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ks s Fas is 91{53 diur _ irient ahte & 19 ' ob ofaefeofe ofeafaofe ofecfects !$ The Siege of Dr. Morrison‘s Graphic 1 h t p o ip c afs ts ip ip ip io opofs ' OLDIERS sent to guard | roar tl c the summer â€" residences | Gral, a! of the British Legation ?:: 0;’:_ in the Western Hills | ingo, t| left their posts during | ican Fk the night. The buildings foreign had m oificially placâ€" | perial ] ed a the protection | city bu of the Imperial Governâ€" | Wwas an |. ernment. _ In the preâ€" Late arrauged absence of the | ‘"‘Boxers soidiers the _ buildings | moving were attacked by "Boxâ€"| the Aus exa" and entirely burnt to the | EUn m w; the soldiers witnessed, if they | them. Bot assist in the burning. But | within worse events were to happen that | Dear th Tay. In the afternoon news passed | the ord #hrough Pekin that Mr. Sugiyama, | "Ained # #he Chancellor of the Japanese Leâ€"| EOund. ‘ :tn.hll. had been murdered by solâ€" | £nd4 nor € He had been sent by his Minâ€" | CAbed. Ifl(fi:a. the Ruseians were on the Sout bridge, while the Americans with their Colt machine gun had comâ€" mand of Legation street to the west as far as the court facing the Imâ€" perilal Palace. Th> Rusalans, having no s:', dropped thsir heavy ammunition n th. well. As darkness came on the most awiful eries were hsard in the city, most deâ€" moniacal and unforgettalle, the cries of th> Boxers, "Sha kwelitze‘â€""Kill the devils"â€"mingled with the shriecks of the victims and the groans of : dying. 'na Bo:.l? were -w:fp- through @ y massacring the native Christians and . burning . _A decree published after the murâ€" : attributed the crime to the acâ€" of desperadoes outside the city h it was notorious that the was committed by the soldiers â€"fuhâ€"slang, the favorite bodvâ€" of the Empress Dowager. In n decree (Gieneral Nich was cenâ€" â€"~apparently for his too> enerâ€" j treatment of the "Boxers," but 4 permitted to retain his comâ€" wand and make amends for his misâ€" MWeeds. Chao Shuâ€"chiao, who knew wall the master he was servingc. pub. AÂ¥hed his report on the "Boxer" %roubles at Choâ€"chau and on the railâ€" @Way, and with sublime effrontery atâ€" Sributed the disasters not to the "Roxers‘ but to the foreignâ€"drilled woldiers of General Nich. Telegraph eommunication by every route had been cut. Almost the last of the serâ€" wants who were not Christians had fled from their mastcrs. Emperial City, were gathered in the ene great compound Mgr. Favier, the Bikhop, his coadjutor, Mgr. Jarlin, tho Imisalonaries and lay broth»rs, the sisâ€" #ers of charity and a vast concourse of Christian refugees, estimated at £,000, who had fled from the massacre in the country. The cry arose thit the Boxers were vcoming. Every man ran to his post, » cordon was estavlsh:d round the forâ€" eign quarter and no one was allowed 4o pass. Guards were on watch at all tBhe Legations, but their numbers upread over so many posts were very Inadequate, and they were still furâ€" ther reduced by the guards detached for duty at the Peiâ€"tang Cathedral, where, three miles distant within the A gnard of five Austrians was sent *%o tho Belgian Legation. ‘The Ausâ€" %rians, with their machine m comâ€" manded th> Customs street, Ing to the north ; the lt.glelduw. l:lth a o'ne- pounder, comman the Legation street to the east. ‘The British with their Nordenfeldt swept tha Canal street to the north and the North emd the strangers within her walls. Chi Helv assured the Minister that ¢h> movement was at an end, that all was now tranquil, and that there was no more reason to fear. Yet the very next day Baron Von Ketteler himeel{ captured a "Boxer" from amid the crowd in Legation street. He sarried the consecrated headpiece, and was armed with a sword. Rourd his waist he had a belt containing a Salisman of yeliow ‘paper smeared with mystic red symbols, by which he was _ rendered "impermeable to _ foreign bullete." And _ in the afternoon the "Boxers" came down in force from the morth of the city and the burning of foreign buildings began. On the 12th a deputation, consistâ€" Ing of Chi Hsina, a member of the Grand Council and newly appointed %o the Yamen, Hsu Chingâ€"cheng, the exâ€"Minister, the "Boxer" _ leader Chao Shuâ€"chiao, and another Manchu, ealled upon the British Minister. Chi Helu made a long address, his theme Peing the enduring nature of the friendship between China and Engâ€" Iand and the duty which China has elways recognized as a sacred obliâ€" gflon to protect the members of + Legations who were her guests y OLDIERS sent to guard the summer residences of the British Legation *‘ in the Western Hills left their posts during the night. The buildings had m oificially placâ€" ed a the protection of the Imperial Governâ€" .ernment. _In the preâ€" arrauged absence of the soidiers the baildings were attacked by "Boxâ€" axs" and entirely burnt to the rfl; the soldiers witnessed, if they _Bot assist in the burning. But worse events were to happen that Â¥ay. In the afternoon news passed &?