Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-05-25
q YELLOW CRIME
THE SIEGE IN PEKIN.

cut through to communicate with the
American legation to the moat directly
under the Chinese on the wall. From
thence crawl forward toward the bar
ricade. where III men were warned
not to fire upon us. tie a rope around O
| mule, slip back toward the moat n
drag the mule after US and down into
the moat. where II could subsequently
be covered with kerosene oil and
burned. With ten volunteer coolies, all
| dressed In dark clothes and warned not
to speak or ever whisper, 1 undertook
the task
We reached the position on the wall
street without Incident, and l was con-
| graduating myself hat we would sue
coed without the Chinese discovering
us, when one OF the coolies unfortun-
ately struck his foot against a tin can
and sent II rafting across the road.
! Instantly a volley was fired upo US
frem the Chinese barricade only nifty
yards distant, and a perfect hail OF
bullets struck all about us, Drop on
your face and lie still." / commanded
I'm a hoarse whisper, which was
promptly obeyed. We lay still for
| about fifteen minutes. Then I sent one
coolie crawling On toward the nearest
mule only ten yards away and he soon
had the moose slipped over his head
and returned. We dragged the animal
quietly enough until just at the cor.
ner OF the bridge where a lot OF tins,
bottles n refuse had been dumped In
the early days of the siege and befor.
the Chinese had obtained their present
position by driving the Germans from.
the wall In the rear OF their legation.
When the animal passed over these OBJ
stacles a loud grating. rafting Noise
was made and "A second volley poured
down from the wall. But this time the
corners of the stone bridge protected
us and we were In no danger. AFTER
another wait OF fifteen minutes, during
which time all became quiet again, We
returned and repeated the operation on
the second mule, dragging his fragrant
carcass alongside the first n com
pleting our work under q third volley
quite harmless. / received the thanks
Of Mr.. Squiers and the entire marine
guard for this service, as 1t rendered
their position much more bearable
thereafter and fully repaid me for the
danger Incurred.
Directly across q moat leading from
the imperial city to the southern wall
Of the Tartar city OF Picking, opposite
to the British legation, Is a large COM
pound known in the local mandarin
tongue as the palace of Prince Su. This
prince only inherited the title from his
father two years ago. He Is a young
man OF rather pleasant appearance,
about 30 years OF age. / have dined
with him twice at the residence or his
next younger brother, who was a pa
tient OF mine last winter. This COM
pound is surrounded by a stout brick
wall from twelve to fifteen feet high.
Lying as the place does. In between the
British and Austrian legations, II was
decided to take possession OF II for the
thousand odd Christian refugees, most
~ Catholics, who a claimed the pro-
lection OF their teachers, the mission
aries. when the cathedral and mission
premises were burned The Idea OF do
ing this originated with Mr.. F.. III.
James, who was killed on the bridge by
Kansu soldiers only a few days after
the occupation. Or. G.. E. Morrison
: warmly seconded It, and the plan was
carried out without opposition from
Prince Su or his retainers, as actual
warfare had not yet broken out. This
palace consists OF Il lot OF rather fine
0or Chinese buildings) edihces. all OF
one story, arranged In a series Of
courts, and q considerable park on the
west side facing on the moat dividing
the palace from the British legation.
AS less thar a hundred yards space Is
taken up by the width Of the moat and
the roadway on either side. It will be
readily seen that to hold this compound
was to protect the entire east side Of
the British legation from the Chinese
fire. Colonel Shiba, the Japanese COM
mandant, with his twenty-five soldiers,
was first placed in charge, but later on
he was reinforced from time to time by
attachments from the Austrians, Ital-
ians. British and French marines, and
by the young men or the customs SER
vice, known as the customs volunteers.
The most determined efforts of the
siege have been made by the Chinese
troops and Boxers to obtain possession
OF the palace-frst. doubtless, because
IT commanded the entire east wall OF
the British legation at short range and
secondly, because they desired to eXter-
inmate the thousand odd refugees, men,
women and children, harbored there.
Consequently, the loss Of life of our de-
tenders and the number of wounded
brought from the Su Wang Su into the
hospital has greatly exceeded that of
any other one place. To Colonel Shiba,
it's heroic defender, is due the greatest
credit, inasmuch az he held the place
for weeks, after the other commanders
had prophesied 1t would have to be
given up in twenty-four hours.
This he has been enabled 10 do by
building barricade after barricade In
the rear of his first line OF defense. at
often less than fifty yards distance, and
when one barricade was shelied abso-
lutely untenable, retreating to the next
strong position in his rear.
Colonel Shiba also enlisted all the
Japanese civilians in the city, and even
raine twenty-five Of the native Cath
Ollie converts into very steady soldiers,
arming them with rifles taken from the
bodies OF dead soldiers Of the enemy.
In addition to the military officers who
arrived with the legation guards, there
: happened TO be In Picking at the COM
mencement of the siege two English
captains, one 10 study Chinese, the
other representing n concession syndi-
cate, Captains Poole and Percy Smith.
Both of the gentlemen a rendered
efficient and valuable service, M since
the death Of Captain Strouts have beer
on regular duty. A curious fact, inter
asting alike to English n Americans,
is that on the Fourth OF July, after
Captain Meyers was wounded In the
sortie on the city wall the previous
night, Captain Percy Smith command
ed the American marines in the trench
on the wall all day, under hot fire from
cannon and rifles, II the marines
speak in the highest terms of his bra
very, GOODNESS and care for their com
fort and safety.
Mr.. f. Won Strauch. formerly first
lieutenant in the German army bu'
10Y n member of the customs service
has also rendered valuable service ir
relieving the officer In charge at all o.
the various posts, such as the city wall
held by the Americans; the Su Vans
Flu, held by Colonel Shiba; the Hanlir
Yuan, held by the British, and othei
points outside the legation. The mer
also express the highest regard for him
So much for the outside officers
; Among civilians deserving credit are
many who have daily and faithfully
done the work apportioned to them ir
capacities where they have been un'
noticed, but where their work has con
tributed much to the general comfort
? and some Of them at least should be
noticed. Messrs. Allardyce and Braziel
: in the meat supply department, Mr.. S