THE KUCHENG MASSACRE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5097, 7 August 1895, Page 2

THE KUCHENG MASSACRE.

COWARDLY CHINESE, Siukoiui, August 6. At Kucheng there was a scene of great carnage. The Misses Saunders, of Melbourne, in attempting to escapo, were hacked to pieces, anSm thousand Chinese soldiers, who were near at hand, and witnessed tho outrage, took no steps to prevent it. The burning of mission houses occupied two hours. Somo of the women were horribly tortured before death ensued, The Unitod States Mission, near Hankow, was destroyed, but fortunately tho occupants escaped without injury. TheAmericaniuissionariesescaped the massacro. Ton English pcoplo woro killed, including Misses Marshall, Gordon, and Stewart, of tho Zenana Society, Some of tho children had thoir A eyes gouged out. ' The Chinesß have appointed a Commission of Enquiry, but as tho Commissioner is tho Prefect who is himself implicated, the thing is a mockery. , HORRIBLE CRUELTIES. FOREIGNERS FLEEING FOR THEIR LIVES. Received, August 7, 1 a.m. Aw Shanghai, August 6. Further details of a liorriblo nature, Imvo beon loceivod from Kucheng. The ladies bogged for their lives, offering to surrender thoir property and jowols, but the leader of tho band ordered thorn to be killed. Miss Nellie Saunders was hackcid about by the ruffian's weapon, and thrown still alivo into Dr Stewards blazing house. Miss Topsy Saunders and Miss Gordon were spoared.

Misses Brain and Newcombe weiro speared and thrown over a precipico. Miss Marshall's throat was cut. Pour of Dr. Stewart's children were impaled and severely wounded, • but apparently were not killed, Although there woro a thousand soldiers in Kucheng, none were sont to the rescue until the massacre was complete and the murderers had decamped with the plunder, The, Chinese Government has ordered the miscreants to be punished. There were thirty native teach A and two thousand members at tvf Kucheng station, Reports from Hankow state that the western provinces are in a disturbed and dangerous condition. Chapels and hospitals have beon destroyed, and foreigners are fleeing for thoir lives. A LETTER FROMMISS GORDON. Received, August 6,7.30 p.m. SIIANfIAHI, August 0. The Europeans in this City aro appealing to the Powers for protection, and protest against the inadequate punishmont inflicted for outrages on foreigners. Sydnky, August 6. The Secretary of the Church Missionary .Society received a letter from Miss Gordon, one of the ladies killed at Kucheng, about the samo time as the cablegram came announcing the massacre. k In this letter she began by qucA , ingthoPsalm, "In God trust: I will not bo afraid what man can do unto me." She goes on to say " A number of poople callod Vegetarians, banded together to defy the Mandarin ono day, when ho caught four of them and put them in prison. The others surrounded his house and said they would pull it down and kill him if he did not rolcase their comrades, so ho had to rcloase ' them. Not only so, but he had to sond his secretary to bo beaten by their own hands. This happened in Kucheng city quito closo to us. "They havo persecuted tlio Christians, and have threatened more than onco to pull down the chapels, but the missionaries as yet have not been threatened at all, although ihoy havo expressed their hatred to us. Btceivcd, August 6, IO.SOp.m, , Melbourne, August 6. Mrs Saunders states that her daughters should have beon on thoir holidays at tlio time of their murdor., i They had intended returning on furlough. ™

THE VEGETARIANS.

WHOLESALE MURDERERS,

Emvci August 7,11.10 a.m. ( Sydney, August 7. With reference to the massacro of the missionaries the Secretary of the Church Society explained that the rebels who go undor the name of Vegetarians and, who two or throe times lately have threatened Kucheng, liavo come down in force, The Vegetarians aro a Secrei Society and draw into their ranks men who band themselves against the Government, and aro joined by \ all tlio worthloss creatures in tha province.

For somo time they have caused! great uneasiness, both to the missionaries and the govorning authorities. Some months ago tho walls of Kucheng wero repaired by tho city authorities, and on that occasion tho missionaries had to got within the walls for protection. What is known as tho Missionaries Compound is outside the walls, , Writing about these Vegetarians Rev. Dr Stewart says they lave probably killed tip to tho presont three thousand people in tho last half year, mostly of th 6 l owes t order, and at the presont time the Government is practically in their hands. What tho immediate future will unfold no one can say, One of the most significant facts, is that tho latter subscribed some thousands of dollars to rebuild the olty walls, repair tho gates, and put all in order to prevent an attaok, all working with quite $ unwonted vigour.

Dr. Stewart says, "I asked some men one day, as we watched them building tho walls, etc, "Why is this great expense being incurred P" The answer was "For fear of rebellion. I asked who were the rebels,, and tho informant said, quite openly," tho Vegetarians." As our house is quite outsido tho building'ji of the walls it does not make anylff difference to m, but wo have far - better protection than that. • Mra Saunders was to have gona with her daughter to keep house for tliein and, the other missionaries. She is a, woman of means, bid the ' crisis in Victoria prevented her dis- ' posing of her property and she had to remain behind.

BtisiusE, August.7. The Miss Gordon murdered at belong to Ipa\vich,whora