(2).
A SISTER'S STORY.
Wild Accusation Against Orphanage.
A TERRIBLE ORDEAL.
Obviously still suffering from the effects of her terrible experi- ences one of the sisters from the Spanish Mission at Foochow was able to give an S. C. M. Post re- porter additional details of the wholesale raiding and looting of the mission properties in the Foo- chow district.
She explained that there had been little evidence of any anti- Christian feeling prior to
last Friday. Then, however, students, soldiers and others went up to the mission houses in company with a Chinese doctor, informing the sis- ters that they desired to investi- gate the treament accorded to the children. They alleged that their eyes had been gouged out and sent to Europe to be made into medicine.
As far as
can be gathered it appears that a cursory examina- tion was made of the mission pro- perty in the first place, and then later in the morning there was a further deputation. Once the stu- dents were inside they urged the rest of the crowd to follow and within a few minutes the mission properties were filled with a huge mob, obviously worked up to a high pitch of anti-Christian feel- ing.
"Terrible, Terrible."
Many of the sisters fled and, being unable to maintain control over the large number of children, the latter were removed. "We do not know what happened to them. Over 200 of them were taken away after they ran outside" added the sister. "Inside the building things were smashed up and everything which could be taken away was looted. We had no time to gather our things together having option but to leave when the mob got inside. Very few of us got any of our belongings together and❘
wearing
the clothes we are now have been given to us. terrible, terrible."
no
It was
It appears that none of the sisters were maltreated by the mob and experienced little difficulty in leaving Foochow. It was obvious that the sole object of the allega- tion regarding the treatment of the children and the subsequent examination of the mission pro- perties was to force the mis- sionaries to leave the district in accordance with the anti-Christian feeling worked up to a high pitch by students.
THE GIRLS' FATE.
Fourteen Captured By The Mob.
ANOTHER VERSION.
There were five American mis- sionaries on board the Hai Ching. They knew little about the origin of the affair except from what had been told them by the other missionaries on board. The Rev. J. M. Barrett was among the num- ber and he briefly related the happenings to a S. C. M. Post reporter so far as he knew them.
The trouble was started at the Orphanage by students and the Dominican Fathers' College was occupied by soldiers. Four Sis- ters and all the Spanish Fathers made their way to the American Dominican Fathers' premises where they were given protection, until Sunday afternoon.
Then Bishop Aguira, the head of the mission, received an in- timation that the house was about to be raided by students. In- structions were received from the American Consul to get out im- mediately, and they left that same afternoon leaving everything behind them in their flight. Only one priest remained, Father O'Donnell, and he stayed with the! American Consul. At the Pagoda' they met the rest of the Spanish Fathers and other Sisters, and boarded the Hai Ching for Amoy.
The Amoy Trouble.
"When on the boat," Rev. Father Barrett proceeded, "we found that
some students were also there on the way to Amoy, and immediately we arrived at that port they started making trouble. The whole of yesterday afternoon I thought there was going to be a pitched battle.
"It was a terrible time and it looked as if there might be very serious happenings any moment. The English, American and French Consuls were on board and when they tried to go ashore, the students, one in particular, would not students were in sampans in the permit them. The
harbour creating an awful row. However, eventually some agree- ment was arrived at, and we got safely away yesterday."
Father Barrett mentioned that he had heard in Foochow that fourteen of the girls of the Or- phanage who had been captured by the mob had been sent to brothels to become prostitutes. He added that the experineces of the party were such that they never wanted to go through them again. All the American Fathers were new to missionary work in China, having only arrived two weeks ago.
can
It is understood that during the trouble at Foochow one Ameri- Protestant lady missionary was manhandled by the crowd and had some of her clothing torn from her back.
127
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.