The evening times., 1901-05-21
BBSIEGED BY TIE BOXERS
Baron Won Bergen Tells of His Fx-
citing Pekin Experiences.

How the News Of the Uprising was
Sent to the Outside Wor!G-Thc Le-
sationers Feared Not Death, But
the Atrocities in Store for Them.
Baron Won Bergen. Secretary of the Ger
man Embassy in PeEliu, is now III this
city as the guest OF the German Ambassa-
dor During the siege of the legations
last summer Baron Won Bergen was one
Of the prominent leaders IN the defence
Of the German compound. This reserva-
ton. being much smaller than the Eng
Ijsh compound in which the majority Of
the foreigners were confined. was subject
to the ferCest attacks Of the fanatical
Boxers It stood so close to the wall Of
the city that it could be easily fired into.
and the Chinese took full advantage of
this, keeping men along the wall battle
nents all the time In the German com
pound there were three wells but only
one Of these, the Baron says. could be
used. All the others were exposed 50
mGcn to the fire OF the Chinese on the
wall that people who attempted to draw
water there were nearly certain to be
wounded Being restricted to one well
meant certain amount OF hardship
Baron Won Bergen divides with ATr
Conger. the American minister. the honor
Of having sent out the first news from
the besieged legations. His telegram.
which was countersigned By Sir Robert
Hart, announced to the world the assas-
sination Of Baron Won KetteIer, and gave
the Information that all the other Iega-
toners were safe It cost a great deal
of effort and some cIeverness to get this
message to the outside world. and it was
accomplished through a native runner.
who was given q. large sum for taking it.
For a Chinese runner to bear a message
from the legations, says the diplomat
was practically taking his life in his
hands Many MESA ges were sent which
never reached their destination. because
the run9ers were killed.
The baron's story of the DAYS of i'm
prisOHment IS exciting and adventurous.
fun of hairbreaGth escapes and izarui-
nent peril He says that it was not death
that the besieged feared They could
stand that But they knew If the Chinese
should get hold Of them alrocious punish
ments and tortUTes would be inflicted
Upon them This. Of course, made the re
sIstance Of the legationers all the more
desperate.
Inc most exciting time OF all he de-
clares, was about two weeks after the
siege began. The Boxers were becoming
more and more wildly excited and furious
at the successful resistance being offered
by the Germans. They decided upon a mass
attack, aimed at the small compound. and
advanced almost in fuIl force Eight men
from the German enclosure went out 10
meet the horde Of fanatics. and put up
such show Of fight that the yellow men
were driven back and did not therea fter
offer any serious trouble
The baron was C0mmiSsary general 10
the little besieged army. and found him
self hard put TO supply any kind OF food
to the garrison The supply Of fresh and
salt meat on hand when the siege began
was soon exhausted. and. as commissarv
general, the baron was forced TO recIisi-
tion from the racing stables All the
horses were led 70 slaughter. b,,t they
were hardly the most paIatabIe meat that
could be desired. With touch Of hunor
the count says that the horses had been
trained for some races lust previous T.,
the outbreak Of hostiHtes, and in couse-
quences they had but little flesh on their
bones Such as they had was merely hard
muscle and almost Uneatable The ONLY
way 1t could be used was as a sort Of hash.
and that was served Up as a daily article
OF diet Vegetables soon became luxury.
practically without the reach of everyone
and finally water, because of having ONLY
one well TO draw from. became more and
more at a premium
There were about fifty people who chose
to make the German compound their
place Of refuge. and when the siege was
raised over half Of them had been .serf-
OuSly wounded, he says. and large pro
portion Of that number either killed OF
permanently disabled. When the relief
force arrived a peculiar spectacle pre-
Sented Itself to the first soldiers. At the
lrSt lHtImation that the Chinese forces
nad been defeated. all the men who had
Deen taxing part IN the siege Of the Iega-
uons fed preCipitOuSly- The danger OF
attack was removed, and the entire garrj-
son collapsed from nervous and physical
exhaustion They had been forty days
on the watch. and were completely worn
out The Americans. first to arrive walk
Cd into the German Legation buildings
and found soldiers and officers and civil
Ians IN chairs Everybody had simply
gone 10 pieces There was no huTrafinl-
OF shouting Of welcome The baron de
ciares that not a man IN the whole Ger
man force was lively enough TO move 4
head OF q hand TO notice the relief force.
After his long and firing experience. the
baron IS now taking q Well-earned rest
He has about five months leave and is
making his way. IN q IeiSmely fashion
back TO Berlin. lie viii remain d fes>
days in the city His next post II IS
stated, VIII be at Rome