Mr. Conger to Mr.
Hay.
Legation of the United States,
Peking, May 8,
1902.
No. 980.]
Sir: I have the honor to confirm my
telegrama of the 3d
instant.
I inclose clipping from the China Times of the 7th instant and a
translation of an excerpt from a Chinese paper, the Chihli Gazette, upon
the same subject.
As near as can be at present learned, one Ching Ting-pin, a military
graduate, taking advantage of the antipathy and distress caused by the
heavy taxes collected for indemnity payments, has organized the
villagers over a large district surrounding Chu-lu, in the southern part
of this province, killed a party of thirty unarmed recruits on their way
to their rendezvous, murdered a French Catholic priest, killed a number
of Chinese Christians, and put the whole district in a state of mutinous
insurrection.
The local troops were not sufficient to put down the uprising, and the
viceroy has sent a force of 3,500, composed of infantry, cavalry, and
artillery, which ought to have arrived there yesterday or the day
before, with instructions to immediately stamp out the trouble at any
cost. I inclose also translation of a note from the foreign office,
dated the 4th instant.
Three members of the Independent “Houlding Mission” (Americans) were
supposed to be at Ta-ming, which is a walled city just on the borders of
the disturbed district, and I at once demanded their prompt and adequate
protection. I think they should have remained there; but this morning
Iam advised by the viceroy that they are now en route to Pao-ting Fu
under a safe escort.
The viceroy, Yuan Shih-k’ai, I am sure, will immediately put down the
trouble if it is possible, because he knows well that the city of
Tientsin will not be restored to the Chinese by the allied forces, nor
will there be any further removal of foreign troops from this province,
until he demonstrates his ability to promptly restore order and protect
lives and property.
The French minister has sent one of his staff to make a careful
investigation, as near on the ground as possible, so we are, therefore,
daily expecting more authentic information.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1.]
From the China Times, May 7, 1902.
the insurrection in southwestern
chihli—murder of a missionary—extent of the rising.
The Rev. A. H. Bridge, of the London mission, who recently left his
post at Lung-Ping, some fifty-odd li from Sha-t’u-ssu, and returned
to Tientsin, communicates to us valuable information as to the true
state of affairs in the southwestern portion of the province, whence
have come so many conflicting rumors.
Mr. Bridge states that he received a letter from the Lung-Ping
district magistrate, warning him of danger impending in Shun-te-fu,
Kwang-tsung, and Chuluhsiens. He had, however, already left, and the
letter followed him to Tientsin. There had been trouble in
Kwang-tsung for some months past. In the early part of the first
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moon troops were sent to
the district to put down the trouble. They remained in the adjoining
city of Nankung, engaged in nothing but “shwo hwo,” or “making
peace,” a process which ended in making matters worse. On the 14th
of this moon the military Wei-yuan, Pao by name, who had been
enlisting recruits in Wei Hsien for Yuan Shih-kai’s army, on his way
back to Pao T’ing Fu, passed through Sha-t’u-ssu, abou 8 li from
Chu-lu city. The insurrectionists had already hoisted their flag at
Sha-t’u-ssu, a fact which Pao, unfortunately, did not know. The
insurrectionists took him by surprise. He was killed, together with
about 60 of his recruits, while the rest of them took refuge in
flight.
On the 17th, 1,500 from Nan-Kung, consisting of 1,300 foot and 200
cavalry, went out to avenge the deceased Wei-yuen and put down the
rebellion. They were defeated with a loss of 200 to 300 men, and 70
or more or their horses were captured by the insurrectionists.
A Jesuit priest, Lo Shun-fu, M. Homuller, was attacked and killed on
the 19th of this moon at a village called Chï-chien, and some of the
native teachers of his mission were also put to death. The priest’s
head is still hung up at the south gate of Chï-chien village.