& Pekin that Mr. Sugiyama, the ncellor of the Japanese Leâ€" ::‘hn. had been murdered by solâ€" He had been sent by his Minâ€" Sster a second time to Machiaâ€"pu to await the arrival of the troops. Paseing unarmed and alone in his cart beyond the Yungâ€"ting Men, the euter gate on the way to the staâ€" Blon, he was seized by the soldiers of Wung{uhâ€"siang, dragged from his eart and done to death in the presâ€" ence of a crowd of Chinese who witâ€" messed his struggles with unpitying Antersst and unconcealed sat.lsfa& tion. A "mafoo" in the service Sba american Legation waiting at Machiaâ€"pu in the vain hope of seeing *%he train arrive, was warned to quit Shere speedily, and was cursed for beâ€" lIng in the service of the foreigners. He rode to the Yungâ€"ting Men, where tRhe saw the foreigner dead and mutiâ€" Inted, but was not permitted to enâ€" #er, and, riding furiously, he came ‘Toand by another gate and so breathâ€" Jess into the Legation. Mr. Narahara, #he second Secretary, at once went Ro the Yamen, but no attempt was made to recover the body. The heart was cut out, and there is every reaâ€" won to believe was sent as a trophy %o the savage General ‘Tungâ€"fuhâ€"siang Rhimself. No attempt was ever made %o recover the body, and the followâ€" Ang morning my servant, sent by me ®o inquire, found his mutilated body roughly covered with earth at the ta where it had been murdered. leg was exposed, and children, %o the amusement o( their elders, were poking at it with sticks. The Siege of Pekin Legations: allve in their homos. ‘The Dr. Morrison‘s Graphic Story of the Siege of the Pekin Legations, as Furnished to the London Times. # se ols ie ie e e ce e o o oys oo c d c ce i ofp ols o op oip ifp is ip tp sp op o t pp $ On the 15th rescue parties â€" were | News sent out by the American and Rusâ€" { many slan Legations in the morning, and | my of by the British and German Legations | makee in the afternoon, to save, if possible, | was t native Christians from the buming’ been ruins around the Nantang. Awful | officer sichts were witnessed. Women _ and | grievo children were hacked to pieces, immen | h‘s Iif trussed like fowls, with noses and had e ears cut off and eyes gouged out. Chiâ€" i patrol nese Christians accompanied the reâ€" | Soden, liefs and ran about in the iabyâ€" | recove rinth and network of streets that | soldier formed the quarter, calling upon the | forced Christians to come out from _ their| Mr. Cc hidingâ€"places. All through the night | the massacre had continued, and On "Boxers" were even now shot redâ€" | June I handed at their bloody work. But| men b their work was still incomplete, and | the p many hundreds of women and chilâ€"| more : dren had escaped. They came out of troops their hidingâ€"places, crossing themâ€"| a dist selves and pleading for mercy. It was | pOste | a most pitiful sight. Thousands of solâ€" diers on the wall withessed the regoue: they had with callous hearts witnessâ€" ed the massacre without ever raisâ€" ing a hand to save. During the awiul nights of the 13th and 14th, Duke Lan, the brother of Prince Tuan. and Chao Shuâ€"chiac, of the Teungâ€"liâ€"Yaâ€" men, had followed round in their carts to gloat over the spectacle. Yet the Chinese Government were afterwards to describe this masterpiece, done unâ€" der official Â¥&nervision bindear the very walls of the Imperial Palace, as the handiwork of local banditti, der of Josephine. They were rescued just in time. Scarcely had they reachâ€" ed a place of safety when the splenâ€" did edifice they had forsaken was in flames. To the sky wreathed _ the smoke, a pillar of cloud marking the destruction, not of a faith, but of a nation. ‘This historic pile of YVerbiest and Schaal, with its memorial _ tabâ€" let given to the cathedral by the Emâ€" peror Kang Hsi, was ruthlessly sacriâ€" ficed, _ It continued burning all day, the region round it, the chief Cathoâ€" lic centre of Pekin, being also burnt. Acres of houses were destroyed and Christians in thousands put to the aword. Watch was still kept. Streets withâ€" in the area to be defended were kept clear. Barricades were thrown _ up and every preparation begun for the defence which seemed inevitable, though there was still hope that reâ€" inforcements would arrive before it was too late, Postal couriers were prevented from passing through the enemy‘s lines, and only the scantiest information reached us from outside. During the evening "Boxers" were killed on the north bridge endeavoring to rush the British sentries. More than 1,200 of the poor refuâ€" gees were escorted by the "foreign devile" to a place of safety. Many