The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-05-29

Victoria, 3. c.. May 25.-Heart-rend-
ing details of the suffering and death Of
families as a result of the famine in
kwang ST We're given in Hong Kong
papers received by the steamer In
dravelli from the orient. Mr.. Hess. a
missionary al WI Chow. who has been
investigating on behal of the Hong
Kong charities, says that owing to
three successive failures of crops, peo-
pie are starving and dying by hundreds.
During March and April it is computed
that 81 1000 people were sold, men selling
themselves for employment in the
straits settlement and the women and
children being sold into slavery on the
coast.
Story after story of distress was told
by The MISSIONARY. He told of famished
| people dying in the act of eating when
food was brought to them, of people
| reduced to skeletons being abandoned,
! and of mothers selling daughters into
lives of slavery for a mere bottle Of
rice. 1t was said by the missionaries
u Nl4"l "OoAo ~ AAiA NJ
! less speedy relief is given.
EMPEROR WILLIAM SARCASTIC.
Berlin, May 25.-The newspapers have
been printing items to the effect that
a statue of Emperor Charles '. was
to be placed in the new cathedral Of
Berlin and a number of Protestant or
| gans expressed themselves as being
panied and surprised. Emperor Will
liam wrote on the margin Of a clipping
of this kind:
Beside him, Diocletian, Nero, Tor
Quemada and Alva will be placed in
the cathedral. Lucifer himself has been
proposed, only we do not know whether
to place him in the pulpit or in the
Emperor's box"
The German Gazette prints h above
at the head of its columns today as a
semi-offcial answer to the emperor'S
critics.
COREAN OFFICIALS ARRESTED.
Yokohama, May Pa dispatch re-
ceived here from Seoul says the govern
ment Of Corea has ordered the official:
at Wiju to arrest the Coreans who Were
concerned in the sale of land and build
ings 70 Russians or Chinese.
INSURGEANTS ANNIHILATED.
Vienna, May 25.-About $50 Macedo
Man insurgents were killed at the vii
lage of Smerdesh, south of the Lake o
Presba. May 21st, according to a dis
patch to the NeUe Freie Presse from
Salonica. The insurgents, who ha'
possession Of quantities Of dynamite
sought refuge in the village and wer
attacked by Turkinsh troops. Tn
fighting lasted for thirty hour an6
ultimately, all the houses were burne
or blown up by dynamite by the Turks
One hundred and fifty bodies wer
found in the ruins.
: Berlin, May 25.-The Lokal Anziege
! today prints a dispatch from Salonic
which says:
The insurgents seized the village Q
Smerdesh, on the Lake of Presba an
Turkish soldiers surrounded the place
Thev fought for thirty hours. The ret
els threw dynamite and dynamite bomb
at the houses which caught fire. TIL
wind spread the flames and burned u
Z the whole town. One hundred and fit
5 bodies Of insurgents were found in IN
ruins.
London, May 25.-The Sofia correspor
: dent Of The Times says negotiation
= between Bulgaria and Turkey hay
opened favorably in that city. It is ev
. dent, he adds, that there is a slackenin
: in he struggle in Macedonia, but fighr
ing is reported from the district {
kitchevo and Nevrokop, where severi
villages are blockaded. Macedonia Gil
Giles in Sofia are disposed TO await tn
result of the recent Pacific overtures.
Vienna, May 25.-It is reported thu
the Bulgarian government has present
ed a note TO Russia, Austria and Franc
announcing it's intention of asking fc
their support towards the conclusion {
an agreement with Turkey regardin
; Macedonia