Lyon to Samuel P. Lord, September 24, 1872
Mr. Lyon to Mr. Lord.
Dear Sir: I herewith notify you that the Yin-ho magistrate has released the prisoners on their having procured bail, but under very humiliating conditions. As prerequisite to release they were all required to sign a promissory note, a copy of which I send you, the price of freedom varying in different cases. The same note was required of the men who went security for them. The copy I send you was given in from memory by the landlord of Dr. Galt’s property. He says the official said to him, in substance, as follows: “On these conditions I let you off for the present offense; but if ever you have anything more to do with foreigners I will cut your head off.”
To-day, U-zeo-peh comes to us and reports that he was required to sign a promise to pay in 400,000 cash by the end of the tenth month. He reports that Kwan Zuy sêng, landlord of my property, is also released, and required to pay the round sum of $500. They were all subjected to the same terms and the same threat, differing only in the amount to be paid.
The Kwun Mi San men are still, I understand, wearing the cangue. According to the promise made to you they should have been unconditionally released on last Thursday, five days ago, while, in fact, those of the Jin-ho district were released only yesterday, and that after being compelled to make the above most humiliating promise and receiving the threat of decapitation if ever found engaged in dealings with foreigners. Words cannot express the monstrosity of such measures.
As to the treatment of the poor men in the Dzien Dang district, and the contempt shown to the foreigners on the hill, I suppose Mr. Helm or Houston will keep you posted.
I hope you may be able to bring some influence from Peking, or from some other source, to bear upon these Hangchow mandarins, which will teach them that consuls representing, two great nationalities may not be snubbed with impunity, and that the underhanded violation of acknowledged treaty-rights, especially by such brutish treatment of innocent men, cannot go unpunished.
I remain, &c.,