The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-24
But Declined to Violate Sacred Pre-
cincts on Ground that Chinese
Had Been Punished Enough.
RUSSIANS MORE vENGEFUL
REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE DECISION
OF THE OTHER GENERALS.
Scntries Finally Posted mt Palace to
Prevent LOOtinE-RepOrtS from Off,
GERS - The Empress DOwager.


ing and dissension are apparently follow
ing in the wake of the relief of Peking.
The Daily Mail publishes dispatches from
the Chinese capital, dated as late Aug.
II. declaring that a great fire was then
raging in the imperial city. The Russian
commander had declined to accept the de-
cision of the other generals not to violate
the imperial precincts, and street fighting
was going on.
tanned that the Chinese had been adequate
ly punished already, and that it would be
unwise to take the imperial palace. This
explains the withdrawal of the Americans
after reaching three gates, as cabled by
the special correspondent of the Associated
Press. The Russian general, however,
maintained that his government had de-
clared war against China, and that, there
fore, there was no reason to prevent him
carrying hostilities into the sacred pre-
cincts.
Judging from various, and in many cases
contradictory. dispatches that have reached
Europe this morning from Peking, the COM
manders eventually adopted a middle
course, for a Reuter- telegram asserts that
sentires were placed to prevent lootnsA
Hence 1t is presumed the imperial build
ings. although captured, will not be de-
stroyed. The fires appear to be incendiary
and to be caused by the Chinese them
selves.
All the dispatches point to the fact that
when the latest message received here left
Peking the commanders were somewhat at
sea regarding their future action, all await
ing instructions from their governments
TO PREVENT LOOTING.
A dispatch from Peking, dated Aug le,
says: 'The Pei-Tank Cathedral, north of
the city. which was garrisoned by thirty
French and ten Italian blue jackets and
which had no communication with the
other foreigners during the progress of the
siege, has been relieved by the japanese
and British. The defense of this church
was most heroic. The combined forces are
now posting sentries in the palace buildings
to prevent looting and destruction"
The foreign residents appear to have been
sent to Tien-Tsin, although the ST. Peters
burg correspondent of the Daily Mail says
the ministers will not leave Peking until
negotiations for indemnity are under way
Neither the commanders nor the diplomats
were in communication with the Chinese
government on Aug. IL. They were then
searching for Prince Tuan.
Among the puzzling reports as to the
whereabouts of the Empress dowager is
one from st. Petersburg that she is in the
vicinity of Peking, but surrounded The
Emperor seems to have disappeared COM
pletely.
1t is officially reported that the minister
Of the Netherlands, DR.. KnobeI, was slight
| ly wounded during the siege.
st. Petersburg dispatches announce good
progress in the Manchurian campaign. The
| town OF Mergen was captured Aug is, with
| trifiing Russian loss, while the Chinese suf-
fered severely, leaving ten guns, zoo rifles,
and large quantities of ammunition in the
hands of the Russians.
| The reports of risings i'm northern Korea
are confirmed. 1t is believed that these
are not due to i'll will towards foreigners
| but to local dissatisfaction. The Korean
government is sending troops TO the disaf-
| fected districts.
4
| considerable uneasiness is felt there over
the fact that no dispatches have been re-
ceived from Peking since Aug. 20. Other
J Shanghai reports locate Emperor Kwang
| Su as under the protection of the allies
and the dowager as already captured by
| the japanese.
| A dispatch describing the engagement
west of Tien-Tsin, Aug. 6, says: 1.-The
| Sixth United States Cavalry worked with
| drill-lke precision in the hand-to-hand
| fighting, and the Chinese only escaped
| through the bungling of General Dorward -
! Berlin learns that there has been fur
| ther fighting west of Tien-Tsin. which ere
ates the impression that the province of
Pe-Chi-Ii must be effectively occupied be-
fore peace negotiations will become feasi-
BILE.