were wounded, many were burnt beâ€" yond recognition. All had suffered the loss of everything they possessed in the world. They were given quarâ€" ters in the palace grounds of Prince Su, opposite the RBritish Legation. Among them was the aged mother and the nephew of Ching Chang, reâ€" cently Minister to France, and now Chinese Commissioner to the Paris exhibition. ‘The nephew was cruelly burnt ; nearly every other member of the family was murderedi. A Catholic family of much distinctionâ€"a family Catholic for seven generationsâ€"was thus almost exterminated and its property laid in ashes. gations, seeking thit homanity thit was theoir own people. As It was announced this day that only "Boxers" might enter the Imâ€" perial City. The Government was rushâ€" ing headlong to its ruin. T se 2o On June 16th a party of 20 British, ten Americans and five Japanese, with som»> Yolunteers, and accomâ€" panled by Lieutenantâ€"Colonel Shiba, the Japancse military attache, paâ€" trolled the east city, vIlltln%hthe ruins in the hope that some risâ€" tians might yet be in hiding. But to our calls everywhere no rep‘ly w8 given. _ Refugses, however, from the east city had managed to escape mirâ€" acu‘ousiy, andi find their way, many of them wounded, to the foreign Leâ€" M. and Mmei. Chamot, rode out at night and early the following mornâ€" ing safely esoorted to the hotel every member of the m‘@ssionâ€"Pere d‘Addosio and his two colleagues, a _ French brother, five sisters of charity, and some twenty native nuns of the Orâ€" The Tungâ€"tang, or east Cathedral, having been burned, it was clear that the Nasâ€"tung, the south Catheâ€" dral, was in danger. Pere Garrigunes, the aged priest of the Tungâ€"tang. had refused to leave his post and had perished in the flames. But the fathers and sisters at the Nanâ€"tang might yet be saved. Their lives were in great peril ; it was necessary to act quickly. A party of French gentlemen, led by M. Fliche, of the French Legation, and accompanied by dead. The gun had been aimed very wide of the mark. Two hundred yards north of the "Boxers" there is a place where, 30 feet above the level rond, the telegramh wires crossed to the station. Next morning they were found to have been cut by the Aus trian fire. The only persons who sufâ€" fered injury were possible waylarers two miles up the street. There can be little doubt that this fi~sco helped to confirm the "Paxers" in a belicf in their invulnerability. Late in the night a large party of ‘Boxers," bearing torches, were seen moving down Customs street towards the Austrian Legation. ‘The machine gun mounted was in waiting for therm. . They were allowed to come within 150 yards in the open street near the great cross road, and then the order was given and tha gun rained forth death. It was a gratelul sound. The torches disappenred. They and none, we thought, could have es caped. Eagerly we went forth to count the dead. exnecting to find them in heaps. But there was not one roar the Tungâ€"tang, or east Cathe dral, shot flames into the sky. The old Green Church in the northeast of the city, the London Mission buildâ€" Ingso, the bandsome pile of the Amerâ€" ican Board Mission, and the entire foreign buildings belonging to the Imâ€" perial Maritime Customs in the east city burned throughout the night. It was an appalling sight. ofe ofe ofe ofe ofe afe ahe ofe ofe ofe ofe ofe ofe ofe obe abe ce obe oo obe ofe ofe ce e held, passed the Austrian Legation, then turned along _ the (Ch‘angâ€"Anâ€" rtreet into ‘the Hata Menâ€"strret. Qlong the raised way in the centre of this street our chairs were carâ€" rled, onme majio as usual riding in Early on the morning of the 20th a meeting of the diplomatis body was hold at the French Legation. No reply has been received from the Tsungâ€"liâ€" Yamen to the request for an audience, and the proposition that all the Minâ€" isters shou‘d go to th> Yamen found no seconder. Had it been carried out thare would have occurred one of the most appalling massacros on record. Two chairs later left for the Yamen. In the first was the German Minister, Baron ‘von Ketteler, who had this advantage over the other Ministers, that he spoke Chinese fivently. In the second was the Chineso Sscretary of the German Legation, Mr. Cordes. News travels quickly in Pekin. Not many minutes later my boy burst into my officeâ€" ‘" Any man speakee have makee kill _ German Minister!" It was true. Th: German Minister had beer assassinated. by an Imperial officer. ~‘The secretary had been grievously wounded, but, running for h‘s life, shot at by a hundred riflies, had escaped as if by a miracle. A note in the evening to the Yamen asking for an interview with the Princes and Ministers of the Yamen at 9 a. m, the following morning. The signed receipt of this note is now in the: German Legation. On the morning of