Mr. Denby to Mr. Olney.
Peking, October 15, 1895. (Received Nov. 29.)
Sir: I have the honor to forward to you an abstract of a report bearing date September 13, made by Her Britannic Majesty’s consul to Her Britannic Majesty’s minister from Kutien, which has been kindly furnished by Sir Nicholas O’Conor. The consul states that—
A band of over 200 men armed with spears, tridents, swords, knives, etc., started from Kun Shan Chi, a mountain fastness, in the evening of the 31st of July, their [Page 159] avowed object being a raid upon the foreigners at Huashan. The leaders and planners of the expedition, six in number, had debated for nearly a week beforehand the question as to whether they should attack a missionary establishment at Yanchu village, the city of Kutien, or the summer resort of the missionaries at Huashan. The plan of attack on the city was to assemble secretly, set fire in three places, and in the tumult created to kill the magistrate and loot his Yamên and the houses of the wealthy residents. Eventually they cast lots and Huashan was decided on as the aim of the expedition. After the start it appears that a good many whose hearts failed them when they knew that murder was contemplated, or who had been coerced into going, dropped out on various pretexts and did not reach Huashan. It is proved, however, by overwhelming evidence that over a hundred of the more determined did actually arrive at Huashan and took a more or less active part in the proceedings there. Those who were actually wounded and killed were many more than the consul first supposed.
For instance, three men at least (all in custody) are proved to have shared in Mr. Stewart’s murder; two joined in killing Mrs. Stewart, and there was much indiscriminate cutting and slashing at five of the ladies who were all together. Only two ladies seemingly met their death at the hands of a single assailant, and most of the survivors were covered with blows and wounds. There is evidence to show that kerosene was brought in bamboo tubes for the purpose of burning the houses. When it is considered that all these ruffians were armed, knew beforehand that murder was intended, and while some of their number were engaged in that crime others hastened to secure all available loot, it appears impossible to regard any one of those present as a minor criminal. Those who made themselves most prominent are, with the exception of ten, now in custody; but there are many still at large who have plunder in their possession, and who for days after the massacre made no secret of the fact that they joined in the crime. From the information obtained from the numerous Christians in this district there is little doubt but that if the authorities are kept up to the mark all these malefactors can be arrested, but their boldness makes it evident that a terrible example is necessary if such things are to be avoided in future and safety secured for the foreigners in the district.
The consul proceeds to argue that the letter of the law should be insisted on with regard to a majority of the cases, reserving the right to interpose for a mitigation of sentence when the atonement appears sufficient. He asks that he be permitted to decide on the merits of each case investigated, and states that he would admit extenuating circumstances as justifying a mitigation of the death penalty. He states further that some of the prisoners seem to glory in their deeds. He continues:
I will now pass on the cases we have gone into. Of the 35 above mentioned 13 have been already reported to the viceroy for execution and 13 more are convicted as taking a more or less active part in the murder, or as instigators or leaders. The others, with the exception of 10 doubtful cases, were present at the massacre, and some had loot in their possession. There are a good many other cases yet untried, and arrests are still being made, though not as rapidly as at first.
He reports the work done as satisfactory, but he says he has had reason to complain of duplicity on the part of the Chinese authorities.
He proceeds to state that the Christians, numbering over 2,000 in the Kutien district, have been of great use to the commission in finding out the names of those concerned in the massacre. This conduct has created soreness in the minds of the Chinese authorities, who have endeavored to show that the massacre was the result of a feud between the Christians and the Vegetarians. These latter are a political society which is plotting to overthrow the Government. Unless this society is suppressed attempts at reprisals against the Christians are to be apprehended.
He states at the close that Tu Chu-yi, one of the two notorious criminals, has been arrested.
I have, etc.,