Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-08
CHINESE ON RAMPAGE
Boxers Invaded and DESTROYED
Mission Premises
AT CHANGPU, NEAR Annoy
All the Missionaries Reported Escaped
but One.
RIOTERS OFF FOR CHANGEHOW
Stated That There Are No Americans
Stationed at the Inflated
Missionary Quarters.

Special Cablegram to The Star.
HONGKONG. February s-A band of
revolutionsts has invaded and destroyed
the premises of party of missionaries
stationed at Changpu, near Annoy, accord
ing to dispatch from Annoy to the South
China Morning Post. and is on it's way to
commit further depredations elsewhere.
The number of the dsturbers is not men,
toned in the dispatch, but they are said
10 be well armed,
The mission buildings at Changpu We're
looted. All the missionaries escaped but
one, the Rev. Mr.. Oldham, an English
Presbyterian. and took refuge in the palace
of the local governor.
The reyolutionists are now marching to-
ward Changehow, which is the seaport of
Annoy and town of Importance.
1t was stated at the offices of the Presby-
terian board of foreign missions this morn
ing that the station at Changpu which is
reported to have been destroyed by Chi
nese reyolutionsts was controlled by the
English board. There were no Americans
at that mission.
The mission staff at Changpu consists of
the Rev. James Beattie and Mrs Beattie
DR.. j. Howard Montgomery, the Rev. II. W.
Oldham and Misses MacLagan. Lec'Sy
and Noltenius. Changpu was occupied first
by the Rev. John Watson, who went to
China in 1850. Mr.. Watson was for five
dayes confined in the Changpu magistrates
yameH to protect him from a sudden as
sault at the beginning of preaching services
In the city. 1t is in this same yamen that the
missionaries are now hiding. MIR. Oldham
is the colleague of DR.. J. Howard Mont
gomery, and the two were assisted by the
missionaries from Annoy, who visited
Changpu as often as they could
Preachers meetings and examinations
comprise the evangelistic work at Changpu
The villages within radius of several miles
were visited last summer by Mr. Beattie
with encouraging results
The most threatening danger at Changpu
has been the clan feuds. At the end of the
year 1893 there was much clan fighting In
the district. Crops were destroyed ruth
lesssly; fifty persons were killed, some OF
them in cold blood, even after heavy ran
SONS had been offered for their release
After several months the mandarins ap-
peared on the scene but-such are Chinese
ways-one military officer made hundreds
of dollars by lending rifles to the fighters.
Highway robbery had broken out and be-
gan first to impede missionary operations
at the end of last year.
A new station was In course of construc-
tion when the recent looting took place
The missionaries at Changpu had with
much difficulty bought the title deeds of
ground for new church and also a new
preachers house. They had looked for
ward this year to doing more than the usu-
al amount of work. for the added room
would remove one of their greatest handi-
caps.
The Presbyterian Church of England Is
the only foreign church to have mis-
sion at Changpu. The Americans have taken
up their work more generally in the north
of China.
The Changpu mission suffered it's first
stroke of misfortune last April in the death
OF DR.. Howie, a unique personality with a
remarkable hold on the hearts of the Chi
nese. The city mandarns worshiped at
his comm and he had all the hOnorS Of n
public funeral City officers and soldiers
were in the long procession of mourners.
Inc Rev Mr. Oldham was called to Chang
pu at the death of DIR. Howie