the 20th, no word havâ€" Ing come from the Yamen that the Princes and Ministers would be unâ€" able to receive my â€" Minister, Baron Von Ketteler, after the conference with the other Ministers, and I set out for the Yamen in two chairs. An armed escort of a nonâ€"commissioned officer and four men was ready to accompany us, but the Baron decided that it was wiser to leave it hbeâ€" hind, partly because the passage through the streets of armed forâ€" eign soldiers might arouse excitement, but mainly because the Teungâ€"Liâ€" Yamen knew that the Minister was roming, and would therefore ensure him the protection due to a foreign Envoy. We were both unâ€" armed. Our chairs were accompanied by two Chinese outriders from the Legation. We left tho French Legaâ€" tion, where the conference had heen patrol of fifteen men under Count Soden, the commander, went out to recover the body. Fired on by Chinese soldiers from every side, they were forced to retire. Lying ill in hospital, Mr. Cordes made this Graphic Statement. On the afternoon of the 19th of June I was sent to the Tsungâ€"Liâ€"Yaâ€" men by Baron Von Ketteler, as on the previous day, to demand â€" once more the withdrawal of the Kanâ€"suh troops of Tungfuhâ€"siang stationed at a distance of a few paces from â€" our posts in the electric light works. The geciret_ng-y who received me, and whom I had known for many years, was extremely nervous. There had been a great change in the position, he said. The foreign admirals had taken the Taku forts, and it would _ be very hard to keep the Chinese troops in hand. Discussion seemed useless. I left my message for Yung Lu, the Grand Secretary, Commanderâ€"inâ€"Chief, and came away. At 5 o‘clock the ulâ€" timatum of the Teungâ€"Liâ€"Yamen was sent to the Ministers, giving them 24 hours‘ notice to leave Pekin. Believâ€" Ing the note to have been inwpired by an access of madness and hoping that China might still be amenable to reason, Baron Von Ketteler sent a While the fire was in progress another broke out in the houses at the end of Legation street, and the triumphal archway was consumed. Fear of fire was to be added to other dangers assailing us. In the afternoon m fire broke out in the foreign drug store in the native city outside the great gate of the Chien Men. It was the work of "Boxâ€" ere," done while the soldiers were looking on. In order to burn the forâ€" eign drug store and do the foreigners a few pounds‘ worth of damage, they did not hesitate to jeopardize by fire property worth millions of pounds, and that ts what happened. Adjoinâ€" ing building« took fire, the flames spread to the booksellers‘ street, and the most interesting street in _ China, fllled _ with _ priceless scrolls, manuscripts and _ printed books, was gutted from end _ to end. _ Fire licked up house after house, and saon the conflagration was the most disastrous ever known in China, reducing to ashes the richâ€" est part of Pekin, the pearl and jewel shops, the silk and fur, the satin and embroidery stores, the great curio shops, the gold and silver shops, the meliting houses, and nearly all that was of the highest value in the meâ€" tropolis. _ Irreparable was the damâ€" age done. From the street below the fire spread to the central outer Chien Men gate, which directly faces the Imperial Palace, and which is only thrown open for the passage of the Emperor. _ An imposing temple crowns this wall ; it was enguifed in the conflagration. The great tiled roof with its upturned gables fell with a crash of falling worlds, while great volumes of smoke spread like a pall over the Imperial Palace, foreâ€" boding the doom of the 1Imperial house. It was a sight never to be forgotten. passing a Taoist temple on the way, a noted ‘"Boxer‘" meetingâ€"place, cries were heard within. The temple was forcibly eniered. Native Christians had come within a, restricted space, were found there, their hands tied beâ€" h‘nd their backs, awaiting execution and torture. Some had already been put to death, and their bodiee were still warm and bleeding. All were shockingly mutilated. Their fiendish murderers were at their incantaâ€" tions,. burning incense before their gods, oftering Christians in sacrifice to their angered deitles. They shut themselves within the temple, but their defence availed them nothing, Every one of them, 46 in all, was in ‘"Boxer" uniform armed with sword and lance. Retribution was swift ; every man was shot to death without mercy. 