The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-02-01

ers--into this country, has been al
most continuously practiced 2"
1t Is quite possible, / dare say.
do not know the facts, however"
The facts in general way are not
material" Yup Sing assured me. But
shall inform you of single specific
case. Sixteen years ago there ap-
peared in Canton a white man. SUD-
poscdly ScOtchman, calling himself
Donald McNish, and representing, ac-
cording to his own statement. certain
large American interests. Through a
native agent it became known that
McNish was in search Of coolies. Very
soon, circulars appeared throughout
the district, wOrdod somewhat after
this fashion: TO the cOuntrvmen Of
Ah SEGo. LGOOrers are wanted in the
land of California. Great works to be
done there, good houses, plenty food.
You will get $40 a month and good
treatment. Passage money required,
$45. will lend the money on good
security, but | cannot take your wife
and Child in pay. Come to Canton.
and | will care for you until the ship
sails. The ship is good The circular
was signed by Ah Shoe, the agent. In
response to ii, exactly ninety-seven OF
my countrymen, having left good Sc
curlty for the required passage money,
were led stealth.ly aboard a small
coastlng vessel Cne night, and the YES
sci slipped quietly down the Chu-Kiang
to the open sea, with McNish himself
at the helm, and Eurasian named
John Woo, in the galley"
The Vice Consul was now consult
Ing a slip Of paper bearing, az I could
see, certain Chinese characters.
III | am in error" said Yup Sing,
addressing his companion, "I pray you
to correct me-" Whereat Mr.. Chen
Mok smiled reassuringly.
You are in all particulars accu-
rate he announced; and the Mott
street merchant, thus encouraged, pro-
ceeded.
THE vessel, you understand. Mr..
Clyde, was what is known in those wa
ters as a lorcha. 1t was not so large
as junk and it differed in other re-
epeCtS DIS well. 1t
Il think l have seen a rude. but
more or less effective representation
OF it," l interrupted
Il know to what you refer" was the
speakers rejoinder "But that was
more or less conventional. AS told
you, every child draws boats like that.
However, the lorcha was to be used
merely to convey the PASSENGERS to
McNish's steamship, which had al
ready cleared from Hong Kong, and
which waited off the coast we'll out Of
sight of prying cruisers. Such, at
least, was the explanation. Whether
McNish ever had a steamship is a
matter for conjecture. Whether a
United States cruiser of the Pacific
Squadron, having received a hint as
to his purpose, bore down upon him.
as has been said, is likewise open to
question. But Of the truth of the Incl
dents which followed there can be no
dispute"
He hesitated long enough for the
Vice Consul to echo: mo dispute.
whatever, Mr.. Clyde" and continued
"On the second morning after leav-
Ing Canton, an hour after dawn, when
he at least pretended to see the cruiser
in full chase, he ordered his passen.
gers below, declaring that their safe
ty depended upon their keeping out of
sight. No sooner, however, were they
below decks than he battened down
the matches, and imprisoned the cook
In his galley A white fog prevailed
and the sea was very calm, both Of
which were conditions favorable to
McNish's purpose. Lowering the
lorcha's two boats he cut one adrift,
and entering the other, which he had
previously stocked with stores, he
made his way in it along the lorchas
side to her Prov"
AT this juncture, Yup Sing slowly
rose to his feet.
And now" he said, Il want you to
picture what followed. Standing up,
axe in hand, Donald McNish began his
diabolic work. With strong arm he
swung, and close to the water line
the blade bit deep into the timbers Of
, the lorcha's bow. He swung again;
and again the blade bit deep. Once
, more, and still once more the axe rose
and fell. Frantically, with fiendish
| purpose he piled his weapon, until
; there opened a gaping hole through
which, upon those ninety-seven
trapped souls, rushed the bitter waters
Of death"
1t was very dramatic recital. I'm
accompanied though it was by a sim
gle gesture, the speakers voice lent it.
, self most effectively to the tragedy.
And though | disliked and distrusted
him, was certainly more or less i'm
! pressed by the scene he painted.
! "McNish escaped, l presume?" I
asked the question more to relieve the
tenSity of the silence which enSuod