MURDERS IN CHINA

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1774, 7 March 1906, Page 52

MURDERS IN CHINA

' ANTI-MISSIONARY OUTBREAK. e ’ SERIOUS DISTURBANCE AT NANCHANG. TEN PERSONS KILLED. PEKIN, February 27. A dispute relating to compensation for the destruction of missionary buildings and property occurred at Nanchang between officials and Jesuits, and led to an anti-missionary outbreak. Six French Jesuits and four Protestants —namely. Mr Kingsham, his wife, and two children—apparently belonging to an American mission, were killed. Chinese troops protected refugees, including fourteen Americans, who are now ijroceeding to Kinkiang. An American gunboat has been sent from Nanking. According to Catholics at Nanohang, the priests invited a Magistrate to a banquet, where they endeavoured to obtain , his signature to a promise of a largo indemnity in connection with a long-standing dispute. _ The Magistrate became indignant, and committed suicide. '* _ The Chinese version of the affair is that the priests attacked the Magistrate and killed him,/ whereupon the mob perpetrated the massacre of missionaries and destroyed all the mission buildings except those of tho China Inland Mission. The Empress Dowager and the (Jourt, on learning of the murders, wore in a state of collapse. Latest advices from Pekin state tliat an outbreak has occurred at the palace. Yuan-shi-kai, Commander-in-Chief. is sending troops. ONE OF THE VICTIMS. LONDON, February 28. Mr Kingham, one of the missionaries killed, with his wife and two children, at Nanchang, was a native of Birmingham, and was working under the auspices of the Plymouth Open Brethren. In reference to the Nanchang massacre, and the different versions which have been given, the Hongkong correspondent state® that the Magistrate, considering his dignity wounded, stabbed himself.' Thereupon a rumour was circulated that a Jesuit had attempted to stab him, and this inflamed the populace, which led to the attacks on the missions. PEKIN, February 27. The British Legation lias been informed that an English missionary, his wife, and children have been massacred. !As Nanchang 'is a Prefectural capital with troops located there, it is claimed that foreigners should have been assured protection. MOVEMENT OF WARSHIPS. LONDON. February 28. Several British, American, and Frenoh warships are proceeding to Kinkiang, some are already there. Kinkiang is about four hundred miles from the mouth of the Yang-tse-kiang and about seventy miles from . NanChang ’ PEKIN, March 1. China is prepared to pay compensation for the massacre of missionaries and the destruction of mission property at Nanchang. PEKIN, March 1. -The Governor of Nanchang has been ordered to severely punish the authors of the recent massacres of missionaries.