9 C There was also an irregular force of 50 gentlemen of many nationaities, who did garrison guard duty in the British Legation and were most useâ€" ful, They were known, from the genâ€" tleman who enrolled them, as ‘"Thornâ€" hill‘s Roughs," and they bore themâ€" selves as the legitimate successors on foot of Roosevelt‘s Roughriders. Armâ€" ed with a variety of weapons, from ah elephant rifle to the fusil de chasse with a picture of the Grand Prix, to all of which carving knives had been lashed as bayonets, they were known as the "Carving Knife Brigade." They were formidable alike to friend and foe. For, all unaccusâ€" tomed as they wore to the military artâ€"the most experienced of them was he who had once witnessed the trooping of the color in St. James‘ Parkâ€"they had a babit of carrying the knife horizontally over the shoulâ€" der, so that when they swung quickâ€" ly round the blade swept into the throat of the man behind. Diversity of language was another difliculty, The opening of the wall on the southâ€" ern extremity of the British Leâ€" gation was not a vital point. A senâ€" try selected from the French memâ€" bere of the brigade was usually staâ€" tioned here. Going one dark evoning his rounds, the British officer of the watch lt:rped here. "Sentinelle," he sald, in his best Sandhurst French. There was no reply. Pursing his mouth to convey the correct accent, he raiged his voice and repeated "Senâ€" tinelle," when a nguod nln’o from :‘b‘ darkness m M W the hâ€"â€"‘s that T .”'L x At this time, June 20th, at the opâ€" ening of the siege, the total strength of the combined Legation guards consisted of 18 officers and 389 men, To this Inelgnificant force the entire foreign quarter had to trust for its defence. Fortunately several visitors or residents had received military training. and they at once went on the active list and rendered invaluâ€" able service. A volunteer force numâ€" bering _ altogether 75 men, . of whom _ 31 were Japanese, was enrolled, and armed _ with all available rifles. They added greatly to the strength of the garrison, takâ€" ing watch and watch like the reguâ€" lars, fighting behind the barricades, and never shrinking from any duty imâ€" posed upon them. They wished to know his name. No reply was sent, for it was felt to be a mockery. Only too well the Yaâ€" men knew whom they had murdered. Woeks passed before the body was recovered, and it was not until July Sth that any official reference was made to the murder. In the course of the morning a despatch was sent to the Diplomatic Body in reply to the sanswer they had sent to the ultimatum of yesterday. The counâ€" try, it is said, between Pekin and Tienâ€"Tsin was overrun with brigands, and it would not be safe for the Minâ€" isters to go there. They should, thereâ€" fore, remain in Pekin. It is difficult to write with calmness of the fou!l treachery with which the Chinese were now acting. Chinése Open Fire. Four p.m. was the hour given in the ultimatum for the Ministers to vacate their Legations, but the ulâ€" timatum had been rescinded, and the Ministers invited to remain in Pekin. Thus it was hoped that they would be lulled into a failse security. Chineso soldiers were secretly stationed unâ€" der cover at every vantage point comâ€" manding the outposts. At 4 p.m. preâ€" clsely to the minute, by preconcerted signal, they opened fire upon the Ausâ€" trian and French outposts. A French marine fell, shot dead through the forehead. An Austrian was wounded. The siege had really begun. _ mysell along, often down â€" crowded streets filled with Chinese who witâ€" nessed my struggle without pity and without emotion, and without even replying to my question as to the direction. I overheard one man reâ€" mark, "A foreigner who has got his deserts." _ Then in a quiet road, a peddler, _ more humane than _ his countrymen, gave me the direction, and _ in â€" half «an _ hour after the murder of my MinisterI reached the American Mission. and fell faint Ing at th>e entrance. My wounds were dressed and I was carried back to the Gorman Legation. * * * In concluâ€" sion, I affirm thait the assassination of th> German Minister was a delit erately planned, premeditated murder, done in obedience to th» orders of the high Government officials by an Imâ€" perial bannerman. Such was the statement of Mr. Heinrich Cordes, the Chinese Secreâ€" tary. There was no more question about leaving for Tienâ€"Tsin. The Chinese Story. Later in the day the Yamen, eviâ€" dently indifferent to the gravity of the position created by the Governâ€" ment, sent an impudent despatch to the German Legation to the effect that two Garmans had been proceedâ€" ing in chairs along the Hata Men street, and at the mouth of the street leading to the Tsungâ€"liâ€"Yaâ€" men one of them had fired upon the crowd. The Chinese had retaliated and he had been killed. no movement. One moment‘s hesitaâ€" tion would have been fatal. 