The sun., 1903-04-13
GERMANY'S ARRESTS AT RUK.
THE TvTO NEWARK WOMEN WHO
TACGHTTHEA ARRESTEDPUPILS.
Partial Explanation OF the Trouble Re
vcaied In Letters Previously Sent
Homo by Them-Their Efforts 70
Please the German Government There.

Partial Explanation OF the Trouble Ne.
vcaled In Letters Previously Sent
Homo by Them-Their Efforts 70
Please the German Government There.
The arrest by the Captain of a German
warship Of the graduating class Of native
training school for teachers and preachers
at Ruk. an island Of the Caroline group.
in the Pacific, has aroused much interest
in Newark, where the Misses Elizabeth and
Jane ID. Baldwin. teachers Of the training
school. lived until they started for the
Carolines, in July. 1898 The despatch from
Boston published in yesterdays Sun an
nouncing the arrest said the class had been
taken to Ponapc, 800 miles east Of Ruk.
the seat OF the German Government in
that part Of the Pacific. The Captain Of
the warship is said to have been rude.
The Misses Baldwin were prominent
in the First Presbyterian Church OF Newark.
Of which the Rev. DR.. David r, Frazer is
pastor. They have written frequently to
their brothers. Frederick W. Baldwin Of
Newark and Wilmer A. Baldwin Of East
Orange; also to their pastor and to James
p D,nenberry. superintendent OF the
church Sunday school.
1t happened that just at this time the
Baldwin sisters wanted to come home
because one Of them, Miss Elizabeth. is in
bad health. and the church folks are puzzled
at that part OF the despatch from Boston
which says the two missionaries were not
allowed to get room on q German steam
ship sailing from Hong Kong so that they
might return to the United States. DR..
Frazer said steps would be taken to pro-
vide transportation for the Misses Baldwin
to this country, .even II il should be neces-
sary to send a Government gunboat for
them
The sisters originally sailed from San
Francisco for Ruk on the Morning Star,
a small sailing vessel. lumber-lsden. She
was forced to put into Honolulu, where she
was detained several weeks. She was
nearly wrecked in typhoon before reaching
her destination. They had q hard time
getting the natives. some OF whom were
cannibals, to understand their object, as
thev didn't know the Ruk language. They
mastered 1t after awhile and fitted out the
training school. teaching the natives In
their own tongue. The young women paid
the expenses Of the school. Last year they
sent a book In the Ruk language to DR..
Frazer's church. and the congregation
raised enough money to print and eend
back to the young women 900 copies Of the
book and a small printing press. The last
letter Dr. Frazer received from the Misses
Baldwin said that the printing press had
accomplished marvels. In the five years
the young women have been at Ruk they
have converted large number OF natives.
Since the Germans took Possession Of Ruk,
which was after the Spanish American War,
Germany has sought to make it's language
the language Of the island. The young
American women Immediately began to
learn German in order to keep on good terms
with the Government. According to their
letters they also have been trying to get
the natives to learn German. One letter
said that the local authorities had objected
TO the slow progress the pupils Of the Bald
win school were making in the Official Ian
guage, and that the Germans had tried
vainly to get the natives to attend German
training school which they had established.
The natives said they preferred the Bald
win school This may have been one Of
the causes Of the trouble.
Frederick W. Baldwin says he will COM
municate with the Washington authorities
to see what can be done for his sisters.