The Washington herald., 1912-03-03


by band marched TO the palace OF Duke
kuei-Hsiang. father of the Empress
Dowager. and shelled the palace and set
II afire. The palace was looted of 800. 600
in money and It's most valuable furnish
ings and art objects. The soldiers then
institute. an orgy OF rioting and robbery.
Scores OF private residences were burn
ed and hundreds Of shops looted Many
Of the terrified residents who had. flocked
TO the streets were shot down and de-
capitated. Headless torsos are lying
everywhere. Seemingly cTazed and be-
reft Of all reason by their own hldeous
atrocities, the looters are fighting among
themselves. The mutinous troops belong
ing to the command of Chang Huai Chin
are divided into two hostile factions.
which are waging actual warfare on the
outskirts of the city. Any soldier found
disloyal TO his own faction Is beheaded
as are all prisoners.
The city OF Psotingfi presents scene
OF utter devastation. The garrison there
mutinied last night and hundreds of
civilians were killed in their homes. The
soldiers swept through the principal
streets. looting and firing every house
and store in their path. Large areas
Of the city, are ssnolderinE heaps OF
debris and still other sections are burn
ing tonight
Heavy Loss OF Life.
The ranks OF the mutineers were
swvlled by large numbers OF the re-
calcitrant troops in this city. who
marched to Paotingfu yesterday after
noon. Hearing of their departure. Yuan
Shih Kai ordered them halted and killed,
IL necessary. but they arrived in safety
and Joined the local garrison in the pill
laying. Another band of Pekin mutt
neeTs went to-day TO Feng-Tack. twen-
ty miles from this city. and looted and
burned large part Of the city. The
women and children were all gathered
within the British military post and thus
protected. Still another gang of mutt
neers proceeded to Yung Pin Flu. north
Of Lanchau, and looted the city. The
railroad station was successfully guard
ed by Americanssiroops.
The loss of life during the day cannot
he estimated. but several thousand must
have been killed at the various points
where Tioting occurred.
China faces n repetition OF the Boxer
uprising. and unless the powers are able
to get available forces at once the loss
Of life must necessarily reach stupen-
dous proportions. The Chinese authori-
ties are apparently powerless. Yuan Shi
Kai has offered pardon TO all the mutt
neers who return, but TO this edict there
has been no response. Instead. the SOL
diers OF the entire national army are in
sympathy with the pillaging movement.
These troops construe the coming of the
republican delegates as n guarantee that
they are to be dismissed from the serv-
ice, and their dcpredatiOns are prompted
solely by revenge.
Martial law was proclaimed here this
and at o'clock comparative
quiet prevails. The bridges of the Han
ROW Railroad have been dynamited and
many telegraph wires cut. All conmunl- |
cation IS cut of between this city and |
HankoT and Tientsin.
The booming of cannon continues in
cessantly from the din of Feng-Tai, and /
the distant cracking of rifles tell of fight
ing in the suburbs.
A courier has arrived with the news |
that the British troops stationed at Feng-
Tai, Of whom there are not more than
l0c. are still guarding the women and /
children but have been unable to stop
the looting of the city. The courier
states that the Third and Twentieth
divisions are engaged in battle.
Every foreign legation in Pelxin is the
scene OF great activity. Provisions are
being carried within the compounds In
preparation for siege. and every pre-
,aution possible IS being taken TO pre-
rent loss OF nfe.
The ministers conferred on the situa-
ion at midnight. but were powerless to
axe any action. The American Minis
er, Mr.. Calhoun, stated that the Amer
can troops called from Tientsln would
lrTive at O'Clock tomorrow morning.
Sufficient American Troops.
There are about 7d9 American soldiers
tailoned along the railway between
Tientsin and Pekin and about 200 ma
ines in the legation guard It was
tated that these troops. together with
hose provided by the other powers. will
'robably prove sufficient 10 cope with the
resent situation in behalf Of foreign in-1
erests. II more American soldiers are
eeded. another regiment or two viii be
ushed Immediately from the Philippines,
MT 1t would be at least five or six days
efore they could be landed in the vicin-
y OF Tientsin after their departure from
lanila.