1 ran, wounded as I was, fifty paces to the north, and turned down the street to the cast, a lively rifle fire followâ€" ing me. Looking back I saw the Minâ€" lster‘s chair atill standing. There was no sign of life. Believing myself to be in the street leading to the Teungâ€"Liâ€"Yamen, I ran on, thinking to report what had happened, and perhaps find protection. But it was not the street. Two men, armed with lances, pureued me, but, fearing 1 was armed, left m=>. Then I resolved to try and reach the American Misâ€" sion buildings near the Hata Men Gate. Dripping with blo»1 I dragged near the Belgian Legation and were close to the police station on the left. I was watching a cart with some lance bearers passing before the Minister‘s chair, when suddenly I saw a sight that made my heart stand stlll. The Minister‘s chair was three paces in front of me. I saw a banner soldier, apparently a Manchu, in fuli uniform, with a mandarin‘s hat with a button and blue feather, step forward, present his riflie withâ€" in a yard of the chair window, level it at the Minister‘s head and fire. I shouted in terror, "Halt," at the same moment the chairs were thrown down. 1 sprang to my feet. A shot struck me in the lower part of my body. Others were Nred at me. 1 eaw the Minister‘s chair still stauding, but there was Thornhill‘s Roughs. The Shot Rang Out. The Armament. At the British Legation fortificaâ€" tion began in real earnest, the raâ€" fugees working like coolies. Aandâ€" bags were made by the thousand, and posts mounted round the Legaâ€" tion. A way was knocked through the houses to the Russian Legation, so that the Americans, if they nad to fall back, could pass through to the â€" British Legarion. During the day every Legation was exposed to a continuous fire from surroundâ€" ing houseâ€"tops, and in the case oi the British Legation from the sover in the Imperial Carriage Park. Chinâ€" ese put flames to the abandoned buildings, and the Belgian Legation, the Austrian Legation, the Metho dist Mission and some private houses were burned. Sir Claude in Command. June 22nd opened disastrously. The evening before Captain Thomann, the Austrian commander, announced that as the senior officer he had taken command in Pekin. This mornâ€" ing, hearing from an irresponsibie American that the American Legaâ€" tion was abandoned, he, without taking steps to verify the informaâ€" tion, ordcered the abandonment of all the Legations east of Canal etreet, the detachments to _ {all back upon the British Legation. There had been no casualties to speak of, none of the Legations had been attacked, and every commander who received the order to retreat regarded the action as madness. Peremptory orders were sent to the Japanese to abandon the Prince‘s Palace or Fu (a@ I shall henceforth call it), and they retired to their Legation. In the British Legation nothing was known of the order when, to the amazement of all, the Italians, Austrians _ and Freach came running down Legation street, followed a little later by the Japanâ€" ese, and subsequently by the Gerâ€" manse, who reca.led their post on the wall and marched without a shot holnf fired at them down under the wall to Canal street. Americans and Russians, learning that ali east of Canal street had been abandoned, Saw Themseives Cut Off. though _ their communications had not even been menaced, and retreitâ€" ed precipitately into the British Leâ€" gation. It was a veritable stamâ€" mâ€". panic â€" that might have fraught with the greatâ€" t disacter. Prompt action wase taken. Captain ‘Thomann was relieved nf his command, and Sir to show he was unarmed, and fell shot into the canal, where volleys were fired into his body from the water gate under the imperial city wall. The murder was seen from the British Legation. Desultory firing continued through the night, One Russian marine was shot dead through the forehead. In the mornâ€" Ing a letter reached the American Legation from one of the captains in the relief column. Dated June 14, it was written from a point only 85 miles from Pekin. It was a casâ€" ual, chatty letter which gave no indication that in the opinion of the writer there was any need for hurry. Japanese and Ita.ian Ministers and their families, the entire unofficial foreign community of Pekin, with the exception of M. Chamot, who reâ€" mained in his hotel throughout, though it was in the hottest corner of the besieged area. Preparing for Mostilities. When the Austrians withdrew from their Legation, the British picket on the North bridge retired to the main gate, where a redoubt was built and the Nordenfeldt mounted. Btores were commandeered. . Shops in Legation street were stripped. Sniping began and was not disconâ€" tinwed till relief came. Late in the evening Mr. Huberty James, the professor of English in the Pekin University, was killed. He had renâ€" dered great services, for it was through his influence with Prince Su that the palace had been thrown open for the Christian â€" refugees. He seemed to hnve a blind faith in the Chinese. Prince 8u had assured him that Yung Lu had given him his word that no soldier would fire upon a