Weekly News. — 1892-03-17 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

THE REBELLION IN MONGOLIA.  HORRIBLE  The following account of the terrible incidente attending the rebellion in Mongolia has been summarised from a letter received in Shanghai from a Chinese priest residing in the centre of the scenes described: There are in Mongolia two sects, the Toaists and the Rationalists, whose members, gathered from every class of people, have long been infamous in the country for their injustice and wickedness. One of their leaders, named Hu Yong, had in particular become the terror of the inhabitants on account of his burglarious habits. Finding himself watched by the local mandarins, he fled -way to Sankiatz, where he had many partisans, and could with their help continue his life of rapine. The crop last year having been almost destroyed, the people of that district were soon reduced to misery. Impelled by hunger they applied about the beginning of August to the petty magistrates and to the rich merchants for grants of rice, promising to repay them in autumn. The merchants promised to comply with the request, and a day was appointed on which rice was to be served out t very person, whether a native or a stranger. In tee meanwhile, however, the merchants secured the help of flu Yong, and when two days after a long file of men and women, bag in hand, walked up to the rice shop, they found the bravo standing by the front door. There was a moment of hesitation, but hunger was stronger than fear. They rushed on the man and trampled him to death. Fearing the consequences of their act and anticipating retaliation from the members of the dead man's baud, the people agreed to lay the blame on the Christians, and the rumour was soon circulated throughout the town that the Christians were guilty of the crime. Without inquiring into the facts of the case, the Rationalists took up the cry, threats of death were freely uttered against the Christians, and a riot became imminent. Message after message was sent to the local officials, but the appeals for protection were disregarded by them. This was the state of affairs when, on November 17th, a violent mob rushed to the residence of the missionaries at Sankiatz, broke into the house, seized the Chinese priest, Ling, stole all they could lay their hands on, and burnt church house, and orphanage. Of all the persons living there, men, women, and children, not a single one was left alive. Some were burnt in the house, others killed on the spot; some who escaped from the building were overtaken and slaughtered. Dien the mob scattered in all directions in search of ew victims, and wherever houses of Christians w. re found, the inhabitants were murdered, their property stolemand the houses burnt to the ground. Father Ling was dragged to a temple and tied fast to one of the two masts in front of it. He was called upon to apostatise, but he remained firm. He was shot dead, and his body immediately ripped up, and pulling from the still panting corpse the heart, liver, and lungs, the murderers fixed these ghastly trophies at the top of the mast. After this exploit, in which about 100 Christian families were slaughtered, the rioters proceeded to Fingchunchow. The rioters sent a message to the mandarin stating that he had not taken up arms against the Government; they only asked him to let them carry out their revenge on Christians by burning—and deetroying their houses. This strange licence being granted, they entered the town, sacked and burned down the church,the orphanage, and houses of the Christians. Far kern opposing them, the officials and soldiers of the Fames, in the hope of sharing the booty, kindly invited the plunderers to search ,out all the Christians, and proclaimed that any person who should give shelter to Christians would be treated in the same way. The complaisant mandarin in the moanthne was spreading the rumour that in the residence of the missionaries there was hidden a huge heap of the tones of children devoured by :email:al foreigners. Thus the movement spread, and soon grew too great for official control. Towns were occupied by rebels; the prisons were broken epen,eroprrty was seized,and the inhabitants were butchered. One of the ringleaders assumed the title of emperor, and, to give himself greater prestige, took as wives and concubines several of the wives and daughters of the murdered nobles. Another leader, renowned for magic art, gave his soldiers a spell which was supposed to preserve them from death. The Imperial troops sent to put dawn the rebellion are described as doing almost as much injury to the people as the rebels, and the crops having again failed, the condition of the survivors is said to be frightful.