Foreign Relations of the United States, 1901, Appendix, Affairs in China, Report of William W. Rockhill, Late Commissioner to China, with Accompanying Documents
Mr. Rockhill to Mr. Hay.
Peking, China, May 16, 1901.
Sir: Mr. Conger, in his dispatch No. 552 of February 28 last reported the execution of the notorious ex-governor of Shan-hsi, Yü Hsien. I now have the honor to inclose translation of a letter received a few days ago by the dean of the diplomatic corps from a missionary resident in Lan-ehou, the capital of Kan-su, where Yü Hsien was executed, reporting the particulars of his death.
As of possible interest, I inclose also an extract from a native letter from Hsi-an Fu, published in a recent issue of the Shanghai Mercury, giving an account of the death of Chao Shu-chiao, Prince Chuang, and Ying-Nien.
I am, etc.,
His Excellency the Minister of Spain, Peking.
Excellency: On the 27th of February I received from your excellency a telegram requesting evidence as to the death of Yü Hsien.
The execution of this latter is so little in doubt that I immediately answered yon by telegraph: “Decapitated 22d February, 5 o’clock in the morning.” If the dispatch was not sent the same day it was because the operator who has charge of European telegrams was for the time being absent.
Here are the principal proofs of the death of Yü Hsien. In the first place the suicide of the governor, or rather of the Fan-tai (provincial treasurer) who was occupying the place of the governor appointed but not yet arrived. The said governor Li, formerly an official of Tai-yuan, had treated Yü Hsien, formerly his superior, with high regard, due to his title of ex-governor; not as a rebel and an exile. So as not to have the blood of a superior on his hands and to thereby bring upon himself the reproach of a crime nearly parricidal, he advised Yü Hsien to commit suicide. Yü Hsien refused. On this, on the day of the nsw year, the governor committed suicide.
The next day, and particularly the day after, the excitement grew greater and greater among the people. Notices were posted up even inciting the people to revolt. The Nieh-tai (provincial judge) had them torn down at once and had numerous arrests made. Toward 9 o’clock in the evening he called a meeting of the council officials and proposed that in view of the tendency of the people to revolt, the day of the execution should be advanced. (It had previously been fixed for the 6th.) Toward midnight the judge sent a detachment of soldiers to guard the street, and he himself went to the dwelling of Yü Hsien and notified him of his sentence. On hearing this Yü Hsien ordered two of his wives to commit suicide, and he nailed up their coffins, which had been got ready beforehand, after which he continued to write letters.
The Neih tai waited in the street. It was already dawn when the judge asked the condemned man for a second time to deliver himself into the hands of justice. As Yü Hsien had been a governor, he was not to die by the hand of the ordinary executioner. A military officer was intrusted with the execution.
Arriving on the threshold of the door, the Neih-tai commanded Yü Hsien to kneel, and he was executed. The first blow missed, so a servant of Yü Hsien’s took a knife and, to spare his master useless suffering, cut his throat. This was between 4 and 5 o’clock in the morning.
Such is the narrative which an eyewitness employed by a mandarin made the same day to a Christian. Another one showed him the place of execution. An official also present told the same story to Madame Splingaerd.
Add to this that down to the present day nobody contradicts this narrative; this would be impossible if Yü Hsien were still living.
Please accept, Mr. Minister, the assurances of my most respectful consideration, etc.
Missionaire.
Extract from “Shanghai Mercury,” May 8.
the death of chao shu-chiao.
This ex-president of the board of punishments was ordered to commit suicide. But on the 25th of the twelfth month last year the edict ordered imprisonment until execution, and the provincial judge was already charged with his custody and his relatives had gone to the judge’s yamen to await the end. The day before the Empress said to the privy council: “As a matter of fact Chao Shu-chiao did not patronize the Boxer movement, only he should not have told me that the Boxer people were not important.”
