The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1912-03-07
MISSIONARIES
SLAUGHTERED
Twenty-four Mission Workers Ar
rive at San Francisco With H0r-
rible Tale Of Massacre In
China-Eight Killed.

San Francisco, March bring
ing the first word of the massacre
of eight persons connected with
Christian missions by fanatical
Chinese outlaws last October, "a
mission workers arrived yesterday
on the liner China, from the pro-
vince OF Shensi.
The victims of the slaughter
were George Alstrand, 10 years old;
Mrs. Richard Beckman; Zelma
Beckman. 10; Ruth Beckman, s;
nulda Bergstrom, i3; Oscar Berg
strom, 10; Hilda Nelson, i6; George
vanne, teacher at q mission school
at Sian Flu.
The story of the massacre was
told by Rev. Philip Nelson, father
of Hilda Nelson, Of the Scandina-
Wan alliance mission at pinchow
who, with his wife and their five
children, we're passengers on the
China
Mr.. Nelson told of the remark
able escape Of Richard Beckman,
who, after seeing his wife and
daughter dubbed TO death, waded
into a lake with his -year-old
daughter in his arms, and in the
darkness escaped.
There were about 40 persons as
s0ciated with the scandinavian
mission at pinchow at the time Of
the massacre said Mr.. Nelson.
we had heard nothing but the
vaguest rumors until October o.
when news Of the revolution came
to Sian Flu, and the marauders re-
sponsihle for the massacre started
on their career OF murder and pill
lage. The mission was one Of the
first places looted. The gates We're
stormed at 1 o'clock in the morn
ing and the Chinese surrounded the
house before the inmates had time
to flee over the ladder at the rear
wall. The house was barricaded
and the bandits went on their way
after firing the outer walls.
The women and children then
hid in an outbuilding, while Beck
man with his little daughter sought
refuge in the shrubbery. Two
marauders returned, kicked in The
door of the outbuilding and killed
all those who had hidden there.
either clubbing them down in the
doorway or beating to death after
a short pursuit. Beckman helped
his Zelma and Vanne over the wall
but soon they were caught.
From a conversation he over
heard, Beekman learned that he
an dhis baby were the only ones left
alive, and heaters began to work
through the bushes in search OF
him.
ITO escape them he waded into
a shallow pond. He heard COM
mands given that the pond be
guarded until daylight except for
the north bank, which was too
steep to be climbed Realizing that
his only hope lay in that direction,
Beckman worked his way there and
managed to place the baby on top
Of the bank. Before he could
climb up beside her, however, the
little one began to cry, and he had
to take her down and quiet her.
Again he placed her on the bank
and again was frustrated by the
crumbling bank. The third time
he was successful and made his
way to a mission in another part
Of the city.
1.-THE bodies of the slaughtered
children and teachers, horribly mu-
tilated, lay where they had fallen
for three days, when they were
hastily buried by a company of
soldiers. Later they were inferred
with full military honors."
The missionaries were shut in at
Sian Flu for six weeks before il was
considered safe for them to travel,
They then made their way to the
coast, giving a full report Of the
massacre to the American consul
at Hankow, who was to take up the
matter with the authorities at Pc
kin. Beckman and his baby daugh-
ter were left at Shanghai when the
part sailed on the China.
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