The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-12
CHEERS COPYRIGHTED ELL
A Cause OF Discussion Between This coun-
try and SLAM.
Prom the San Francisco Examiner.

Prom the San Francisco Examiner.
The late DR.. Marion A. Cheek OF Oakland,
who went to Siam some years ago as q med.
ical missionary, had some remarkable expe-
riences In the land OF the white elephant"
He raised elephants for a living. That was
one of his Investments In the Orient. and out
Of it grows n claim his widow has for $50. 900
against the Siamese Government. DR.. Cheeks
drove of elephants has become the source of "a
great deal Of diplomatic correspondence be.
tween Siam and the United States. Inter.
national difficulty, that IL still in process Of
settlement, arose over the ITO elephants.
TIT story of DR.. Cheeks adventures in the
East reads like a romance. He went to Siam
a missionary OF the Christian religion. His
knowledge OF medicine stood him In good
stead. lie ingratiated himself into the hearts
OF the princes of the land as well as the lowly
natives, who saw in. his remarkable cures of
disease unfathomable mystery. DR.. Check
was an American. He overlooked no oppor.
tunity to better his condition. He gained val-
liable concessions from the Siamese Govern
ment and established the business OF logging
teak timber To Bangkok. the capital. The re-
turns were so great that some of the native
princes in the interior cast longing eyes upon
the profits the American was turning.
Cheek, was loath to accept the proposition, but
he decided that his own welfare demanded that
.Doctor had an agreement With his princelS
partner as to the distribution OF the labor.
Sleck agreed 10 10 the actual work. lie went
500 miles into the teak timber district and
hired many native laborers. He likewise Sc
cured lT6 elephants. The Doctor had indiffer.
ent success one season. The river was low and
no logging could be done. The Prince became
dissatisfied. He WAS aDpeased, thought DIR.
tity. of timber was ilosted into BANGKOK.
Then the trouble commenced, The Govern:
ment took q hand. The Doctors partner and
Prince assigned his interest In the firm to the
royal family. The ruling powers were becom-
Ing dissatisfied with foreign interests and their
extension in. Siam. The excuse was readily
found for action. The failure to make a ship
The Government stepped In and conflsca ed Dr..
Cheeks plant, elephants and all.
This uInmhr action ended the Cheek log
ginR business. The doctor returned to Bangkok.
lie made several Intellectual protests. Then ho
placed his troubles before the United states
prived him of business OF great value. and a
prospect of making a clean up of 500. 900.
The long delay that ensued loft DIR. Cheek
with little hope. After much Diplomatic cor
respondence, he succeeded In having some Of
the confiscated property returned TO hiui. But
a claim of $4,000 is still unadjusted, and IL
went to his widow az her only legacy from the
doctor, who died at Bangkok on July /, 1895.
The claim has been approved by the United
States Government for the full amount. and
;he United States Minister at Bangkok has been
lnstru' ted to. request its payment. Accumu-
lated interest brings it up to 500, 900.
Minister Barrett at Bangkok has made every
effort to bring the matter TO n focus. The
Siamese Government Is said to be DESTROYS of
submitting It to arbitration.
The will Of DIR. Cheek has been filed and pro-
hated in Alameda county. His widow and two
children now reside n Oakland. They have
local counsel. who are pressing the payment OF
the claim to their utmost.