Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1900-07-24
EUROPE can POWERS
DISCREDIT ALLEGED
CONCER DISPATCH
Many Theories Advanced For
Their Disbelief In It's
Genuinness.
OFFICIALS ARE UNsHAKEN

Secretary Hay Admits That There Is
a Possibility of Fraud, but Does Not
Sec the Object For It-Another Dis
patch Was Sent to the American Min
lister at Picking Sunday.
SHANGHAI. July 23.-A dispatch from
Che Foo, dated July 81, says:
1.-THE captain of British steamer,
who has just arrived from New Chwang,
reports that there arrived there on
Thursday Chinaman protesting to be q
foreigners servant who escaped from
Picking on July IL, on which date the
British legation was destroyed and the
foreigners butchered. The story is
credited in New Chwang."
Another telegram has come from the
governor Of Shan Tung, Yuan Shi Kia.
He says:
ST have received definite information
from Picking that all the ministers are
well and there is no illness among them.
The Chinese authorities are devising
means for their rescue and protection.
Minister WI at State Department.
WASHINGTON, July 23.-The state de-
partment was the center of interest in
the Chinese situation. Secretary Hay
was at his desk by O'Clock and for an
hour was engaged with matter of such
Importance that he declined to be inter-
rupted by any one. About 1915 o'clock
the Chinese minister arrived and was
with the secretary for some time. On
the departure Of the minister the de-
partment gave out the imperial edict OF
the Chinese government. the substance
known, declaring that the foreigners
were safe July II.
The state department has received a
deluge of dispatches from all quarters of
the globe relating to the Conger message.
These show the attitude of the foreign
governments. Without exception the
official view taken by all foreign officers
is that the dispatch is not genuine and
does not afford basis for action. This
incredulity is also shared by United
States Consul General Goodenow at
Shanghai, who has communicated to
the state department his disbelief In the
authenticity Of the message.
The text of these several messages is
not made public as they are inoonclu-
slve and do not add anything in the way
of definite news to the situation at
Peking, the entire tenor being one Of
doubt and suspicion. The official doubts
are based on various theories One of
them is that the deception was practioed
by the tsung Ii yamen ITSELF Still an
other is that it emanated from Chinese
official, holding a position like that of
Sheng or Prince Tuan. the latter being
at the head of the anti-foreign element
and at last accounts connected with the
tsung Ii yamen.
Officials mistaken.
Notwithstanding this flood of doubt
from foreign official quarters the state
department has not varied It's position
as to the authenticity of the message.
Secretary Hays position is now as it
alway has been that there is every prob
ability Of the genuineness Of the mes
sage, although always a possibility that
a fraud may have been perpetrated. But
as against this remote possibility Mr..
Hay feels that there is absolutely no mo-
tive for the preparation of such mon
strous deception. The Washington gov
eminent is mistaken, therefore, i'll it's
position on the message while the rest
of the world has made Ii known to this
government that the message is not &C
cepted as coming from Conger.
Concerning the proposition of media
ton made TO us by China, the state de-
partment was not prepared to make any
statement. It was surmised that Mr..
Hay was engaged in considering the
governments answer, which probably
will be delivered to Minister WI later,
but no statements as to the course of
procedure could be obtained in any
official quarter. AS communication will
be required between Washington and
the president, it is hardly likely that the
answer will be forthcoming at once.
Both the state department. and Chi
nese officials took occasion early in the
day to deny report that negotiations
were ON foot to deliver Minister Conger
to Admiral Remey at Tien Tsin. There
is reason to believe that the government
is again using every effort to secure
communication with Minister Conger
and this time to get an answer from our
minister which will be so conclusive as
to remove any shadow of doubt. In this
connection it is reported that Minister
WI has sent another cipher cable dis
patch to Minister Conger. but there is a
strong Discrimination in official quarters
to discuss the various steps being taken
while they are still in an inconclusive
form