Chï-chien is in Chü Lu Hsien and near Sha-t’u-ssü. There is a local
rumor to the effect that there are over 10,000 men banded together
in a secret league which has spread all over the districts of Kuang
Tsung, Chü Lu, and Wei Hsien. The head man of the league is named
Ching-t’ing-wu. It was the simultaneous “rising of thousands in so
many villages” which prompted the Lung P’ing magistrate to give Mr.
Bridge a friendly warning of danger.
More troops are now going south to meet the insurrectionists. Five
thousand are to be stationed in Ning-shing-hsien and 3,000 in
Lung-ping-hsien.
A word may be added with regard to reports that the troubles are due
to discontent at the imposition of taxes on the people to meet the
indemnity payments. There are no missionary indemnities due from the
district. It may be, of course, that the officials are exacting
them, but no claims have been made by missionaries. The Protestant
missions had scarcely any interests there, and sustained no losses.
Mr. Bridge’s station in the adjoining district of Lung-p’ing was not
touched during the Boxer outbreak. The Roman Catholic missions
sustained very little, if any, damage. The people remained quiet
throughout the troubles of 1900, and if they are now being taxed to
pay indemnities for damage done by others, not much surprise can be
felt at their indignation. The insurrection has been threatening
since last year, at all events since the close of the Chinese year.
Mr. Bridge states that he knew of it in January last, and attempted
to impress upon the local authorities and the Fan-tai in Pao-ting-fu
the fact that trouble was brewing. No strong effort has been made to
stop it. Most of the villages for an area of 40 li in Kuang-tsung
and Chü-luh-hsiens are under arms with their flags flying, and the
recent development and activity has thrown the adjoining Hsiens into
such a state of unrest and uncertainty that all business is
stopped.
[Inclosure 2.]
Translation from the Chihli Gazette, dated May
6, 1902.
A friend from Shun-tien-fu writes:
“The district city, Chu-lu, has been captured by the rebels. At this
moment it is not known what has become of the district magistrate,
Chao, and his family. The leader of the rebels is Ching-ting-pin, a
native of Kwang-tsung, a military graduate of the second degree,
over 50 years old. Before starting on this business he killed the
members of his own family. The rebels are under his direction.
“The troops from Ta-mingand braves from other districts went to
punish him, but were themselves repeatedly defeated. Particulars
will follow.”
[Inclosure 3.]
The Foreign office to
Mr. Conger.
F. O. No. 359.]
With reference to the rebels in the south of the imperial domain
(Chihli) who have given trouble, a telegram was received last
evening from the superintendent of the northern ports, stating that
Ching Ting-pin, the leader of the rebels, gathered a crowd in
Kuang-tsung, Chihli, and incited them to disorder; that after a
little while this mob was dispersed, but that the leader of these
rebels fled to Chu-lu where he
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posted charms and gathered a crowd with whom
he went off to kill (Chinese) officers; that on the 19th of the
current moon (April 26) a French priest, Lo-tse-pu, came across
these rebels on the road and met death at their hands, but that
troops were ordered with lightning speed to proceed and destroy
them; also that they should search for the body and head of the
priest and give it decent burial.
This day we had the honor of receiving the following imperial
edict:
“As the rebel Ching Ting-ping is misleading the people and schemes
improper things, Yuan Shih-k’ai is hereby commanded to send at once
more troops to apprehend the leader of those rebels, to punish him
with the utmost rigor of the law, and to destroy the rest of the
rebels, root and branch.
“We deeply lament the death of the priest Lo-tse-pu, who was killed
for no offense whatever, and command that he be properly buried, and
that the chapels, preachers, and members of churches in his district
be thoroughly protected. Whatever officials, civil or military, are
found remiss in this respect shall be denounced to the throne for a
warning to others.
“Respect this.”
Feeling in duty bound to send this for your excellency’s perusal, I
embrace this opportunity to wish your excellency the blessings of
the season.
Dated 27th day of the third moon (May 4,
1902).
Cards of Prince Ch’ing, Wang Wen-shao, Chu Hung-ehi, Na-tung,
Lien-fang.
