The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-15

Be With You, Till We Meet Again" Be-
fore the singers had concluded the final
verse Of the first stanza Minister Copger
broke down. AS he sat there facing the
audience with the tears streaming down
his checks there WAS not dry eye be-
fore him. It was a notable scene, and
since Des Moines friends became con-
WINGED that the American legation at
Picking had been butchered 1t has taken
on new significance.
Mr. Conger started in politics as county
supervisor in Madison county, which cor
ners Polk county on the southwest This
nomination and election came to him I'M
sought. He owned 400 acres of land. and
was busy farming it, This land he had
bought because he got tired of the prac-
tice of law In Galesburg, where he was
born and educated, being a graduate of
Lombard university His father owned
part interest in bank at Dexter in Madl-
son county, whose chief distinction Is the
fact that Minister Conger has always
claimed it as his principal residence
Having been elected county supervisor
he acquired a desire for political office.
He was elected treasurer OF Madison
county.
He was elected supervisor in 1919 He
| was elected treasurer Of state Iii 1881. he
held this office two terms. He was elect
district in 1885 and served three terms.
In 1891 however, he was nominated by
President Harrison as minister to Brazil
and accepted the office. He was removed
by President Cleveland as IAN offensive
partisan" While in congress he formed
a stanch friendship for William Mch1n-
ley, and when Mckinley was elected.
president he offered Conger the Brazilian
mission. 1t was accepted, and Minister
Conger spent a year and a half at that
post Charles Page Bryan, of Illinois, be-
ing named for the Picking mission, the
senate declined tic confirm. Allison, Gear
and Hull were called into consultation by
President Mckinley, who asked them If
Conger would take the place. Hull and
Gear thought not but Allison said of
fer it; request is a command to a sol
der" 1t was offered by cable. After
nights thought Mr.. Conger told his fam
lily he would accept the mission. On his
way from Rio de Janelro to Picking he
stopped in Des Moines and went up to
Dexter, which he never falls to visit when
in this vicinity.
FRIENDS GIVE. UP HOPE.
Mrs. Ida H Conger, widow of Minister
Conger's brother, is a resident of Des
Maines, but has just gone to Stuart to
visit friends, and from there goes to Col
! orado, to remain Indefinitely. She has
given up hope almost, but continually
speculates on the possibility that by
some means the minister and his family
have escaped. With him in Pehing when
the last letters were received here, were:
Mrs. Conger, Miss Laura Conger their
daughter; Miss Mary Pierce, niece of
Minister Conger; and from Evanston,
Mrs. Morgan S. Woodward, Miss lone
| Woodward, daughter and Miss isabelle
Paine French companion. Second Secre-
Pai 81
and his wife, who were both in Picking.
are Iowa people, being residents of Coun-
ell Bluffs. The interpreter, Fleming d.
Cheshire. was also an Iowan. He has
resided in Picking for twenty years, how
ever, and has occupied the position of
Interpreter for the legation during that
time.
The only other Americans known to
have been with the legation in Picking at
the outbreak of troubles were First Secre-
tary II. G. Squires, of the legation his
wife and three children and Miss Mary
Condit-Smith. Mr.. Squires is a resiSent
of New York, and two of his daughters
are attending school in that city, while
a son is in Harvard. Miss Smith, the
certainty of whose presence in Picking is
not absolute, is a sister-in-law of Gov
Gen. Wood, of Cuba.
Among the Iowa missionaries in Picking
are: Miss Aada Haven, DR.. Virginia c.
/ Murdoch and Mrs. Mary Porter Gamwer,
! of Davenport: the Rev. and Mrs w c.
! Langden of Des Moines, the latter being
a niece of C. D. Miller, of Des Moines.
! Nothing has been heard from any of
/ them
Mrs. conger was Sarah J. Pike, Of
1 Galesburg. She and Mr.. Conger were
] classmates in Lombard university, and
/ the attachment was formed which sur
/ yived the separation incident to the war
and which was contaminated in mar
riage in 1866. Mr.. Conger was nineteen
when he enlisted in the Illinois regiment
as a private in 1862. He came out of the
war as major A son was born to the
! couple, but died. His name was Loren
tus- daughter was born, and it is she
that Is with Them in Pel1ing She is about
! twenty-eight years of age. She married
! George Lendrum in Des Moines, but their
life was an unhappy one, resulting In
| separation. He Joined an Iowa regiment
for the Spanish war and died in ten DAYS
in Florida.
Miss Mary Pierce who is with the Con
| gers in Picking, is about TWENTY-FIVE
years old. She was born in Dexter, where
! her father and Mr.. Conger were in the
banking business together She came to
| Des Moines in 1892 and went with the
/ Congers to China in 1893
RECENTLY IN AMERICA.
In November, 1883, Mrs Conger, Ia4r,
| Conges and Miss Pitrce came to America
| and spert three months in Des Mein-s
and elsewhere They returned 20 Ie.i,.a
in FEBRUARY of this year. Des Moin4s