Minister Rockhill to the Secretary of State.

No. 260.]

Sir: I have the honor to transmit to you the account of the recent occurrences at Nan-ch’ang, the capital of the Province of Kiang-si, which ended in the massacre by a mob of a number of missionaries, Catholic as well as Protestant. I am informed that this version of the events which led up to the massacre is accepted by the British and French authorities in China as substantially correct and authoritative.

The first reports of the Nan-ch’ang affair, both in the Chinese and in the foreign (English) press, in which the whole blame was thrown on the Catholic priests, have encouraged the Chinese agitators throughout the country to undertake a campaign of vilification of Catholic missionaries. The native press within the last week or two had contained the wildest telegrams from distant parts of China, charging Catholic missionaries with various crimes or improper interference in Chinese affairs.

To add to our present trouble, there seems to be a recrudescence of hostility between the Christians. I inclose herewith accounts of two of the more recent riots between Christians—one in the Province of Che-kiang and the other in this province—both having taken place within the last fortnight.

I have, etc.,

W. W. Rockhill.
[Page 330]

[Inclosure 1.]

china-the nanchang outrage.

The Echo de Chine of the 7th instant gives the following, which it states is the official résumé of this affair:

On 17th February last (24th day of the 1st moon) the Mandarin Kiang Chaot’ang, prefect of Nanchang, came to the residence of the mission [on] the invitation of the French missionary, M. Lacruche, in-order to settle different small pending affairs concerning the district.

After an arrangement had been concluded, the subprefect expressed to M. Lacruche a desire to enter also into negotiations on the subject of the more grave affair of Sinchang, pending since 1904.

Before continuing our recital it is necessary to explain here that this sub-prefect Kiang had himself been very seriously compromised on the occasion of the Sinchang troubles, in which he had caused failure of the arrangement of 1904, in obtaining the release of the principal persons inculpated and in promising immunity, on his honor, to the two accused, whom he brought to Nanchang. He was at that time, and for the above-mentioned reasons, the subject of a complaint to the French consulate-general at Shanghai, and also to the legation of France at Peking, on the part of the mission. He had therefore at heart, and it was also to his interest, to obtain a settlement in a sense favorable to his attitude, in order to exculpate himself toward his superiors.

On this day, therefore (24th of the 1st moon), as he was leaving, he begged M. Lacruche to be so kind as to invite him to dinner on the 29th, in order to be able to talk more freely of the affair of Sinchang. On the observation of the missionary that it would be preferable that this latter should go to the yamen, he replied that it would be easier to talk at the mission, that they would be quieter there, and that they could talk to each other alone, and he insisted that he should be invited to dinner, adding that he would be accompanied by one or two scribes only.

On the 25th of the 1st moon the subprefect sent his presents along with his card to M. Lacruche, and announced his visit for the next day (26th). The missionary, fearing that he had mistaken the date for the dinner, to which the subprefect had invited himself, had the repast in question ready for the arrival of Kiang (26th), but this mandarin having been introduced into the dining room, refused to touch the refreshments which were offered him, and said in substance to M. Lacruche: “It is understood, I dine with you on the 29th, but I come to ask you to-day to send me a letter of invitation very stiff and very hard (literally: in which you curse me and overwhelm me with insults), because the affair of Sinchang is not settled. This is not my fault; it is that of my superiors. They no longer recognize my merits; but with your letter I would be in a better position to get the conditions accepted, especially if you threaten to ask that a war ship be sent to Nanchang.”

He afterwards took a cup of tea, and his last word was: “It is understood, I will come on the 29th.”

All this passed in presence of M. Rossignol, who, happily, has been saved and can witness to it.

M. Lacruche has the letter of invitation written as the subprefect asked, but he recommended to the scribe to indite it in mild terms, without speaking of a war ship.

