Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1908-11-27
DR.. Edwards Letter

ciN 81 VI WI llCnl at tHC Iuh'H-
of one of our mObS. and can
also make allowances for these
people for what they have done
to me. 1t is true that the mob
ing was not seriuo,s and that
all the castigation | got was YER
bal. Just how close | came to
being stoned do not know, but
perhaps the fact that myself,
and my two companions carried
revolverS in our hands while We
were forcing our way back to
our boat had a restraining in
fluence on the bowling ruffians
who crowded around us.
| have been wanting to 60 to
one of the interior villages for
some time, but have been advis-
ed against it by the American
consul, and also by the Chinese
officials, who said they could
not protect me. Just a few week
ago a party of missionaries was
robbed in this same village and
barely escaped with their lives.
Perhaps the fact that they were
missionaries had something to
do with the extreme treatment
to which they were subjected,
for the Chinese have wholesome
contempt and dislike for mission
aries.
Despite the warnings of friends
and officials we induced a Chi
neSe bOatmen to row us to the
village. and then we walked on
through the narrow streets, We
had not gone a block before the
cry of "fanquai' was raised by
a boy. and in an incredibly short
time we were in the midst OF a
bowling mob. Our bOatman drew
out into the stream, for he was
afraid he might come in for a
share of the trouble. We walk
ed up the street, the crowd be-
coming denser every minute
Great brawny Chinese, looking
like the most evil desperadOes
! would walk close up to us, and
thrusting their faces under oul
hats, make wry faces at us, show
ing their dislike in every imagl
nable manner.
We continued on our way un
il finally we decided that discre
ton was the better part of val
or and turned to 60 back to tn
river. Then the bowls increased
nd we were jostled and pushed
by the more venturesOme o
> our assailants. We kept our TEN
pers remarkably well, and CAV
no cause for trouble, and final
! ly almost fought our way bac
to the river. We were afral
that we would not find our boa
= IAN when we got there, but 8
soon as he saw the mob r
! lrning he knew we would nee
him in a hurry, and as we reac
ed the landing he was the
- ready for us. We got in the BOZ
q. and hurriedly rowed from tt
. shore followed by shower
9 stones and the imprecatlOns
. the mob.
= swe rowed out toward the
e posite shore a lot of natives
4 that side, hearing the mob, cal
X down to the bank and began ca
& ing us names, and making fac
z at us. | took out my sketch
apparatus and began making p
9 lures of them and this was me
& than they could stand, for tn
i seemed to fear that it was sol
X new kind of incarnation, a
( they hurried away, giving us
= parting shower of sticks a
2 stones.
~ There was absolutely no re
on for this attack upon us,
9 cept the general feeling OF q
q like for foreigners. 1t is tr
4 that most of the Chinese in An
x|lca come from this district in [
4 ton, and this probably accoul
Il for much of the dislike, for tn,
Z people have relatives in the |
tied States who undoubtedly I
9 them of the abuse to which tn
= are subjected from the l me
4 in the mining camps of Callf'
XInia and from the hOOdlums
8 the streets of San Francisco.
have learned that this dislike
to be met with in all parts
the Chinese empire, and that
= IS not confined to Americans, b
= all foreigners are treated IN
Z similar manner. These peol
A - .