The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-09
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE.
Report of the Prudential Committee
of the American Board

HARTFORD. Conn, Oct. Sat this even
ing's session of the American Board OF
Commissioners for Foreign Missions. Presi-
dent S. b. Capen, Ii. d., read the official
renort of the board concerning the captivity
and ransom of Miss Helen NJ. Stone. The
report was as follows:
There is such universal interest i'm the
case of Miss Helen NJ. Stone. now i'm the
hands of the brigands. that il seems wise
for the officers of the board 10 make a
brief statement of the facts as they exist
at the present time. For several weeks the
government authorities at Washington
have been at work, using every possible ef-
fort To secure her release. Those have been
days Of deep anxiety for the officers OF the
board. We have been in frequent commu-
nicat1on with our representatives in Con-
StantinOple. Last Thursday we received a
dispatch from Washington which told US
how increasingly grave the situation had
become. ON the receipt Of this telegram a
meeting Of the prudential committee was
hastily called TO meet the following day at
u O'Clock The committee came Together
and discussed the situation most thorough
ly. On the one side the life Of
dearly-beloVed missionary; on the other
side was the fact that il we yielded to this
demand Tor ransom II was putting pre-
MUM on the lives Of every missionary Of
the American Board. and not Of our board
only, but the missionaries OF every society
in the world. The question was even broad
er than the case Of missionaries; il prac-
tcally concerned the safety of any and
keFnEnlZlnE
full gravity OF the situation the committee,
without dissenting vote. decided that il
had no right 10 pay ransom or 10 cstab-
lish a precedent which would be sure To he
dangerous in all the future. Furthermore
we were restrained by the further fact thar
We had no funds that could be employed
strained from paying the money by cOnstf-
tutOnal limitation. and the American Board
seemed equally restrained from paying a
ransom. The SOlicitude OF the committee
was such and its purpose TO do everything
strong that they sent "A deputaffon
consisting OF the president and one of fba
secretaries To Washington 10 meet Prest
dent Roosevelt and the officers Of the State
Department. This conference was held LAST
Saturday forenoon II IS impossible to
overstate the sympathy and interest OF the
other officials.
"The conference was lengthy durin.
which time the government showed WIZ
steps il was taking ana how every mower
of diplomacy was being used 10 eject the
release OF Miss S.One. Confidential detsils
were given. which of course. is "A breach
OF trust for us 10 give To the public hut
the friends of the board and the whole
Nation can be assured that s.Ver,-f bfnr
possible Is being done 10 further the resclle
of Miss Stone. The persistence Of tbs
President in this effort was most signih-
cant. They assured us that apparently ~
the moment the only practicable method 10
secure her life was TO have the funds
promptly at hand 10 nay the ransom. II
was evidently the positive conviction 81 The
government that this step was the first ono
TO be taken. But il ought To be clearly
understood that this iS but one step. that
when she is released there Will b. "a NiCor-
ous attemDC not only To secure the return
OF the money but. Furthermore. TO bring
about such conditions that such AN occur
renee shall not be possible in tho future
No one doubts that our government AZ
present organized. VIII not drop this mat
ter until the rights of American citizenship
are established.
..MeanwhiIe a movement was begun. un-
der the leadership of the family OF Miss
Stone. TO secure by popular appeal the
amount Of the ransom. ana notices had
already been sent ont that funds could he
sent 10 kidder. Peabody a Co, of Boston,
who had consented tO act as treasurer II
the fund. Under this new advice Of the
government meeting OF the prudential
committee was called on sabbath morning,
which was attended by eight members Of
the committee and four officers The report
of the gentlemen sent 10 Washington Was
received. and after fun deliberation it Was
decided that while We could not reccde
from the action Of last Friday. the tdings
Of the government made 10 most evident
that the nrst thing WAS 60 secure Miss
stones safety. then other steps would fol-
low: therefore. we fHlt that as individuals
ID was our duty and privilege 10 help by
an means i'm our power the securing of this
ransom from the general public COM
rnunlcations were sent bv telegraph. 80 FAR
as possible. 10 every pert Of the country.
even 10 the PacihC coast Money In sums
large and small have been received in an