Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-19
americans Cit Off From Communication as
the Chinese SsReds" Start TO Massacre I'LL
Foreigners Women and Children Race
Through MmderoAs Fire.

BY noon 100 American women and children
were on the Noa, the American destroyer
few British women went ON board the Emerald
About Consul Davis, on his way home from
the Noa, where he had been making final ar
engagements about the missionaries on board
stopped at our house. He was the last guest
to sit quietly in my living room, but he, like
all those others who had climbed the hill that
Winter, was oppressed and burdened.
Utterly worn out with the strain of tho last
few days, he was worried about the missionaries
left at the other end of the city and also about
the ones who were crowded upon the destroyer
waiting to be taken to Shanghai insisted
that he sit down and have cup of tea. He had
become SO worn and thin in the last weeks that
he almost frightened me.
After moment of silence he turned to me.
saying: 1t seems hard to ask all these people
to go away from their homes and their work
shall feel personally responsible; hope I have
not put them to needless expense They have
been my friends and neighbors for years and
they are going simply because think it wise"
What are you doing about your wife?" I
asked
The American consulates have in no case
been touched by the Nationalist. think moth
ing viii happen there. In case of siege and
big shells it might be necessary later to CO."
I've radioed for a company steamer" said
my husband. IT am planning to move the Office
on board and we'd like your wife and the chill
dren to come with us if they'd like to-"
THE consul thanked my husband, saying,
Yes, perhaps that's the best way"
went back to my packing preparing to
go on the company boat in the morning.
The guns were now near enough to the city
SO that we could hear the big Ones Booml
silence-boom! silence. Rat-a-tat I heard INV
husband from the roof calling down to some
nttf 70 49,
commissioned and his wife taking their evening
walk along the fiat space inside the parapet
OF the wall just at the foot of the bluff on
which our house stood. I saw her wave and
heard her call up to my husband mo, I'm
not going away long as my husband has
to stay. and he can't desert his post at the
ONCE" They went on their way. Boom!
silence-booml silence; rata tat tat; it was
ominous. Evidently the Nertherners were NOV
ing back toward the city, as each volley from
the guns sounded nearer.
Pretty soon we all gathered downstairs in
the living room-my husband, myself the two
Junior men from the next house and the signal
men, augmented now by a guard of sailors
from the destroyer off duty, who now day
and night took turns on the roof, transmitting
messages. We built up good wood fire in
the fireplace.
We gave up all idea of going to bed In
case there should be a skirmish should be
in range. What should have to do was
to go to the foot of the hill and take shelter
in the garage until it was over We put out
the lights and banked the fires The living
and dining room took on the look of a bar
racks. The sailors changed watches The
relieved watch went to sleep in the big chairs
The two juniors brought in mattress from
the other house and spread it on the living
room floor. Some of the sailors moved a
couch in for me and placed it at the back
of the dining room away from the windows
Once got up to go and quiet the servants.
They were all crowded in the furnace room in
the basement How many people from the
little village at the foot of the hill were among
them did not know. Occasionally I could
hear the cry of baby just BENEATH me in
the basement. About midnight the boy and
got lunch for the sailors and put it on the
dining room table
Doing. waking doing again. heard the
shooting to the north, to the SOUTH inside the
city outside the city g.. in the suburb
at ragged intervals . but never near
our hill
On the second morning it was after when
we went downstairs. The sailors were stirring
and the telephone rang
Eyes, yes" I heard my husband say as he
hastily hung up the receiver. "Signalman!"
he shouted, American Consul to Commanding
Officer Noa-Dr. Williams has been shot by
the Nationalist soldiers"
Dr. Williams was the dean of the university;
a gentle. kindly man of 60. Dr. Williams who
had spent lifetime working for the Chinese!
How did it happen?" asked
"They looted his house and then Just shot
him In cold blood" answered my husband.
ITS all this anti-foreign talk they've been fed
on SUPPOSE. ReiSner called I'D the consulate