foreligner, and he believed him with the fatal cofidence that was his undoing. To cross from the Palâ€" ace to the British Legation he went round by the North bridge, though he knew that the bridge had been wevacuated. On the bridge he was fired at by a soldier at short range, ran back apparently unburt, and was fired at from another quarâ€" ter. ed, the American mission â€" buildings had been abandoned in the morning, for they were quite untenable. All the missionaries, their wives and familiee crossed over to the‘ British Legation. Converts to the number of several hundreds joined the other refugees. The captain and 20 Am°s lcan marines returned to the Amerâ€" ican Legation. By an error of judgâ€" ment on the part of the captain the mission was fina‘ly Jleft in a panic. Almost nothing was saved, and nearly all the stores _ accumnuâ€" lated for a s#iege were lost. The British Legation was now thronged. Rarely has a â€" more cosmopol.tan gathering been gathered together within the limits of one compound. All the women _ and children were there, all the missionaries, Ameriâ€" can, Britwh, French and Russian, all the Customs stafl, the French, Belâ€" gian, Russian, American, Spanish, Japanese and Ita.ian Ministers and Italian oneâ€"pounder, _ with _ 120 rounds, an _ American Colt with 25,000 rounds. an Austrian machineâ€"gun, and a _ British fiveâ€"barre! Norden{felit, pattern 1887. Rifle ammunition wase very scanty. The Japanese had only 1090 roumdi« aplece, the Russians 145, and the Italiane 120, while the best providâ€" edl of the other guards had only ?00 rounds per man, none too many for a sicge, the duration of which could not be foreseen. Abandoned Bulldings. Punctnually, then, at 4 o‘clock Chinâ€" se soldiers began firing upon w# whom they had requested to remain in peace at Pekin. And immediately after the Austrian Legation was abandoned. No sufficient reason has been given for its abandonment, which was done so precipitately that not an article was saved. It was left to the mercy of the Chinâ€" ewe, and the guard retired to the corner of Customs lane, leading west to the Prince‘s Palace. This involyâ€" ed the sacrifice of Sir Robert Hart‘s and all the Customs buildings, and hartened the advance of the Thinâ€" exwe westward. As previously arrangâ€" e Raised His the North bridge, that the bridge had On _ the bridge he a soldier at short at the Hands. rmed, and fell where volleys jdy from â€" the » the number | )rough, trees hastily cut down, and ned the other | desperate work savoed the building. and 20 Amer,| !t was the first experience of intonse to the Amer. | excitement. . Then the men set to error of judgâ€" | With a will, and till late at night the captain | were demolishing the temple â€" and Iy Jleft in _ a | buildings outside the wall of the Leâ€" : o was saved, | Kation. . Work was continued in the ores â€" accuimuâ€" | morning, but when it was proposed re lost. The | to pull down an unimportant buildâ€" now thronged. | ing in the Hanlin Academy that cosmopol.tan | abuts upon the Legation to the iered together | North, the proposition was vetoâ€" one compound. | ed. _ Such desecration, it _ was children were | said, would wound the susceptibiliâ€" maries, Ameriâ€" | ties of the Chinese Government. Tt id Russian, alil | was "the most sacred building in e French, Belâ€" | Ch‘na." To lay hands upon it even to can, Spanish, | safeguard the lives of _ beleaguered Ministers ind | women and ch‘ldren, could not be tire unofficial | thought of for fear of wounding the Pekin, â€" with | susceptibilitics of the Chinese Governâ€" iamot, who re. | ment! So little do the oldest o‘ us 1 throughout, understand the Chinese, iottest corner Chinese Fired it. A strong wind was blowing {from the stilHties. Hanlin into the Legation, the distance withdrew from separa ting th> nearoest building from itish picket on l :Im- l,(tnlnero residence being only a tired " to â€" the | It* .eet. Fire th>e one and the Minâ€" . redoubt was lster‘s residence would have been in cldt mounted. dnnfu' Suddenly there was an alarm eered. _ Shops of fire. Smoke was rising from the were stripped Hanlin. ‘The most venerated pile in s Hot dl:con: Pekin, the>e great Imperial Academy, Late. in the centre of ail Ch‘nese learning, with its ‘ James The priceless collection of books and manuâ€" in the Pekin scripts, was in flames. Every one who Hle hnad was off duty rushed to the back of Tor it ':"- the Legation. ‘The Hanlin had been with. _ Pri 8® \ oceupied during th> night by Imperâ€" 1 been th:o:vc: inl soldiers, who did not hesitate in IAl â€" ref t their rage, to destroy forolgvmlw blind lau‘nheeh; set fire to the buildings. It was first t Had Assufed necessary to clear. the uaun:ln. A d Eiven h breach was mada in the wall. Captain w & eld M | Poole hoaded a force of marines and r would fire | volunteers, who rushed in, divided, e believed him | searchod the courts, and returned to ;lce that was | ths main pavilion with its supart pHâ€" "I":’ tth‘:’ P‘.