Legation of
the United States,
Peking, July 11, 1891.
(Received August 17.)
No. 1341.]
[Inclosure in No.
1341.—Translation.]
The tsung-li yamên to Mr.
von Brandt.
Your Excellency: On the 29th of June your
excellency came to the yamên and in a personal interview stated that
from the date of the promulgation of His Majesty’s decree, namely, the
13th of June, to the present more than half a month had elapsed and you
had not yet received any information from the yamên as to what action
had been taken by the governors-general and governors of the various
provinces in the missionary cases. This yamên at once made inquiries by
telegram of the various provincial authorities as to the details of
their action and requested an immediate reply. We have now received in
succession replies from the southern superintendent of trade and from
the governor-general of Hu Kwang by telegraph, stating that the imperial
edict of the 13th of June has already been reverently copied and posted
in proclamations for the information of the people; that the provincial
governments of the Chiang-nau provinces are most diligently exerting
themselves in protective measures; that in the localities under their
jurisdiction the condition of affairs has recently materially improved.
They state that at Chin-Kuei two criminals have been arrested, and that
at Yang-hu several more have been apprehended, but that the truth has
not yet been elicited by examination. Further orders have been issued
for arrests, and not a day passes without the issuance of the most
urgent and stringent instructions. Moreover, inasmuch as the guilty
parties have concealed their traces, deputies have been secretly
dispatched in all directions to obtain information concerning them, with
directions that the real leaders thereof must be caught and severely
dealt with as a warning to others. More than twenty of the rioters
engaged in the missionary case at Wusueh have been arrested.
Investigation showed Kuo Lin Shon and TaiYen-yii to be the heads of the
uprising, the former being guilty of the death of the tidewaiter, O-Ko,
and the other of the death of Argent, the missionary. The consul deputed
the two missionaries to represent him at the trial. They came to
Kwang-ch’i and assisted at the examination. The two criminals admitted
their guilt in open court without reserve. The missionaries did not
dissent in the slightest particular from the judgment rendered, and it
was at once ordered, that the two convicts should be decapitated and
their heads exposed as a warning. There were five prisoners, the
circumstances of whose crime were less to be condemned, who were
imprisoned or sentenced to wear the kang, according to their degrees of
guilt. The yamên has also received a telegram from Wuhu stating that, in
obedience to telegraphic orders, no further action will be taken in the
case of the two Sisters of Charity, Chu and Su. At southern Tung-Chon
and Huai-an Fu there were rumors at first, but subsequently a report was
received from Chang, an official at Hwang-mu, stating that in obedience
to telegraphic orders the most ample measures had been taken for
affording protection. At the city of Ju-Kao Hsien, however, a church had
been destroyed by fire; that in the jurisdiction of the said Hsien there
were more than ten other churches, and orders had already been given to
Chang, general at Chiang Yin, to transfer braves to that locality with
the greatest speed, to remain there on guard. As in duty bound, we
communicate to your excellency the details of the action taken in the
various provinces.
With compliments and cards.
