New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-05-14
THE MISSIONARIES CLAIMS.
THEM DENIED.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Press dispatches from Washington recently
have accused the missionaries of the American
Board Eastern Turkey of overchargng or pre-
senting their claims for indemnity for losses in
1886. Permit me TO say that the Mission Board
has presented charges against the Turkish Gov
ernment for indemnity, but the losses
occurred the American Minister nj the Porte. Judge
Terrell officially requested the missionaries at Har-
poot TO present temized statement of all losses
sustained. He also informed them that he had al
ready made a demand for d fixed and in
structed the missionaries to make their itemized
lists correspond TO that amount Under that Off
cial instruction lists prepared and balance
added sufficient to make up the balance demanded
under the head of loss TO the work.
Under the present Minister. Mr.. Strauss these
lists revised to only the actual
losses sustained and i. is this list alone which Is
under consideration.
The total amount now asked for losses actually
incurred Harpoot Is s73,S07. This Is made
up of 500 for the total loss of all Of the build
ings of the female department Of Euphrates Col
lege and all but two of the buildings of the male
department These buildings accommodated
five hundred students at that time There were
also in the list the Theological Seminary Of the
mission located at Harpoot, and eight dwelling
houses
Another item was $685. for apparatus libraries
furnishings etc, of the college and seminary build
ings.
The personal losses of the sixteen adult mission
aries who lost everything they possess foot up
TO s2 467 In addition item IS inserted for $3.50
for losses incurred by students and native teachers
The last item of the account is for consequent
damages" g. els. This includes special medical at
tendance upon one of the missionaries who was
partial invalid. made necessary by the severity of
the shock of the event the rent of buildings hired
for the conduct of the school in place of those
destroyed, restoring of the buildings which was
injured, but not burned, and money paid to Off
Gals upon demand 10 insure protection
The total of the items mentioned constitutes the
total of the asked from Turkey for losses at
Harpoot. These various drawn out in
detail, covering ten large pages of paper and they
will all bear the closest scrutiny.
The mission station was over forty years old and
the college and seminary are large and well estab
lished Institutions and great effort was made dur
equip them in ali their departments as Thoroughly
as possible Large sums Of money at different fe
sum asked will restore them 10 their former con-
Most unjust charges are made against the mis-
sionaries upon the ground that their personal
mind that in that interior country every mission
ing and necessary household articles to last for
from two TO 1--WE years or more Ihis supply Is not
some of the pupils and teachers Quantities of
supplies are frequently sent from this country. and
lists until they are disposed of Prior TO the mas
a stock of clothing etc. for the future This must
be of varied nature. as the climate is cold in
must be added the original cost to meet the ex
pense of transportation to Harpoot.
No attempt is made to answer the false charges
in full detail but three items will suffice to
show how wrong they 1t is reported that the
Rev. DIR. c. H. Wheeler has presented charges to
the amount of 5000 his itemized charges, which
include everything, amount to 1854. When we
remember that DR.. Wheeler was president OF the
college and necessarily kept a large open house,
and that ne kept on hand extensive supplies of a
variety OF things, the charge does not seem large
The excessive items reported in the press are not
the bill of losses. -
/ 1t is reported that President Gates asks for 81
for shoes; item is s25 That he valued his lost
clothing S679; it stands on the account at s2l4;
Miss F. c. Wheeler is accused of charging H.l3S
for clothing. when her charge is only S63S for
clothing and materials This is for herself and
for the teachers and pupils.
There is no in continuing this list The
above is sufficient to show how unjust are the pub
lished statements. Perhaps il should be repeated
that in the matter of indemnity for these losses
the initiative taken by the United States Min
lister Constantinople. 1t was his duty so TO do
the representative of the United States Govern
ment. He there to protect American inter-
ests whether these interests centred in traveller,
a trader or a missionary When an American IS
imprisoned anywhere in the world 1t Is the pre-
rogative of Government to look into the matter.
and If the imprisonment is unjust TO SECURE his
American suffers injustice under whatever foreign
flag il is necessary customary for our Gov
eminent to ask him If he wants justice done, but
1t insists upon right treatment whether he asks
for II or not This is true of every leading Power
on earth This matter of indemnity is not mis-
sionary question. but an American question
Roston Nav 8 1900 JAMES L. BARTON.