Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1900-08-02

"Chefoo, July 24-Navigation Bureau.
Washington: written message, signed
Conger and dated July 4, was received at
I1entSln the 2lst and says:
g Been besieged two weeks in British
legation Grave danger OF general mas
sacre by Chinese soldiers, who are she'll
ing the legation daily. Relief soon, if ct
! all City without government, except by
Chinese army. Determined to massacre
all foreigners at Peking. Entry OF relief
forces into city will probably be holly
contested. !"
The message comes from Capt.
Charles NJ. Thomas, commander of the
Brooklyn.
Doubt Not Dis~ipated.
Washington. July 2C.-The receipt
at Tio..r.in of an undoubtedly genuine
| and au. ographic message from Min
lister Conger has done nothing to dissi
pate the doubt as to the situation at
Picking. The message, which was for
warded by the naval officers at Item
tsin, TaKu and Chefoo, has indeed
served only to deepen the darkest and
saddest mystery of the century. The
official conclusion remains unchanged,
of course, but it is admitted that
careful scrutiny Of the autograph
message, in comparison with the
famous cipher message from Minister
Conger, admits of the belief that the
two messages We're indicted by Mr..
Conger at about the anne time. The
situation at the British legation is
represented to be the same in each
case, and as Mr.. Ccnger declares that
relief must come quickly if at all,
there is ground for the supposition
that conditions could not long have re-
manned unchanged in such crisis.
The assumption thai this reasoning
is correct involves the further conclu-
sion that Mr.. Conger's cipher message,
if genuine, was related as of the 18th
of July, tv o weeks later than the date
of actual writing. and of course, if re-
dated at all, that was done by Chinese
officials
Tribute to American Valor.
Tientsin. July 16, via Chefoo, July "a.
Gen. Dorward. the British COM
mander, has sent to The American
commanders letter in which he says:
| II desire to express the high apprecia-
ton of the British troops of the honor
! done them in serving alongside of their
comrades of the American army. and of
the high honor accorded me in having
| them under my command. / blame my
self for the mistake made in taking
| their position by the Ninth regiment. not
| remembering that troops fresh to the
| scene of action and hurried forward in
the excitement of attack We're likely to
| lose their way. Still the position they
| took and calamity stuck to all day UNI
doubtedly prevented large body of the
enemy from turning the right of the
| attacking force and inflicting serious loss
on the French and Japanese"
Ready to lombard Towns.
London. July 26.-The Daily Express
has the following from ST Petersburg:
Admiral Skrydelotf. commanding the
Russian squadron in Chinese waters.
has received precise instructions to
| lombard the Chinese coast towns i'm
mediately on receipt of confirmation
of the report of the massacre at Pc
king.
Chinese killing Boxers.
Tientsin, July 20 (via Shanghai, July
26).-Chinesec coming in from the coun-
try report that the Chinese soldiers are
killing the Boxers wherever the latter
are seen. giving as a reason that the
Boxers deceived them into embarking
on hopeless struggle
Sign of Dissenxion.
An intelligent Chinaman said he re-
garded this as sign of wldespreading
dissension. 1t was only a matter of
short time. he declared. before the
same state would exist in Picking, when.
in all probability Jung-Lu, command
.obiaf Of fha (bipaca
Prince Ching would be able to regain
sufficient influence to make peace es-
pecially if the foreigners in the <apital
were safe. This appears to represent
the general native opinion here as far
as il is possible TO ascertain it.
A Japanese Victory.
Shanghai. July 27.-lt is reported
here that $4,000 japanese troops land
ed at Shan-Haikwa July % and
gained victory. the Chinese retreat
ing after feeble resistance
Prince Tuan Reported Killed.
London. July 2S.-The Shanghai
correspondent of the Daily Express.
wiring Friday. says: 1T is reported
here that large section Of the Box
ers has revolted against Prince Tuan.
alleging that he is making tools of
them for his own ends. A desperate
conflict took place outside of Pc
king Sunday Prince Tuan person
ally led his followers. two of his gen
erals having deserted him. The ba:-
tie lasted several hours. and Prince
Iuan was defeated and killed."
Again Reported Safe.
Brussels. July 2s-The Belgian vice
consul al Tientsin. in dispatch dated
Chefoo. July 20, says: 1T is persist
emily reported here (Tientsinj that
the legations are safe and sound and
under the protection of the Chinese
government
4 Costly War.