[Inclosure with dispatch No.
64.]
Maj. H.
Gould-Adams, special-service officer, to the general officer commanding Third Brigade, C. F.
F.
Shan-hai-kwan, April 9,
1901.
Sir: I have the honor to make the following
report on my investigation regarding the looting of the foreign
settlement at Peitaiho in June last, and all the punishments meted out
to those found guilty.
It being manifestly impossible to punish all those implicated, I sent for
the headmen of all villages within a radius of some 20 li of the
settlement. Having interrogated these, I informed them that within
fourteen days they must point out to the officials those whom they
considered as the most guilty parties and that they would be arrested, I
in the meantime holding one-half of the headmen as hostages for the
production of the offenders by the other half.
In due course 18 men were arrested and their cases investigated by the
magistrate of Lin-yu Hsien, acting under my orders. Of these 7 were
found to be guiltless, and I accordingly discharged them on the
spot.
The charges against the remaining 11 may be summed up under the following
heads:
- (1)
- Those who looted, applying the goods to their own use.
- (2)
- Those who received the looted property.
- (3)
- Those who looted themselves and incited others to loot, with
the idea of buying from them, and who made a large business out
of it by carrying the goods away and selling them in towns such
as Changli and Funing.
Of the 11, some 6 belonged to the two former classes and the remaining 5
to the last.
I thereupon instructed the magistrate that all must be punished in
conformity with Chinese laws, and he accordingly sentenced the 6 as
above to various periods of imprisonment (under Chinese conditions).
The latter 5, he said, should be executed. So I told him to proceed in
the usual way and apply to the viceroy, Li Hung chang: for the necessary
sanction.
In consequence, on Friday, 29th of March, I proceeded with the magistrate
to see the execution carried out at Pei-tai-ho.
Having arrived on the scene, all the headmen petitioned that two of the
condemned,
[Page 130]
having hitherto led
exemplary lives, might be spared. I agreed to this, having consulted the
magistrate, and they were accordingly sentenced to imprisonment
instead.
The sentences on the remaining three were carried out.
This disposes of all the cases tried: but still there are two men of
wealth who live at Chang Li whom I have been unable to arrest as yet,
and I am afraid that it will be impossible to do so, as, being well off,
they no doubt are able to bribe freely.
These men are perhaps the most guilty of all, and if caught they will be
brought to justice: but at present, so it is said, their whereabouts are
not known.
I trust that the foregoing may be considered sufficient punishment (fines
and any effort to recover property were precluded by His British
Majesty’s consul, the latter being, or its value, covered by the
indemnity), and that the facts maybe made known to all consuls to
prevent any further punitive action at Pei-tai ho or the posts of other
powers, as I have intimated to the people that the matter may be
considered as settled.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant.
H. E. N. Gould-Adams, Major, S. S. O.
No. 271.]
Chief of the Staff:
Forwarded. A copy has also been sent to the British consul at
Tientsin.
A. I. F. Reid,
Major-General, Commanding Third Brigade, C. F.
F.
Shanhaikwan, April 9,
1901.
His British Majesty’s
Minister:
Forwarded for information. Return requested.
Alfred Gaselee,
Lieutenant-General Commanding, C. F.
F.
Peking, April 13,
1901.
