Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-06-24

the city wall. All around outside the
city wall every night there were large
bundles of straw afiane, which we're
first soaked in kerosene oil. In this
way the Northerners could see how near
the enemy was to the wall.
Five airplanes appeared at different
times over the city--from both the
northern and southern sides-and some
people were killed by bombs and houses
we're set on fire." he said. Apparently,
the artillery ammunition was of diff
ferent quality, for of the 81 bombs that
were fired on one of the mission COM
pounds outside of the city wall only
Is exploded. At times over 200 shells
were fired in less than an hour. Six
oxen were required to pull one cannon.
and wheelharrow. handled by three
men, two pullers and a pusher, carried
two shells. Some cannons were fired
a distance of 40 miles from the city
To the south of us we understand the
Nationalist generals used the tank"
All during the siege Mr.. Braskamp
| had 60 Chinese refugees in the base
ment of his house. and when heavy
firing went on during the night they
all crowded on the stone steps, sur
rounded by four stone walls. No candle
was permitted to be used after dark.
There were 200 in the boys high school
compound and about 400 in the base
ment of the new Joint Mems and
Women's Hospital located outside the
city wall. Mr.. Braskamp had to scale
the high city wall regularly each day
and had the food passed over from one
side to the other with the assistance
of the Chinese. Had the Chinese
themselves scaled the wall and at
tempted to pass food over, the soldiers
would probably have taken them for
spies and shot them. Mr.. Braskamp
climbed the wall by a long ladder on
one side, straddled the wall, and then
went down the other side. Fortunately
the troops respected the Red Cross
flag. which the missionary carried on
4 20-foot bamboo pole. but he was in
evitably under fire as he went about
outside the city, feeding refugees and
caring for the wounded and he has
with him at present choice collection
Of bullets, most of light calibre. dunn
dunn and bits of shrapnel which fell
in his house and compound, where some
| 90 people. mostly women and children,
spent a month in his cellar.
On one occasion, Mr.. Braskamp was
able to secure the mission safe, in which
was $4,000 station and hospital funds.
from the hands Of IS Northern SOL
diers. who had just driven 4-foot
spike in 1t with sledge-hammer torn
of the combination plate and pulled
of the handle. but still they were I'M
successful in getting in. This safe also
| had gone through the Boxer Rebellion
| safely.
Spared by Soldiers.
Four times the musket was pointed
/ at Mr.. Braskamp when he tried to
/ save lives and property, but after talk
1 ing kindly TO the soldiers in the native
| tongue, they lowered their guns.
| In one native mudhouse with a
/ matched roof near Mr.. Braskamps
| house, a large shell landed and fell on
| the table where the family of 10 were
/ taxing their evening meal Eight of
/ the 10 people we're instantly killed by
+ the explosion of the shell and the
| other two we're taken 10 the hospital
because Of serious injuries, and finally
/ died
| Al one time ne led over 1000 starv-
| Ing Chinese out of the city. after hav-
| ing received special permission from
/ the head military authorities to have
/ the south city gate opened for 45 min
/ utes. He presented them with 1--WE lists
! Of 200 names on each list, of all the
/ people who were to go out OF the city
| These sufferers fed in all directions to
| nearby villages, where they could Sc
cure food and water supplies the
/ Chinese were very grateful for this act
. Of kindness.
} What astonished Mr.. Bfaskamp was
! that no epidemic broke out as 1t WAS
/ an exceedingly hot and dry month and
| the Southern troops, who were sur
! rounding the city knew nothing 81
! field sanitation
! One unpleasant feature Of the 1ght-
! ing, he said was the activities OF hall"
wild dogs after the Nationalist troops
! had buried their dead,
/ Mr.. Braskamp does not support the
| belief that fighting in China is sort
| OF mock warfare. The suppression or
| the Communists, he believes, has had
! a beneficial effect upon the discipline
| Of the Nationalist troops.
THE people of Ich0wfu have well
coined the Nationalist troops with open
arms, as they hope for better admin
iS:ration and relief from the grinding
/ taxation imposed by the NofthernefSt
| Mr.. Brasksmp said Conditions gem
! orally hi Shantung. once one OF the
most prosperous and ihlekly populated
provinces OF China, are very bad and
Mr. Braskamp's information about the
strange northward track to Manchuria
| Is especially interesting.
One Million Leave shantung.
| Bandits and Red Gpeara, no less than
| a million of Ehantnnge6e and one
fortieth of the population 0f the prov"
ince have already emigrated 10 Man.
ehuFia, having bfen driven desperate
by the insecurity Of life In country rid"
den with lawless troops and bandits.
A.