Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 7, 1903

Mr. Conger to Mr. Hay.

Legation of the United States,
Peking, March 12, 1903.

No. 1236.]

Sir: As will be seen by the inclosed copies of translations from the Chihli Gazette of March 18, an attempt has been made in the district. of Yu-t’ien, about 100 miles east of Peking, to reorganize the Boxer association, but was promptly suppressed by the energetic action of the viceroy.

Several soldiers lost their lives in the attempt to arrest the criminals, but 7 of the criminals were killed and 10 more arrested, who are ordered beheaded and their heads exposed where the organization started.

Only such prompt and severe measures will prevent similar organizations in other localities, and it is hoped and believed that Yuan Shih’k’ai will continue as he has begun.

I have, etc.,

E. H. Conger.

[Inclosure 1.]

Translation from the Chih Pao (Chihli Gazette) of March 8, 1903.

report of arrest and punishment of boxers in the yu-t’ien district and action of the viceroy thereon.

The T’ung-chou-Yung-p’ing brigade general, Li An-t’ang, and the district magistrate of Yu-T’ien, Ch’eng Chin, report:

“In the matter of Boxers drilling at Liu-ho-t’ao, in the district of Yu-T’ien, we sent petty officers to make thorough, search, and on the 26th of the first moon (February 23, 1903) they arrested Kan Lin-ch’iang and others, men and women, ten in all, who were practicing Boxer arts, and we now ask for orders as to how we shall deal with them.”

To this reply was received as follows:

“The contents of the report have been carefully noted. Proclamations have been issued repeatedly, strictly forbidding any revival of the disturbances of 1900, which were originated by the Boxers, but Kan Lin-ch’iang and his party, having no regard for the law, assembled a’ lot of people to form a band of Boxers and drilled them in the dead of night. When they were being searched for by the civil and military officials, they dared to resist arrest and killed and wounded several soldiers. Thereupon seven of them were killed, men and women, and their heads exposed as a warning. Ten others, men and women, were arrested and their swords, spears, flags, pennons, charms, and pledges, all proofs of their evil designs, were brought to light.

I shall depute Taotai Chang Hsi-luan, of the military secretariat of the regular force, to proceed at once with all haste and make a thorough investigation, and deal with the matter according to the regulations already in force. As to the ten men and women already in custody, let them be carefully tried and afterwards beheaded, and let their heads be sent to the place of their rebellion and suspended as a warning to all and a testimony to the rigor of the law. We shall expect also that some plan be devised to secure the remainder of the band. Let every exertion be made to root it out, so as to prevent further trouble.

Forward this with all haste.

[Inclosure 2.]

Proclamation of Viceroy Yuan Shih-k’ai.

This proclamation is issued to clearly set forth certain prohibitions.

Whereas on my taking charge of this office in the middle of the eleventh moon of the XXVII year of Kuanghsu (January, 1901), after the troubles which the province of Chihli had experienced, certain lawless bandits leagued themselves together to excite the people, again bring on calamity, and revive the dying embers of sedition, it became most urgently necessary to prepare severe regulations and by heavy penalties suppress disorder. At that time I decided upon eleven regulations, which were printed and published far and near, giving information to all, and I ordered all my subordinates to strictly enforce the prohibitions, all of which is a matter of record.

For more than a year these regulations have been uniformly observed, and the province has been entirely quiet. But, perhaps because a long time has elapsed, some have grown careless and have not given special attention, so that they have secretly incited the people and caused the remnants of evil to sprout again, thus occasioning trouble and bringing calamity upon the country people. It becomes necessary, therefore, to again set forth these prohibitions, which have been printed and published for information, admonishing all to exert themselves to observe them and put away evil, that they may enjoy the blessings of widespread peace and prosperity.

Let everyone tremblingly obey.

An urgent special proclamation.

eleven regulations for temporary use in the suppression of disorder.

1. Those dealing in magical spells to befool the people shall be beheaded.

2. Those propagating evil teaching and practicing evil arts, no matter whether leader or followers, shall all be beheaded.

3. Those who band together to plunder or who employ weapons to commit violent crimes shall be beheaded.

4. Soldiers and runners connected with the yamens who are in sympathy with evil societies or Boxers shall be beheaded.

5. Householders who furnish quarters for evil societies or who harbor Boxers shall, after an examination demonstrates their guilt, be imprisoned for five years, and their property shall be confiscated to reward (informers).

6. In case of clans or villages some of whose people may be connected with evil societies or Boxers, the chiefs of such clans or the elders of such villages, together with the local constable, must at once report the same to the officials, that they may follow up the matter and deal with it. Should they assist and conceal them and rebelliously refuse to report, so soon as the matter becomes known the said chiefs of clans and village elders shall be imprisoned for one year; the local constable shall be imprisoned for a year and a half.

7. In all places where altars may be established and evil teachings propagated and practiced, immediately upon its becoming known to the local official he shall destroy the said altars and confiscate the property. If there be any informers, the property shall be given for a reward to the informers, whether men or women.

8. All who may arrest members of evil societies or Boxers and bind and send them to the officials shall be rewarded with 200 taels for every leader and the same amount for every five followers delivered. Those who report rumors upon which any arrests may result shall be rewarded with one-half of the above amounts.

9. The suppression of Boxerism simply requires that the department and district magistrates shall be more diligent in making inquiry and in following up their clues and dealing with the matter conscientiously, so as to nip these disorders in the bud. Hereafter if it shall appear upon investigation that there are Boxers in any district who have set up their altars and preached and practiced their doctrines, then the official of the said department or district shall be impeached and severely dealt with according to the statute provided in case of leniency toward rebels.

10. These prohibitions are especially prepared for those who may hereafter propagate or practice evil teachings, thus stirring up trouble and rebellion. As for those who have formerly been Boxers, aside from the leaders, all who have been coerced into joining, if only they shall truly repent and immediately turn over a new leaf, shall not be involved.

11. Should anyone, cherishing a grudge, make a false accusation, hoping thereby to share the reward, on its being shown by examination that there is no truth in the charges, he shall at once receive the punishment due the crime which he shall have tried to fasten upon others. In no case shall any leniency be shown.