The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-05-10

.eSsD h i'gh5 anti. at the al al.
lies marched up. the middle of August,
death from Chinese bullets or star
walton or massacre seemed inevitable.
The Boxer uprising in May led to daily
insults to foreigners in the streets of /
Picking. Next came the murder of mis-
sionaries and the general cry of the
Chinese that the foreigners must go.
Tie widest rumors were spread by
friends and enemies. The ministers
appealed to the tsung-li-yamen, and at
meeting called to deliberate on the
evil there were but four Chinese mem
bers present, and one of them slept dur
ing Sir Claude Macdonald's protest
against the daily murders Of mission
aries. At the request of the legations
the throne issued an edict, but managed
to pat the Boxers on the back, and
meanwhile the empress dowager was
holding a fete at the summer palace.
Rumors of Admiral Seymour's relief
expedition reached the legations and
members went to the outskirts to meet
it. When they turned back disappoint-
ed the Chinese jeered and cried out
An end to the foreigners"
The Japanese chancellor was murder
ed while outside the gates awaiting the
arrival of the relief force. AT this
. time, June IL. all telegraphic commu-
nication had been cut. On the 10Th
deputation Of Chinese officials called
at the legations and declared that the
Boxer movement had been suppressed,
adding that China would protect the
foreign ENJOYS as guests and strangers
within her walls. Yet the very next
day Boxers began to burn foreign
buildings within sight of the legations.
Native Christians were murdered by
wholesale. Late at night party Of
Boxers advanced from the burning
mission and customs buildings toward
the Austrian legation, and the first de-
tense was made. They were allowed
to come within $50 yards of the lega-
ton, and then a machine gun opened
upon them. Owing to the lay of the
ground all the bullets went over the
target, and the Boxers claimed this as
an evidence of their invulnerability.
After this attempt of the Boxers
the legations set to work to prepare
lOI u lOuS QcttuSC. lJdlllC1tcS NSlG
thrown up at various points, and pick
cts were set to watch the gathering of
Boxers close to the lines. All couriers
from the legations to the outside world
were turned back. Patrols sent out
ito neighboring mission districts to sue
cor native Christians found the Boxers
at work massacring the helpless peo
pie. One patrol shot down 46 Boxers
caught red handed at their work. Oh
the 10Th OF June the Chinese sent Al
ultimatum to the legations saying
that as the allies had threatened thu
.forts at Taku China considered it al
act of war and the legations must leave
Picking within "a hours OF protection
could not be guaranteed. 1t was al
ready known to the Chinese that tn
Taku forts had been taken.
AS the ultimatum closed with the as
surance that the legations would b.
given safe conduct and transport TIN
ministers asked the nature of the safe
guard, considering that the countr.
was filled with hostile rebels. The dip
lomatic corps decided to accept the ulti
matum, and the Americans began t
get realty, Dut tlC 11llllSL WailSp LII
ther developments. On the morning o
the goth, no reply having been receive
to the demand as to safeguards, it wa
moved in meeting of the diplomat
body that all the ministers go to til
tsung-li-yamen for an answer Thi
was probably what the Chinese locke
for, but no one seconded the motion
The German minister, Baron Won ket
teller, spoke Chinese fluently and wit
his Chinese secretary started alone to
the yamen. He had asked the preyiou
day for an audience at a. m. the 2Otl
Before leaving the legation precinct
and while close to Chinese police sts
ton the baron was shot dead in hi
chair by soldier in full uniform. Th
secretary was also fired upon, but b
escaped and ran to the yamen, wher
he found neither prince nor minister
waiting to receive his chief
The ministers in the legations wei
quickly informed of the fate Of the
colleague. A little later a dispatch wa
received from the yamen resembling tt
ultimatum for the reason that the coul
try swarmed with brigands, and
would be unsafe for the ministers
start for Tien-tsin. All of this was il
terpreted to mean that having failed
get all the ministers in the trap wit
Won Ketteler they would attack the
cations. The garrison, consisting of
officers and $50 men, was poste
around the compound, and at p. II
the time limit Of the ultimatum, Il
Chinese under cover at every point
vantage opened rifle fire upon the Au
trian and French outposts.
The siege had begun, and the tel
per of the foreigners was quick
shown. The American legation bull
ing had already been given up as u
tenable, the Austrians quickly aba
doned theirs, and the whole force
officials, with their families, exceptil