‘." lars and memorial tablets _ Chinese No t‘h‘ br'" * | were rushing from other burning r 1dge. | buildings to the main entrance. They he bridge had ; wore taken by surprise and many the bridge he | were killed, but they had done thoir \dier at short | evil deed. Other great libpraries have rent:y unburt, | been destroyed by th> victorious inâ€" another quarâ€" | vader. â€" What can be thought of a nation which destrove its own most Hands. Isu:rod edifice, the pride and glory of med, and fell :)?fl:fww *m through oeut.nrk‘.‘l: where volleys vengeunce upon dy from the Ifmf To save the Logation it was neces sary to continue th»> destruction and dismantle th> library buildings Withk great difficulty, with inadequate tools, tlie buildings were pulled down. Tree endangering our position were felled. An attempt was made to rescue «epeciâ€" mens of th> more valuable manuscripté, but few were saved, for th> dangor was pressing. Bir Claude MacDonald, as soon as the fire was dissovered, despatch>d a messenger to the Teungâ€" liâ€"Yamen, telling them o the fire and urfmg them to send some responslvle ofliclals to carry away what volumes could be rescued, but no attention was given to his courteous communication. The Dutch Legation was burued on the 2Znd, and next day Chinese solâ€" diers set fire to the Russoâ€"Chincseso Bank and a greater part of the buildings were destroyed, involving in dangeor the American Legation. Chinese volâ€" untce.s wore called for, They re pordâ€" ed readily, worked wi.h much mun;g exposed to fire from the wall, and Legation was saved. All the buildings back from the bank to the Chien Menp (the main gate between the Chinese and ‘Tartar cities facing th» entrance to the Forlidden City) seemed to be on fire. Then all the customse buildâ€" ings were fired, so thait flames were on ever side, and the smoke was tremendous, wh‘le the fusilado was iIncessant. An Italian and a GermaR died of thair wounds. The first Amerâ€" lcan was killed, shot from the wall; then arllu.lalx:y fell. They !Inn drop ping off one one, and a we mne well accustomed to tlmfi of Then a new terror was added to the fears of the besieged, for the Imâ€" perial troops mounted a &â€"in. Krupp gun on the Chien Men, the gate opâ€" posite to the Forbidden City, and began throwing segment shells from a distance of 1,000 yards into the crowded Legation. ‘The first shell struck the American Legation, oth= ers burst over the British comâ€" pound, while others crashed into the upper rooms of the German Legatioa. It was known that the Chines» had ten similar guns in Pekin, while we had nothing with which to answer their fire, and no one ever knew where the next gun might be mountâ€" ed. lmmediately ali hands dug bowbâ€" proof shelters for the women asg children. Rifleâ€"{ire aiso played om the Americans from the wall quite close to them at a distance of a few hundred feet only, whence, safely sheltered by the parapet of the wall, men could enfilade the barricade which was held by the Americans on man barricade, advanced against the street running east and west under the wall. ‘The barricade came untenable, and to occupy wall was a paramount which could no longer be ® It was obvious from the first that the great danger at the British Leâ€" gation was not so much from rifieâ€" fire as from incendiarism, for on three sides the compound was eur rounded by Chinese buildings of a highly inflammable nature. _ Before time could be given to clear an open space round the Legation, the bulldâ€" ings to the rear of Mr. Cockburn‘s house were set on fire, and as the wind was blowing strongly towards us it seemed as if nothing cou!ld preâ€" vent the fire from bursting into the Legation. Water had to be use sparingiy for the wells weore lo than they had been for years, y the flames had to be fought. Buil lets were whistling through t Lrees. Private Scadding, the first Englishman to fall, was killed while on watch on the stables near by. Men and women lined up and water was passed along in buckets to a small fire engine that was played upâ€" on the fire. Walls were broken through, trees hastily cut down, and desperate work savoed the building. It was the first experience of intonse all their colleaguos, assumed the chlaf command. _ The French and Austriâ€" ans renceupled the French Legation, but the barrieade in Customs street was lost. One German only _ yak killed and the position was saved, out the blunder might have been diens trous. Already, on the 22ad, the Stretcher and the Funeral. Pulling Down Ruins Chinese Incend arism. Water had to be us â€" r the wells weore Jlow had been for years, ye had to be fought. 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