No. 170.
Mr. Angell
to Mr. Blaine.
Legation of
the United States,
Peking, August 15, 1881.
(Received October 3.)
No. 198.]
Sir: During the year I have had some reports of
petty depredations upon the property of American missionaries at Teng Chow
Foo, in the province of Shantung. But the missionary who has given me the
information has not been without hope that the local magistrates could be
brought to administer justice without being warned by the imperial
authorities.
But this hope proving vain, another of the missionaries, Rev. Charles R.
Mills, sent me a formal communication reciting in detail the depredations
which had been committed, and invoking my assistance. The substance of his
letter is given in a communication which I at once addressed to Prince Kung,
asking him to urge the local authorities to punish the thieves, to secure
the return of the value of the property taken or destroyed, and to guard
more vigilantly against depredations in the future.
I inclose a copy of the prince’s reply, in which he assures me that
instructions have been given to the local authorities in compliance with my
request, and also of a later communication from him embodying a report from
the Taotai of Teng-Lai-Ching.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in 198.]
Mr. Angell to
Prince Kung.
I have from time to time heard from American missionaries resident at
Teng Chow Foo, in Shantung, of injury done to their property by lawless
persons, and of their in
[Page 285]
ability to get justice done by the magistrates to the guilty parties.
But I have refrained from troubling you about the matters in the hope
that the local authorities would in the end take proper action. But as
they seem to be inefficient, I am constrained to write you.
According to a statement sent me by the Rev. Mr. Mills, the following
facts appear:
For several years one of the missionaries has lost by thefts articles,
especially clothes, and a clock from the buildings connected with his
school. An American lady, residing on East street has had $30 in copper
cash stolen from her house. In the winter of 1879–’80 the house of one
of our missionaries was set on fire in the night by robbers who were
trying to force an iron safe. About $20 worth of clothing was then
consumed. In all these cases application was made to the local
authorities for redress, but in vain.
In January last thieves entered the missionary church and took two
clocks, valued at $18, two lamps worth $4, and an organ-cover valued at
$1.
The total value of the articles taken in these depredations, so far as it
can be correctly estimated, is $73.
About April 1 Mr. Mills sent to the prefect a statement, a copy of which
I inclose. He promised to urge the district magistrate to do his duty
and secure the restoration of the property. But so far as known he has
done nothing.
May I ask you to urge upon the local authorities to punish the thieves,
to secure the return of the value of property taken, and to guard more
vigilantly against such depredations in the future?
I am,
[Inclosure 2 in 198.]
Mr. Prince Kung to
Mr. Angell.
Prince Kung, chief secretary of state for foreign affairs, herewith makes
a communication in reply:
I have had the honor to receive your excellency’s dispatch of July 14,
reporting cases of robberies from American missionaries at Teng Chow fu
in Shantung. You give an estimate of the value of the stolen goods, and
inclose a copy of the missionaries’ petition to the prefect, and you
request me to order the local authorities to take rigorous steps for the
arrest of the thieves, and to guard more vigilantly against such
depredations in the future.
This office has sent a copy of your communication to the governor of
Shantung, requesting him to instruct the local officers to inquire
carefully into these cases of robbery, to arrest the robbers, and
recover the stolen property.
Pending the receipt of a reply to our communication, when we will again
write you, we send this dispatch for your excellency’s information.
His excellency James B. Angell, &c., &c., &c.
[Inclosure 3 in 198.]
Prince Kung to Mr.
Angell.
Prince Kung, chief secretary of state for foreign affairs, herewith makes
a communication:
Referring to your excellency’s dispatch anent the depredations committed
upon the property of missionaries at Teng Chow fu, we have further to
state that we have received a representation from the taotai of Teng Lai
Ching, in which he says:
“The district magistrate had informed me some time since that the Rev.
Messrs. Wherry and Mateer had complained of robberies from their
premises. I ordered him (the magistrate) to send detectives after the
thieves, but many days elapsed and they were not apprehended, nor was
the property recovered. Having now received the Yamên’s dispatch, I have
again ordered the magistrate to take up these cases and make rigorous
search for the culprits, appointing a time within which they are to be
apprehended and dealt with.”
We send the purport of the Taotai dispatch for your excellency’s
information.
His excellency James B. Angell.