When Chao heard of these words he secretly rejoiced and hoped that the old Empress would reprieve him. On the 29th there were many outside rumors that the western men would condemn Chao Shu-Chiao to death; whereupon the gentry and people of Hsian all rose up against it, and 300 of them presented a petition to the privy council, saying that the whole city wished to save Chao Shu-Chiao from death. But the council did not dare to present their petition to the throne. Hsueh Yen-Sheng, president of the board of punishments, who is Chao’s maternal uncle, remarked: “If Chao is beheaded, where are there left any heavenly [Page 168] principles of right? “But the reports became more pressings and the council, from 6 o’clock to 11 o’clock, held a consultation with the Empress, but could not decide to put Chao to death. Meantime the streets were fast filling with people who threatened to release Chao on the way to the execution ground and kill some of the high officials at the same time. The council took fright and asked the Empress to grant Chao the privilege of self-destruction. Tsen Chun-hsuan came forward and recited the decree. Chao knelt and said: “Is there a later decree?” Tsen replied, “No.” Chao said that there must be another decree. Chao’s wife said to him, “Let us both die together;” whereupon they both swallowed gold leaf. But from 11 to 3 p.m. it had no effect, and a lively conversation with their friends was carried on regarding what should be done after their death. They deeply mourned the fact that they left a mother over 90 years old to mourn their end. During this time their friends and relatives crowded to see them until Tsen Chun-hsuan stopped them. We heard that Chao told his friends, “It is Kang-I who has done for me.” Tsen, on seeing that Chaos voice was yet clear as a bell and no prospect of dying, ordered him to take opium, but still he did not die; whereupon arsenic was administered. Then for the first time he lay down groaning, begging his friends to rub his chest. He merely said he felt bad. By this time it was 11 o’clock at night, and Tsen became impatient and said: “Six p.m. was the hour fixed for the execution, and still he is not dead.” The attendants then suggested to him to employ tough paper soaked in brandy to suffocate him. This was done until the body was cold and gave forth no sound. His wife wept and committed suicide. Chao’s friends say that this is proof that his constitution was very robust. But others say that he took only a little opium, hoping for a reprieve.
death of prince chuang.
He awaited his fate at Pu Chow in Shansi at the guest house there. His concubine and sons were with him. The order to execute him was given to Ko Pao-hua, who arrived at the gate early in the morning. Prince Chuang, hearing the firing of the usual guns at the reception of great officials, came out and cursed them, saying: “Why do you tire guns without any reason?” The bystanders said “The Imperial commissioner Ko Pao-hua has come to see you.” Chuang said: “What has he to do with my affairs?” They replied: “The Imperial commissioner is merely passing this way.” When Ko entered, Chuang inquired minutely regarding the fortunes of the court, but Ko did not say much in reply. Behind the guest house there is an ancient temple. When Ko saw that there was a small empty room of one chien, he fixed on this as the scene of Chuang’s death, and fixing the silken cord on a beam he locked the door and returned to Chuang. He then ordered the magistrate of Pu Chow and the local military to provide soldiers. He at once ordered Chuang to kneel and listen to the edict. Hearing this Chuang straightened up and said to Ko: “Do you want my head?” Ko did not reply, merely reading the edict. Chuang replied: “I must commit suicide. Is that it? I knew long ago that I must die, but probably the Old Buddha1 herself can not live long. May I take leave of my family?” He was told to dispatch his farewells quickly. Chuang said to his son: “You must exert all your might for your country. Do not allow the foreigner to seize your ancestors’ realm.” The son was unable to reply for weeping, while his concubine fainted clean away. Chuang asked where he was to die, and on being led to the place he entered and saw the silk cord depending from the beam, remarking as he caught sight of it: “Your excellency has managed the affair admirably and with dispatch.” In an hour he was dead.
death of ying nien.
Ying Nien was a man of no courage. When he heard of Chao Shu Chiao’s imprisonment he used to spend whole nights in weeping, saying: “Prince Ching ought not to desert me like this!” On New Year’s Day everybody was too busy to mind him much. But at midnight suddenly there was a silence. The next day at noon his family knew that he had fallen to the earth and breathed his last. They rushed to the spot and found that his mouth was stuffed full of mud. At this the edict had not yet arrived, and so they did not venture to make his death public. But when the edict came on the 3d they reported to Governor Tsen that Ying Nien was already dead.
- The Empress Dowager is popularly called by this name. (W. W. R.)↩