New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-07-21
NO DOUBT IN WASHINGTON
OFFICIALS ACCEPT THE CONGER MES
SAGE AS GENUINE.
IBT TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. ]

! Washington, July 20.-At last a message from
/ Minister Conger mas come in the official secret
! cipher, written within a few days IN the British
| Legation at Peking under continuous shot and
/ shell from Chinese troops, urging quick rescue
/ to prevent q general massacre. Minister Con-
/ gers exact message is:
British Legation under continued shot and
shell from Chinese troops. Quick relief only
can prevent general massacre.
The message was undated, but it is under
stood that il was sent from Peking on July IS.
Word by word these tidiags were extracted
from the uninteHigible jumble Of Arabic figures
soon after 10 o'clock this morning by Secretary
Hay and Assistant Secretary Adee
After thirty days silence the message came
as from the grave. An hour earlier the inde-
fatigable Consul-GeneraI Goodnow's warning
that a cipher message from Conger had been
forwarded from the Governor of Shan-Tung had
raised conflicting emotions in Secretary Hays
breasJ-hopes for the best and fears for the
worst: hopes for the success Of the supreme test
put Chinese tonlnIunIGatfens and the SINGER
ity and veracity Of Minister WI and his friends
among high Chinese officials and fears Of con-
vincing proofs of Chinese duplicity and Of the
destruction Of the legations and the inmates.
These conjectures were speedily thrust out OF
mind by Minister Wu's enthusiastic appearance
in Secretary Hays Office triumphantly waving
the message that was his own vindicaJiOn and
that Of the highest civil officials of his country
RECEIVED BY MINISTER WI.
Minister WI has breakfast very early in the
day, after the fashion OF his country, but IN the
present crisis his breakfasts have been earlier
than ever, and much Of his days work is ac-
compIished before other legations in Washing
ton are awake. This morning at $50 o'clock,
just he was beginning his repast, messen-
ger boy his first round pedaIled Iazily up 10
the Legation Office, and handing in a message.
took the usual receipt from a servant and
wheeled away TO other deliveries. It just
like any Of the numerous messages received at
the Legation recently, many Of them with the
same Shanghai date line, only il was longer
than most Of them.
One Of the secretaries took it IN hand, not in
tending 10 bother the Minister with it until
after his meal but in glancng over its untntelH-
gtble succession Of cipher code words he was
startled by the single word "Conger" standing
out IN the body of the dispatch. In a moment
he had handed it 10 the Minister. whose break
fast was abruptly ended, and Immediately there
was q stir throughout the establishment as the
code books were consulted. It did not take long
for the Minister and his secretaries to learn
that his attempt to get a message to the be-
sieged Ministers and TO secure reply had been
successful, and he was almost beside himself
with JOY.
It took over halt an hour TO translate the
transmitting phrases Of Taotat Sheng, the I'M
perial Director of Communications, and TO bring
the Minister'S automobile TO the door A few
minutes later ne appeared with Mr.. Chung. on
the stone balcony of the Legation. In his hand |
he carried a document. carefully wrapped up In
a piece of white linen. His face was wreathed
in smiles. He stepped into the vehicle, and the
faithful American attendant, Charles Lee, who
accompanies him on these trips, turned the
lever. and they sped down COnnecticut-ave- tow
ard the State Department, Mr.. WI bearing the
message in his own hands From the basement
to the second floor Of the great building is a
short distance. but the swift elevator re
Gently put in for the Diplomatic Corps seemed
as slow its antiquated predecessor to the !
Minister, who was perspiring and almost breath
less with excitement when he was shown into
Secretary Hays Office.
IN SECRETARY HAYS HANDS.
The Secretary had already prepared himself
for the Minister'S appearance hut nevertheless. |
not knowing the nature of Mr.. Conger's COM /
munication. he sat in suppressed anxiety 10 re- /
ceive the message. Now. Mr.. WI himself was ig /
norant Of what he had in his hand, because the /
message was in the State Department cipher, |
an apparently meaningless mess Of figures. But |
the fact that he had accomplished his purpose /
and vindicated himself and his Chinese friends |
warranted him in displaying the highest of good /
spirits. After showing Secretary Hay his own /
original message just it came from the tele-
graph Office, with the American cipher figures /
as they stood and showing by his own book /
how he read the rest Of the transmitting mes
sage or at least a few words Of il. MI WI /
departed for his Legation, still ignorant OF
what the remarkable message might contain /
and courteously expressing more curiosity /
Continued page twO)