THE RISING IN CHINA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14925, 24 February 1912, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE RISING IN CHINA.

ROBBERS SLAUGHTER CHILDREN.

MISSIONARIES MASSACRED.

A vtvin account of the slaughter of 10,000 Monehus at Haianfu. in the province of Shensi, of teh massacre of the Swedish missionaries there, and of the narrow escape of the Baptist missionaries, has just been received in London from Dr. Cecil F. Robertson, one of tho Baptist medical missionaries. Haianfu is a city five miles across. The central part has walls and gates, and each of the suburbs has similar defence. Dr. Robertson says : — ''The attack on the Manchus (which began on a Sunday morning) continued incessantly until Wednesday morning, when the soldiers' work was practically finished. Their object was totally to exterminate tllO Manchus, man, woman, and' child. After Wednesday they ceased killing the women and girls, but continued to seek out the males, "The Manchus* position was hopeless from the first. . . The Chinese fired their homes and then killed all they could while they were escaping. Many of the Manchus climbed up the city wall, and dropped down the other side, some to get maimed and killed, others to get killed subsequently: others perhaps to escape. I have heard that a great many took their own lives, either by jumping down wells or by hanging themselves; especially is this the case with, the women. '• They are now burying them in pits. The soldiers tell me that altogether up to tho present they have buried 4000. but at a low estimate probably there must be 10.000 killed.

Tho Baptists have a mission station and hospital in different parts of the city, and when the revolution broke out Dr. Robertson was in the east suburbs. News came of tho burning of the Swedish mission, in tho south suburb, and, on th« strong advico of the Chinese teachers and evangelists, it was decided to try and get the girls away in batches, some to their homes and some to the neighbouring villages. It proved, however, a perilous enterprise. Tho Rev. Donald Smith and Mrs. Smith were in charge of one party, and although they escaped from the city they wero attacked by a mob some distance awav. Tho rage of the mob was chiefly vented on Mr. and Mrs. Smith, who were mercilessly beaten. Mr. Smith had both his arms broken, ihi addition to (receiving wounds on the head and leg. Mrs. Smith also suffered acutely, and according to letters just received by tho Baptist .Missionary Society from "other missionaries, both Mr. and Mrs. Smith were left for dead on tho roadside. Dr. Robertson. however, says that both arc now progressing favourably. The burning of tho Swedish mission and tho massacre of the inmates was an outrage not on the part of the soldiers, but of robbers and other bad characters of the neighbourhood. The night was pitch dark, and when the attack was made tho servants not only fled, but after escaping over the walls they removed the ladder. By rearing a barrow against the wall Mr. Watney got on to the top, and Mr. Beckman mounted the barrow and started handing the children to him.

Only Mr. Bcckman's daughter, a girl of 12, however, had been placed on tho other side when she gave a cry and Mr. Watney leaped down to her. Beth had to run for their lives. For six miles they were chased, and were at daybreak overtaken and done to death by having mud bricks thrown at them.

Finding escape over the wall impracticable, Mr. Beckman, bis wife, a littlo baby, and a girl of seven or eight sought safetv in an outhouse, but soon there was knocking at the door, and Mrs. Beckman dashed out with the girl. They were never seen again; they must havo been caught and killed at once. Altogether eight were killed ; Mr. Watney, Mrs. Beckman, and six children.