Washington sentinel., 1901-05-11
WAR INCIDENTS
Thar Reflect Honor on American
Men ana Methods.

es Colonel Wint, of the Sixth Ca
airy, was in charge of the Amer
J. can Department OF Tientsin, say
Edwin Wildman, in McCZu1e'S f
d May, The Russians introduce
Is the practice of commandeerin
c Chinese from the old city. With
: out pay and without food, the
e were forced to work from sunris
to sunset, when they were drive
away like SO many cattle, an,
warned to return in the morning
The bsyonet and the knout wert
used freely to urge them on t.
their tasks.
The American Quartermaster'
Department was sorely in need o.
laborers.
GO into the Chinese city. and
get two hundred coolies mind
you, coolies" said Colonel Wlnt,
to one Of his sergeants. Take an
interpreter with you. Tell them
we want them to load our junks
and carry our supplies. Offer them
ten cents gold day, and tell them
we will feed them and sell them
rice and treat them well. No old
memo Violencep
The sergeant went. He visited
the Chinese city. The coolies hid
and skulked, diVed into their mud
houses, and crowded behind walls.
The interpreter called to them,
told them the Americans wanted
them, would pay for their work,
would feed them. They believed |
1t and came out in swarms. The |
sergeant received more applica.
tions than he could accept. In
long procession they came to the
Quartermaster Department. They
were set to work, and they worked
like oxen, without a complaint.
Other Chinese heard OF our
methods. Scores deserted the
Russians to get under the protec-
tion Of our flag. Word was sent
to their starving wives and babes,
hiding out in the country. They
came back to Tientsin, and con-
gregated around the American
camp. All day long, under the
blazing sun, these human cattle
carried burdens, dragged wagons
and loaded junks, but not at the
point OF the bayonet or under the
lash Of the knout. AT night they
squatted ia boards, patiently wait
ing in front of the army headquar-
.ers, under the shelter OF the
American flag, TO receive what was
20 them big reward for the days
work, and portion of rice to take
home to their iamished families.
Soon the wretched beggars who
lad fled from Tientsin returned.
They came to the American camp.
The halt and blind, the sore eaten I
md rheumatic, crowded around
md held out their pitiful hands. 3
They gathered up spilled rice like I
chickens on a stubble field. They
illed their dirty sacks with dis :
arded food and bits of wood Tor Z
uel. The American soldier threw
hem many dime-an act so un-
'recedented. and a gift so great, r
hat their eyes stared in wonder :
1ent, and their lips murmured \
oniused prayers Of thanks. q
One old woman, hardly able to
'alk, made her appearance every G
ay. and threaded her way among h
ne crowd of soldiers and coolies. I,
he was never driven away or in r
eriered with. "You are spoiling c
nese brutes," protested the Rus 4
ians, OF whom it has often been I
aid that they understand the c
.hinese better than others do. fl
They would all murder you if e
hey had their Weapons. You are I,
ncouraging mendicity." Yet I
ever an American was murdered n
y stealth, never gun was stolen, c
ever an arm was raised against ii
S by these "brutes" who did our il
,ork. I,
An American junk was being s.
auled up the Peiho river bv five
oolies, with tow line. Il was ii
ard and tedious work to drag the Q
nwieldy Chinese scows, heavily o
lden with army supplies, through c
he swift currents, over the shallow
ars, and around the sharp curves. i,
he coolies often had to wade Il
trough the mud and submerged s.
rass up to their waists, pulling A
leir heavy burden up the stream h
,r a hundred nd twenty miles to C
II took ten days for "
he trip. Five coolies were not Il
nough, but before the allies re- il
eyed Peking coolies were scarce il
he Russians had forced many of a
lem into service, and mad killed o