty
| Of some soldier.
Atrocities Of the Russians.
| At this place, which Is the river port for
| Pekin, two coolies who had been towing a
| Russian boat lay down to rest at the COM
| pletion Of their task. They were seized by
| the Russian soldiers. thrown into the water
and while swimming were used as targets
| and shot to death.
| The Japanese feed and treat their coolies
| we'll, but do not pay them. The Americans
| and English pay their laborers 10 cents q
| day, Mexican, and furnish rations of rice.
| vegetables being obtainable free all along
| the river banks. No complaints have been
| heard Of the Germans' treatment of their
| coolies, but the French beat theirs unmer-
oifully and kick them on the slightest