Evening star., 1914-07-22
Fail to Protect City.

The clipping to which Mr. Birrel alludes
is as follows:
"MINCHOW. Kansu, May -.
''The Lord has called upon US to take
joyfully the spoilings of our goods.
White Wolf reached Minchow Oh May
90 The officials attempted to protect
the city, but failed. There was a sharp
fight on the city wall and near the north
gate for about fifteen minutes. On the
VOLTS side one was killed and a few on
the Minchow side. After the retreat of
the Minchow- soldiers the robbers came
into the city and began shooting down
all kinds of people. They reached the
yamen, but the officials had made their
escape.
They came to our place and gave them
the two poorest, but they demanded the
two best. Band after band came to our
place asking for this and that. 1 could
only give them what they asked for up
till dark. Other two bands had come
into our premises. but had been able to
reason with them and keep them from
wholesale plunder.
However. after dark two other bands
of very wicked men came to our place
search with two large lanterns and got
two native women, one servant and
one the wife Of an evangelist. They
searched the foreign house from top to
bottom for our ladies, but in the infinite
goodness of God they were not seen, hav-
ing hidden in a closet in the attic. They
were much chagrined and threatened to
shoot me dead several times.
After the last party left l knew there
was no time to lose, as they would soon
return The city swarmed with them
tthere must have been from 10000 to
10000, so taking Hazel from her bed,
the ladies. Mrs. Christie, Misses Mack
imon and Haupberg and left the house
y, <<,<>fy fny>
was impossible to take anything else
with us. We escaped over a wall and
most fortunately met with our two evan
gelists. They said that the north gate
was open and by it We made our escape
and walked toward the hills in the south
west.
AT cockcrow we reached a small farm
house, where our evangelist had friend.
After meal of barley flour here, and
after a rest. proceeded and came to a
large village where there was a forest
In this We took refuge. Hundreds had
already done SO. That afternoon some
of the robbers came to the village in
search of horses. We could hear their
and near sunset another band came, sur
rounded the woods and fired shots into
it from all sides. We thought our end
had come, for We lay near the top of the
wood. But it began to get dark and the
shots to go farther and farther away.
That night we left the wood under
the guidance of a hunter who knew
every path. He led US during the pitch
dark hight to a place of safety-a little
hut in a lonely valley.
Hearing that the last Of the robbers
had left Minchow, We returned to the city
footsore and weary. Our dwelling house
and all our belongings, as well as those
of the two ladies, were burned to ashes,
| but the church and street chapel were
| saved. also our servants quarters and
stables.
The strain on the ladies has been
great. If the Wolf leaves the foreign
| houses at Taochow intact we will &c
up there for a change and to get some
clothing.
THE report is that the marauders have
| left the new city of Taochow intact
They are a band of merciless murderers
| utterly vile and cruel. 1 searched out
the official yesterday and had him &C
| and investigate the ruins and report tC
| the governor of kansu.
| (Signed) civilian CHRISTIE