MEADOWS, United States Vice-Consul to Frederick F. Low, June 22, 1870

Mr. John A. T. Meadows to Mr. Fred. F. Low.

Sir: I have the honor to make the following report to your excellency on events which have taken place at this place for your information:

For some days past great excitement has existed in Tien-tsin among all classes of the Chinese inhabitants against the foreign (French) and Chinese Roman Catholics, in consequence, it is said, of the priests and Sisters of Charity, through their employés, having kidnapped numbers of Chinese children for some months back, and when any of them died, caused their eyes and hearts to be extracted for medicinal purposes. An intense hatred has been laterly created through these reports on the part of the people against the French Roman Catholics, and I felt certain there would be an outbreak on the part of the people if the French residents did not take measures to do away with the impression existing among the people. To-day Mr. Fontanier and the assistant of the consulate proceeded armed to the Yamên of his excellency Chunghow, and on their way back to the consulate, accompanied by Chunghow, and when they met the district magistrate, who stopped Chunghow to speak to him, Mr. Fontanier fired on Chunghow and the magistrate three shots from his revolver, beside striking Chunghow slightly with the butt of his pistol on the head. The Chinese people who surrounded them rushed oh Mr. Fontanier and the assistant and killed them. The excitement now became intense among the people, who in a large body proceeded to the Tien-ehu-tang, killed the three priests there, two French people en route for Pekin, and all the Roman Catholic Chinese, after which they burned down the building. The crowd now became greater, and the authorities could not control it. The people now proceeded to the Jin-tsz-tang, where the Sisters of Charity resided, killed five sisters and all the Chinese Roman Catholics in the building. Three more Roman Catholics, met in the street, were also killed about this time. This building was also burned down. The whole of the mandarins of the city had now reached the spot, and persuaded the people to disperse. These latter found the bones of children in the Jin-tsz-tang, which roused their fury exceedingly. No injury has been done to the persons or property of the people of other nationalities. The ladies of the American and British Protestant missions went to the British consulate to stay this night with Mrs. Lay, the wife of the British consul.