Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-05-15
AWFUL ACT In CHINA.
STORY OF MERCllESS SLAuGH.
TER OF MISSIONARIES.
Victims Remain Calm and Pr. ach to
the People Tia Executions. trikes-
Thirty-three Protestants and Twelve
Roman Catholics Are Beheaded.

A late mai. from China brings a thrill
ling account of the murder of the mis-
sionaries at Tai Yuan Flu On the 9Th Of
last July. which was taken down in writ
ing by DR.. j. A. Greasy Smith from the
narrative of Yung Cheng, a member Of
the Baptist church. who was an unwill-
ing witness Of their martyrdom. Iung
Cheng is youched for as a Christian OF
excellent character and absolutely trust
worthy. He says that he was taking
treatment in the hospital on the Baptist
Society's premises Mt Tai Yuan Flu, when
on the Sth of July he saw Rev. Mr..
Pigott, his wife and child. John Robin
son, Miss Duval and two young women
named Atwater brought into the town.
The two gentlemen We're handcuffed and
escoreed by a company of soldiers and
followed by immense throngs of natives.
Wherever they stopped to rest Mr.. Pigott
and Mr.. Robinson preached to the peo-
pie. who gathered around them and We're
very much astonished. saying: '.You are
going to be killed for preaching, and yet
you continue to do So Tha: night the
party were placed in prison with a num-
Der of other missionaries and their wives
and children, including several Catholic
priests. The next morning they We're all
executed.
1.-The drst to be led forth Yung Cheng
says, was Mr.. Farthing, a Baptist min
lister. His wife chung to him, but he put
her aside gently, knelt down without say
ing word and his head was strucS &
by one blow of the executioner's llnife.
He was quickly followed by Pastors
Hoddle and Beynon, and Drs. Lovilt and
Wilson, all of whom We're bebeaded with
one blow by the execationer. Then the
governor, Yu Hsien. grew impatient and
told his bodyguard. all of whom carried
big beheading knives with long handles,
TO help kill the others. Pastors Stokes,
Simpson and Whitehouse We're next kill
ed, 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 children, who
clung to her, but the soldiers parted them
and with one blow beheaded their
mother. The executioner beheaded all
the children and did it skillfully, need
ing only one blow; but the soldiers were
clumsy, and some of the ladies suffered
several cuts before death.
Mrs. Levitt 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 /
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.
wv hen the Protestants We're all killed,
the Roman Catholics were led forward.
The bishop, an old man. with long white
beard. asked the governor, Yu Hsien,
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 poured down his white
beard, and he was beheaded. The priests
and nuns q ickly followed him in death
Then -'astor Pigott and his party
We're led from the district Jail, which is
| close by. He was still handcuffed and so
was Mr.. Robinson. He preached to the
people till the very 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 imme-
diately after her. The lady and two girls
We're killed also, quickly.
ION that day forty-ive foreign people
in all were beheaded. thirtythree Pro
testants and twelve Roman Catholics.
The bodies of all We're left where they
fell till next morning, as it was evening
before the work was finished. During the
night they were stripped of the clothing
and other things, such as rings and
watches. Next day they were removed
to a place inside the great south gate,
except some of the heads, which were
nlaced IN en- yes ON the gates of the wall. y