The 29th of the 1st moon, toward three in the afternoon, the subprefect arrived in the mission, and they sat down to table. During the whole of the dinner he avoided speaking of the Sinchang affair, but he did not cease to complain bitterly of being no longer appreciated by his superiors. After having risen from the table, he went out of the dining room and proceeded toward the Chinese quarter of the mission. M. Lacruche went out after him, and told him not to go to that side, where all was in disorder and in course of demolition, in order to clear the ground in view of the construction of the church, and in spite of the insistence of the mandarin to be left alone, he led him back into the small parlor next his bedroom. At this moment the subprefect spoke of the affair of Sinchang, and proposed a series of conditions. M. Lacruche, who began to have doubts about the powers of Kiang to deal with this question, since he complained of not having the confidence of his chiefs, and as these latter had notified the mission on this subject, he asked him to put his [Page 331] conditions in writing in order to refer them to the superior ecclesiastical authorities. He therefore offered a pencil to Kiang, but he refused, saying, “I will go into the room of your scribe; there I will write the conditions and will send them by your scribe, who will serve as intermediary.” After insistence on one side and the other the missionary finished by conducting the mandarin into the chamber of the scribe, where he (the mandarin) installed himself in order to write, and returned himself to his room.

Kiang drew up his propositions, and gave long explanations about them to the scribe, who was afterwards asked to take them to the missionary and to give him all the details he had furnished. The scribe then went to find M. Lacruche, with whom he remained about a quarter of an hour. Kiang during this time left the room of the scribe, called one of the soldiers of his escort, and gave him an order in a low voice, and immediately the soldier left the mission in a great hurry. The mandarin then reentered the room of the scribe and closed the door on himself. Just then one of the servants entered the room and offered him tea, which he refused, asking that he be not disturbed. The servant having retired, the subprefect again closed the door, and a few minutes afterwards another servant, who crossed the atrium, heard groans in the room of the scribe. He looked through the glass of the door and saw the mandarin stretched on the long chair, blood running from his neck, and attempting to enlarge the wound. It was then nearly 6 p.m.

The servant, frightened, ran to the missionary, who rushed into the room where Kiang was lying, and, after having observed the attempted suicide of the mandarin, hurried, without even waiting for his chair coolies, whom he picked up on the road, to render an account to the governor of what had happened. At the same time at the mission the people hastened to lavish attentions on the wounded magistrate. This latter, not being able to speak, asked for a pencil in order to write, and during the whole of the night and the following morning, stretched on the long chair, he wrote a great number of short letters. Several were addressed to M. Lacruche and to interpreter Lieou. The general sense of these letters was that he was dying in order to save the people of Sinchang, and not to fail in his word, which he had given to save them from all punishment. He wrote also two letters to his brother. In one he asked for medicines and in the other he said: “An evil spirit (Kwei) is pursuing me; it is thus that I am dying with the object of saving the people.”

The rumor immediately spread in the town that the missionaries had assassinated a magistrate, and during the night the delegate of the superior authorities proceeded to the mission in order to make the necessary inquest. M. Lacruche himself conducted him to examine the places and the different apartments through which the mandarin had passed, and gave him a very circumstantial account of all the events. During the evening M. Lacruche received a letter from the bureau of foreign affairs (Yang wuchu) asking the delivery of the instrument which had served to make the wound. The missionaries replied by a memoir explanatory of the facts, and declared that they did not know with what instrument the wound had been made; that the attempt had not been committed by anyone in the mission, and that Kiang alone was in a position to indicate how and with what he had suicided. This reply, somewhat long, could not be sent till the next day; that is to say, the 2d day of the 2d moon, toward noon.

That same day, the 2d of the 2d moon, the most sinister rumors were circulating in the town. There had been printed and distributed a profusion of small sheets in order to excite the people to riot. The following is a translation of one of these placards: “In our capital city, at the Catholic mission, the French, laying a trap for the subprefect Kiang, had wounded him in order to oppress our country. This is too much. We are all united. There are none who will not be disgusted. We decide therefore that on the 3d, at 10 a.m., there shall be an extraordinary meeting at Pe-ja-chu, in the Shen-hu-sze. All without exception, mandarins, merchants, artisans, cultivators, and students, are invited to meet in order to consult as to the means of recovering the sovereign rights of our Empire. Certainly, we shall not riot; that would not be well for us. We write this that everyone may be notified. Signed: All the students of Kiangsi.”

These dangerous placards were distributed with great pomp in all the quarters of the city by members of the most considerable families, who were borne in chairs carried by four bearers preceded by horsemen and a suit dressed in uniforms. These sheets were deposited in each house, in the yamens, everywhere, in fact.

