Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-05-13
NEWS FROM ALL
OVER THE WORLD.

WASHINGTON, May Sine iaSt
mail from China brings thrilling
account Of the murder of the mission
aries at Tai Yuan Flu on the 9th of
July last, which was taken down in
writing by DIR j. A. Greasy Smith
from the narrative of Yung Cheng. a
member of the Baptist church. who
was an unwilling witness of their
martyrdom. Yung Cheng is vouch-
ed for as christian of excellent char
acter and absolutely trustworthy. He
says that he was taking treatment in
the hospital on the Baptist society's
premises at Tai Yuan Flu, when on
the 8th of July he saw Rev. Mr.. Pig
oft, his wife and child. John Robinson
and Miss Duval. and two young wom-
en- named Atwater brought into the
town. The two gentlemen were
handcuffed and escorted by compa-
ny of soldiers and followed by i'm
mense throngs of natives. Wherev-
er they stopped to rest Mr.. Pigott
and Mr.. Robinson preached to the
people. who gathered around them
and were very much astonished. say
ing you are going to be killed for
preaching, and yet you continue to
do SO" That night the party were
placed in prison with a number of
other missionaries and their wives
and children, including several Cath
olic priests. The next morning they
were all executed.
THE first to be led forth" Yung
Cheng says. was Mr.. Farthing. a
Baptist minister. His wife clung
to him, but he put her aside gently
knelt down without saying word,
and his head was struck off by one
blow of the executioner's knife. He
was quickly followed by Pastors Hod-
die and Beynon. and Drs. Lovitt and
Wilson, all of whom were beheaded
y, with one blow by the executioner.
Then the governor. Yu Hsien. grew
impatient and told his bodyguard,
all of whom carried big beheadfng
knives with long handles. to help
kill the others. Pastors Stokes.
Simpson and Whitehouse were next
killed, the last by one blow only. the
other two by several.
When the men were finished the
ladies were taken. Mrs. Farthing
had hold OF the hands of her chill
dren. who clung to her. but the SOL
diers parted them and with one blow
beheaded their mother. The execu-
toner beheaded all the children and
did It skilfully, needing only one
blow, but the soldiers were clumsy,
and some of the ladies' suffered sew
eral cuts before death.
Mrs. LOvitt was wearing her spec
tacles and held the hand of her little
boy, even when she was killed. She
spoke to the people. saying. as near
as | can remember: We all came
to China to bring you the good news
of salvation by Jesus Christ; we
have done you no harm. only good;
] why do you treat us so?' A soldier
took off her spectacles before be-
heading her, which needed two blows.
When the Protestants were all
killed. the Roman Catholic were led
forward The bishop, an old man.
with lofss mite beard asked the gov
ernor why he was doing this wicked
deed. did not hear the governor
give him any answer, but he drew his
sword and cut the bishop across the
face one heavy stroke: blood pour
ed down his white beard. and he was
beheaded. The priests and nuns
quickly followed him in death
Then Pastor Pigott and his party
were led from the district Jail. which
is close by. He was still handcuff-
ed. and SO was Mr.. Robinson. He
hn
last. when he was beheaded with one
blow. Mr.. Robinson suffered death
very calmly. Mrs. Pigott held the
hand of her son, even when she was
beheaded. and he was killed immedi-
ately after her. The lady and two
girls were killed also, quickly.
"On that day As foreign people In
all were beheaded. SO Protestants
and ~ Roman Catholics. The bod
les of all were left where they fell
till next morning. as 1t was evening
before the work was finished. Dur
ing the night they were stripped of
the clothing and other things. such
as rings and watches. Next day
they were removed to place inside
the great south gate, except some of
the heads, which were placed in
cages on the gates of the wall.
MELBOURNE. May 9.-Upwards
of fifteen thousand visitors from all
the colonies of Australia were pres
ent this afternoon at the opening Of
the first session of the Australian
Federated parliament, as provided I'M
der laws passed at the last session
and concurred in by the parliament of
the mother country.
The occasion was made one of
great rejoicing. The duke and duch-
ess of Cornwall and York were pres;
ent and opened parliament in the
name of the king AS the duke call
ed the members to order he caused to
be read dispatch from Edward. say
ing the duke had his best wishes.
and the people of the island his sin
cere congratulations.
The duke in speech referred to
A.. dnod N;,tn,ta in, oprh faaliu O