The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-16
Hidden in wOmen's Quarters by Or
der Of Empress Before Her De-
parture from Picking.
CARRIED THERE BY COOLIES
TO INSURE THEIR SILENCE THEY
WE'RE BEHEADED LATER
Why Men Who Learned the Secret
Could Not Get Co-OperatfOn
of Military officials.

Correspondence Of the Indianapolis Journal
NEW YORK, Feb. l3.-Only the other
day there was cabled from Picking. China.
the news that S7O,OOoOO0 worth Of the i'm
perial treasure had been dug up from its
hiding place in the women's quarters OF
the Forbidden City. and to at least two
people the item had peculiar significance.
If the plan OF these two people OF Selling
this treasure a year ago had been carried
out the affair would have interested sew
eral millions of people and every civilized
government in the. world. The Chinese
court would have been forced 20 return
Immediately to Picking and part Of the
idemnity would have been collected with
out delay. Incidentally, also, two men
would have been enriched by some hum
dreds of thousands OF dollars.
According TO the best report. the Empress
dowager is an exceedingly thrifty old lady
and for years past she has been boarding
treasure. constantly augmented by pres
ents and a part Of the court income, until
at the time of the Boxer uprising there
was said to be "A. total value of 200.OO0co0
Picking taels (about $40 600 .O00) stored away.
Before the trouble in Picking all OF this
vast treasure was kept in the summer
palace just outside OF the Imperial City.
About twenty-five Gays before the allied
troops appeared, however, the Empress
dowager conceived the brilliant idea OF
transferring the treasure TO the women's
quarters in the inner city and. under the
pretense of guarding the concubines OF
the Emperor, thus avoid the danger OF
looting at the hands of the Boxers. IL was
not because the imperial party feared the
seizure of the treasure by the allied troops.
Indeed. the Empress believed Yung Lu and
others in the story that the foreign devils
had been driven into the sea. The sudden
departure Of the court with only a scanty
supply of clothing. is another proof OF the
statement.
AFRAID OF THE BOXERS
The truth of the matter is the Empress
feared the Boxers would find the treasure
i'm the summer palace, and 50 very stealth
lily and carefully she planned new hiding
place. one hundred picked coolies were
employed twenty days in the moving, each
coolie carrying a small amount at a time
and being closely watched all of the time
night and day In the rear Of the Imperial
City and just back of the great wall is
an artificial hill Familiarity known to the
foreigners as Coal hill. from the summit
of which almost the whole OF the Imperial
City can be plainly seen. On this eleva-
ton soldiers specially chosen for the mis-
sion watched the process Of transfer OF
the treasure. When the entire task was
completed the one hundred coolies who had
engaged I'm the labor were summoned be-
fore the imperial executioner. Dead men
tell no tales, and If a few OF the coolies had
not escaped in the general confusion this
story would not have been written. It hap
pened however, that one of the fortunate
coolies was in times OF peace the head
gardener Of the inner city, and IL was from
him that my friend Thompson heard the
tale. Thompson, a ScOtchman, who had
lived i'm Picking for years, once befriended
the head gardener. When I arrived I'm
Picking a few days after the occupancy
of the city by the allied troops Thomp-
son repeated the story Of the treasure 10
me. and together we formed our great plan
Following the arrival of the troops and
the relief legations, the japanese troops
were placed on guard at three Of the gates
Of the Imperial City and the United States
troops had charge Of the one remaining
entrance. What little was left in the outer
city by the Boxers was soon appropriated
by the allies. but. because the inner city
was so closely guarded, IL was not dis
turbed. Prince Ching had been intrusted
by the Empress dowager with the guarding
Of the treasure and, as soon as he could do
So he hurried to the allied commanders
and informed them that number Of the
Emperor's concubines were Still In the i'm
perial city and, if they were mOlcsted in
any way, the Emperor and court would
never return TO Picking. Naturally enough.
it was the desire of the allies 70 obtain
the Emperor's return as soon as possible,
and. for this reason. Prince Chings threat
had the effect OF closing up. the northeast
ern part Of the city where the treasure
was concealed 10 everyone except the psl-
ace officials, Prince Ching's soldiers and
the eunuchs who had remained there
throughout the investment OF the city. Any
reputable foreigner could obtain a pass
within the gates OF the Imperial City from
Major Heistand. General Chaffee's chief OF
staff. This pass was taken up upon en-
trance at the south gate and from the time
ne entered until he passed out at the op-
posite gate the visitor was closely watched
bv three or four eunuchs as wei as by
some Of Prince Ching's soldiers. A very
few OF the smaller buildings were open TO
inspection. but the gates in the inner walls.
particularly OF the entire section In which
the treasure was concealed. were tightly
locked.
A TEMPTING TREASURE.
when Thompson had related 10 me the
story Of the head gardener, and We had
made maps OF the route taken by the
coolies in carrying the treasure, we could
have located the particular spot where the
great wealth lay in the night as easily as
in the day.
IF we could only get a small part Of that
treasure" was the thought Of both OF US;
and then. as the difficulties doomed up. the
diabolical cunning OF the dowager Empress,
the threat OF Prince Ching. and finally the
plan whereby We might enrich ourselves
as well as force a solution OF the Chinese
puzzle which was troubling the allies be-
came clear We alone had the trump card.
and we proposed 10 play out the game.
All that we needed was the assistance OF
the United States troops As We look back
al it now il recalls the story OF the Irish
man who had match and all that he
needed for a comfortable smoke was a
pipe and some tobacco. Bpt We really felt