[Page 332]

The same day the titular subprefect of Sinchien, with a delegate of the Yang-wu-chu, returned to the residence to ask that the two servants should be delivered to him in order that they might be interrogated at the tribunal of the chief judge, and proposed that M. Lacruche should accompany them. The latter refused, saying that this procedure was only calculated to provoke a riot; that already it was said everywhere that the missionaries had assassinated the sub-prefect, and that in seeing the people of the mission conducted to the yamen the public would not fail to believe the truth of the calumnies which were being spread against them in public; finally, if the missionary himself proceeded to the tribunal, the bad people would say that he was being taken there because it was recognized that he was guilty. He added that he had no objection to their coming to interrogate everyone, servants and even missionaries, but at the residence only.

During these days (1st and 2d of the 2d moon) several telegrams were sent by M. Lacruche to Monsignor Ferrand at Kiu-kiang, and the governor himself sent several communications to the bishop by the intermediary of the taotai of Kiukiang. He insinuated that the crime had been committed by the Catholic mission; that they had separated the mandarin from the members of his suite; that the bishop was only listening to his missionary, and begged to proceed to Kiukiang.

The bishop refused to lend himself to the governor’s game, and replied: “Since I am accused of partiality, let this affair be examined by disinterested judges. The Catholic mission is myself as well as my priests, and I can not be both judge and party. It is of the utmost importance that the matter should be cleared up without the least doubt being able to hang over this question, which bears on the honor of religion over the whole world. It is important that the matter should be duly verified in order that it may never occur again, and I insist that the waiwupu and the French legation be asked to appoint impartial judges.”

In the evening placards written in red letters were posted everywhere, even at the doors of the yamens and of our college, exciting the people to rise against the foreigners on the account of whom the most atrocious insults and frightful calumnies were made.

During these two days, besides, the mission was surrounded and occupied by soldiers, more in order to watch than to protect the missionaries. In fact, M. Lacruche heard one of the military chiefs say to his soldiers, “Watch especially that this European does not escape.”

For all the preceding we have the direct evidence of M. Martin, who was not a single instant away from the side of M. Lacruche until the moment of the riot, and statements of M. Rossignol, who, although not able to be at the dinner given to the subprefect owing to family mourning, went to the mission on the 1st of the 2d moon to see M. Lacruche, from whose mouth he received direct all the foregoing details.

On Sunday (3d day of the 2d moon), at the hour fixed, the crowd tumultuously called for the death of the missionaries, and in spite of the efforts of several persons who recommended calmness, it threw itself, growing larger every minute, on the Catholic establishments, which were invaded about midday, everything being pillaged. M. Lacruche and the five French professors of the Nanchang school were assassinated. Father Salavert was ill with typhoid fever, and had to be taken out of his bed in order to be saved from the raving crowd, but died on his arrival at Kiukiang. It is believed also that two of the orphan girls brought up by the sisters and two of the scholars of the primary school have been killed, but nothing precise is known on this subject.

convocation of the mass meeting.

(Certified copy of the circular of the 2d day of the 2d moon, 24th February, 1906.) Presently a Frenchman of the Catholic mission, after having drawn the subprefect Kiang, of Nanchang, into the mission, killed this latter. This act is the consummation of the contempt for our country. All our countrymen, without exception, are indignant.

Now, it is decided that a great extraordinary meeting will be held on the 3d day of the present moon, at 10 a.m., at the temple of the family of Sheng, situated at Pai-hoa-chow. Mandarins, merchants, workmen, cultivators, literati, and students, everybody without distinction, are invited to repair there [Page 333] to deliberate on the manner we shall take to oppose in a civilized fashion, in order to reconquer for our country the full exercise of its sovereign rights. It is certain that there must be no riot; that will spoil the general situation. Bring this to the notice of all by reading it to one another. Signed: Notice of the students of Kiangsi, met in first assembly.

conditions proposed before the attempted suicide.

1.
In the affairs of Tong pu, on the subject of the punishment of the culprits, three of whom ought to be executed, not including the person Kong Tong, who is already arrested.
2.
Revocation of the title of licenciate for the individual Chung-Yao Ting and his condemnation to prison.
3.
In the affairs of Yen Chang those condemned to life imprisonment will obtain a reduction of their sentences and be set at liberty.
4.
On the subject of the individual Leng-Kway-ho of Nanchang, besides the indemnity of 180 strings of cash to be paid according to what has been decided by the intermediary, he will be arrested and punished as ringleader.
5.
On the subject of the individual Ngai Yu, of Singchien, the decision will be conformed to.
6.
On the subject of the crimes committed by the malefactors against the Catholics at Kao-Ngan-hsien, besides the execution of the four culprits which has already taken place, there will be payment of an indemnity.
7.
In the affair of Pang-Nu an indemnity will be paid to the Catholics of Le Kerning.
8.
An indemnity will be given for the loss of the effects of the missions.

written by the subprefect after the attempt to cut his throat.

