Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1901-04-27
MR.. CONCER DEFENDS
THE MISSIONARIES
Declares the Stories Of Their
Looting Are False.
UNWARRANTED CRITICISM

S1lSsl slOnar1eS we're authorized TO rake
Refuge and Shelter In Abandoned
Chinese Houses-High Praise For
the Native Christians.
SAN FRANCISCO. April 26-In refer
ence to the accusations of looting made
against missionaries, United States Min
lister Conger, who arrived here last
night, makes the following statement:
''The Americans have larger mum.
Der of missionaries out there than any
other nation, and am frank to say that
under the circumstances there are very
few things which the missionaries have
done, if any, for which there need to be
any apology whatever. The stories of
their looting are false to my knowledge.
Believing that our government would
not demand monetary indemnity for
the murder and pillaging of native
Christians, advised them that wherev-
er they could make a settlement them
selves with the villages where these
murders or destruction of property had
taken place to make them on their own
responsibility. Ii Hung Chang and
Chang Yen Mao suggested that settle
ment be made in this way with the
least possible friction. There was no
going out and compelling the people TO
pay anothing; it was altogether volun-
tary on their part
1.-The missionaries have been crltl-
cised very severely for going, immedi-
ately after the siege was raised, into
abandoned houses for shelter for them
selves and the native coolies who were
oxxVa1lo1 fvOV,0 fhaiu I sold.
'''If there is Boxers habitation
abandoned, take possession of it, so you
can have place in which to shelter and
take care of the native Christians.
Speaking of the siege, Mr. Conger
said:
lit took every man we had to stand
by the women and children. If not,
the legation could not have lived, and
without the native Christians none OF
us would have been saved. The mis-
sionaries were not the prime cause Of
the trouble; they were only one of the
causes. The missionaries were not re-
sponsible for the building of the rail.
roads or for any of the other foreign in
novations against which the hatred of
the Boxers seemed to be directed"
Story of Missionary.
Rev. "A. D. Aueub OF GQS An0E1CdH
board of foreign missions of the Congre.
gational church, whose collection of in
demnity for damages done by Boxers in
China has caused considerable discus
sion, takes vigorous exceptions to the
criticisms made by Mark Twain and
others as to the alleged misconduct Of
the missionaries He says:
''We found ourselves at the close of
the siege with 500 native Christians
upon our hands-no food, no clothing,
no money and every Christian house
burned.
son the very day of the arrival of
the allied forces we were informed that
we must leave the British legation, as
it was to be used as headquarters for
the officers of the British army. / i'm.
mediately thought of a Mongol prince,
Hal Lug, who was an allay of the Box
ers and whose place was the headquar-
ters Of Boxers and blacklegs. We found
the princes place entirely empty, and
the next day we brought up our native
Christians and occupied the place. In
that house and it's ighboring houses
that we occupied we put more than 400
people. We took only abandoned prop
erty.
For Self-Preservation.
'The only food in the princes place
was bit of rice. We decided to sell
the clothing and curios found upon the
premises and realized $4,000 in gold
They were bought by British and Amer
loan officers at private sale of two
weeks duration.
Native Christians brought up furs
and sables which they had purchased at
a low price from wealthy Chinese, who
feared they might be looted by the mill.
tary people and who were willing to
dispose of them for little money.
These articles were sold at our place to
British and other officers.
81 considered that that was a fair,
honest speculation, which injured no.
body and that benefited many people,
There may have been some looted goods
taken, but it was without my knowl.
edge. The Russians and Sikh soldiers
were hauling truck very cheap. but my
people did not do the looting.'i