The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-08-02

OLD HOME OF
THE CONGERS.
Where Minister TO China Left
Many Warm Friends.
HIS FAMILY RESPECTED, TOO.
Major DisIiked Idea Of Chinese Mis-
sicn, but Took il as Duty.
WAS A PLAIN MAN, BUT "ALL GOLD
Mrs. Conger Had a Gold Ring Given Her by
the Empress Of China and She
Priced Il Highly.
WAS A PLAIN MAN, BUT "All GOLD

Des Moines, Ia, Aug. 2.-In and near
this city the family OF Nal Edwin III.
Conger, United States minister 10 China.
lived most OF the time since 1868. MAJ.
Conger. his charming wife, his daughter.
Laura, and his niece, Miss Mary Pierce,
all OF whom we're in Pekin. were beloved
by the people here Everybody knew
them well.
ln making Inquiries here about the
Congcr family. reporter who came here
from Kansas City was surprised TO see
tears come into the eyes OF men and
women when they talked about Maj. and
Mrs Conger and the girls
Hundreds OF incidents of their lives
have been recalled and printed I'm the pa
pcrs here. but ~ cannot be recalled that
in all his life Maj. conger did "A mean act
There are many hereabouts whom he
helped financially and by his advice and
example.
BELIEVE HE DIED FOR DUTY.
II IS believed here that Mai. Conger
sacrificed his life to duty, that he knew
before he sailed for China that he would
probably not live TO return and that in
China he saw the cloud gathering and
Knew lts meaning, but IL was his duty to
stay at his post ~ Pekin until ordered
away by his government, and there he
stayed like "A man, shut off from escape
and watching the rising tide that y To
drown him. -
The letters written by the family in Pc
kin TO relatives and friends here indi-
cate tins. A letter written in May by
Miss Leonard. a missionary in Pekin, TO
relative in Belle Plain, Ia. gives a sad
picture OF this heroic attitude of Maj.
Conger and his family.
Miss Leonard, in this letter tells about
visit from Maj. Conger 10 her and her
associates, made for the purpose of warn
ing them 10 escape to one OF the coast
cities.
Mai. Conger talked earnestly to the lit
tie group OF American women mission
aries. urging them to go away to safety,
so that IL tho uprising OF fanatics really
came he would not have too many women
to defend.
The missionaries asked him why he,
too. did not fee. and he replied that n
was his duty 90 remain. and that his fam
fly had refused TO leave him.
DIsI.IKEp GOING TO CHINA
Mai. Conger did not wish TO so to
China In the first place lie was nifty
five years old, and. for sevsral years had
feared death from apoplexy. which car
ried OF several OF his ancestors.
His father died OF IL and none of the
Congers had lived TO be upwards of sixty.
Mai. Conger said often that he did not
expect TO live TO be sixty years old. and
when he was last In Des Moines he tod
intimate friends that he. felt he had al
ready outlived his time.
This was one OF the reasons he did not
wish TO so TO China. but the wish was
expressed anly TO his near friends and
relatives. The story of how Mai. Conger
received and accepted the appointment OF
minister to China shows the character of
the man.
AfotF Ff,,tn . he
Chinese ministry To- several men and
flually appointed Bryan of Illinois. but
the senate refused 10 confirm Bryams APP
pointment because he was too young
man for tho place and would not be Die
TO sustain its dignity.
Then the president called Senators Al
llson and Gear and Congressman Hull to
conference and asked them II they
thought Mai. Conger would be likely TO
accept the appointment
Mai Congcr was then I'm Rio de Janeiro.
Brazil having recently been appointed
minister te Brazil Senator Allison PC
piled TO the president that II requested
Mai Conger would go.
A SOLDIERS ORDERS.
The president at once sent n cabiegram
20 Conyer asking him IL he would take
the appointment. Major ConRcr was sur
prsed 10 get the request. lie and his
family We're getting ready To take Tie
train from Rio dc Janoiro TO their home
back iu the mountains
r. G. Dawson, of Des MoInes, was Mai
Conger's private secretary and was with
him when he got his cahlegram from Che
president. Mr. Dawson SAYS that Maj
Congers face grew long and sad when
he read e.
lie liked Brazil. where he had lived four
years as minister under President Harri-
MI 10 lp N
M and the arduous duties ahead of him
when he would get there. He sat with
the cablcgram in his hand long time.
looking at IL without speaking.
Then he showed IL 60 his secretary and
sfterwnrd to his family. They pointed
out 10 him that it was merely'a request.
md that hc might decline IL gracefully.
ord they begged him 10 do so. But he
shook his head and answered:
~ request 70 soldier Is the samc ss
o command. 7 learned I'm the army 20
70 when ] was ordered 10 go. 7 am or
dercd 20 China. and there I shall GO"
lie began at once the preparat tions 10
rcturn to America Mr. Dawson SAYS
that Major Conger then spoke OF his fears
that there would be trouble in China and
that his duties there would be peculiarly
srduous. n not positively dangerous.
FAREWELL TO OLD FRIENDS.
u 1905. on his way from Washington
a. China. Major Conger and his family
r,nde their last visit To their old home
and their relatives and friends I'm Des
Noines.
The people here heard he was coming.
and. IN their pride for him. they planned
reception IN his honor When he ar.
rived nc we mot NJ The depot by n com
rrittce and told Of the proposed reception
VIC said:
'1f You 10 what will please me YOU will
have nothing Of the kind I have simply
sone my duty % any American citizen
wouid in like circumstances I do not
wink that any public demonstration
would u" proper aud know 7 10 not
vfsh ~"
The plans for ruhlic reception ended