“I am dying in order to save the people of Sintang and not in order to create trouble to the Catholic mission. I beg the father to protect the people whom I am governing, that soldiers be not sent, that the affair be settled quickly with moderation, and I shall die without complaint.

“I am dying—that is insignificant—only I beg Father Wang (Father Lacruche) to save the people of Sinchang, whom I govern, that they do not raise again in the future any quarrels. I am grateful to Monsieur Liu (the literate), of the mission, for his kindnesses. I again beg the father to settle the affair by not asking much; that my death shall replace that of the culprits (who are sentenced to death).

“The affair once settled, the propaganda of the Christian doctrines may spread. The people of the Kong family are not savages.

“I am dying; let the affairs be settled as I said before. Let all pursuits be abandoned; else would be to fail in my word; and I shall die without complaining.

“Brought to this fatal extremity, I, subprefect, do not complain about that, because I save my people. In future, for the religious propaganda, let the pagans and Christians live in peace, that is important. Let none act as they themselves wish. The people of Kiangsi are a good population, and Kiangsi is not a country of savages. I consider death as a return to the point of departure, and my death is uniquely inspired by the affection I bear the people.

“Since Father Lacruche consents to settle the whole affair and not to have soldiers brought, I die, and I remain full of gratitude to him (Father Lacruche). When I shall be dead, my soul will do everything possible for the great prosperity of the Catholic mission; from now peace will reign between pagans and Christians. What great happiness. Inform Monsieur Li and tell him not to complain, of me, not to bear me a grudge. Who is he who will not make a part of the people. Life is only a simple breath. I have so many sorrows that it appears to me better to depart for the other world.

“Father Wang, to my many requests, has decided that there shall certainly not be punishment of anyone. I beg the mission to mark well the different objects of the residence in order to prevent false imputations.”

There were besides two sheets which could not be deciphered; one of them was stained with blood in different places.

[Page 334]

[Inclosure 2.]

a catholic-protestant fight.

The governor of Che-chiang has reported to the Waiwupu that, owing to some dispute over a piece of arable land, the converts of the Roman Catholic mission had a fierce fight with the adherents of the Protestant Church in the Tai-ping district of the prefecture of Tai-chou on the 27th ultimo. Several hundred men were collected by each party under the leadership of Catholic Yu Chu-shu and Protestant Lin Shou-ping. Swords, rifles, and sticks were freely used by the two parties. Owing to the lack of up-to-date weapons, the Protestants were defeated. Some of them were either killed or severely wounded by the Catholics, who also wounded two soldiers under command of Captain Tang because they tried to prevent them from inflicting further injuries on the defeated Protestants.

The fight took place just outside the city. All the merchants and dealers in and outside the city stopped their business and closed their doors, being afraid of the unruly converts and native bandits robbing them.

As the fight was instigated by the Catholics, the magistrate of Tai-ping arrested some of them who had participated in the fight and wounded the Protestants, with a view of bringing them to justice. But after their apprehension, the Catholic priest, Li-Shih-chung (Chinese name), proceeded to the yamen and used every sort of threat toward the magistrate for the purpose of securing the release of the prisoners. As the action on the part of the Catholic priest infringes the power and rights of the Chinese authorities and is outside the scope of foreign missionaries who come to China, the governor has informed the French consul at Shanghai about the matter.

[Inclosure 3.]

a quarrel between christians.

Ill feeling has been growing for some time between the two sects of Roman Catholics and Protestants belonging to certain villages in the department of Chi Chou. A few days ago a number of men of each party, armed with various weapons, engaged in a regular fight which resulted in the loss of life. The viceroy, Yuan Shih-k’ai, finding the situation to be very serious, deputed the provincial judge, Tseng, on the 16th of the Moon (March 10) to proceed to the district and make an investigation. He took with him a troop of cavalry consisting of several score of men to be used in suppressing the disturbance.