The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-10-03
NO WORD FROM N. D.
MISSIONARIES, CAPTURED

nan Nd, ~. ~, CCt. ITee
Of the eight American missionaries
now held prisoners by brigands in
China were former residents Of Grand
Forks, and one of them, Rev. II.
Fauske, has a brother and sister now
residing here.
Rev. and Mrs. Geo. o. Holm, who
were captured at Tsaoyang, are the
other two who formerly lived there:
Mr.. and Mrs. Fauske and Mr.. Holm
left Grand Forks four years ago this
all for China to begin their mission
airy work.
In the spring of 1909 Mr.. Fauske
and Mr.. Holm graduated from the
Lutheran Brethren Bible school at
Wahpeton, after which they came to
his city. Mr.. Holm attended the
summer session at the university.
Before entering the Bible school at
Wahpeton Mr.. Fauske was employed
in this city as a carpenter.
All are members of the Bethel's
Lutheran church of this city.
Peter Fauske, a brother Of the i'm
prlsoned missionary, resides at 419
Chestnut street in this city, and is
employed as carpenter with Dinnie
Bros. Miss Sophia Fauske, the sis
ter. is employed at the. Q. Young resi-
dence. -: ., = ~,
Mrs. Holm, who was Lena, Alfhilde
Rygh, was born in Starbuck, Mimi.
She resided in Grand Forks about six
years ago, during which time she at
tended school.
No word has been received from
the missionaries since their capture.
Mr.. and Mrs. Fauske received a let
ter from their brother about two
Wnnlc q 400 in Hyhio1 h. fo1I 80 ~,
attack made on Rev. and Mrs. Elliott
Aandahl and Miss Ida Sather, former
residents of Minneapolis. Mr.. Aan-
dahl and Miss Sather were badly in
Jured in that attack, but Mrs. "Aandahl
and child escaped by hiding under
the bed when they heard the bandits
approaching. 49,. T.
In that letter Mr.. Fauske said COM
dlt1ons were growing worse and that
they feared another attack. He said
that they would gather their personal
effects as soon as possible and leave
for the coast.
The attack evidently came sooner
than they expected, for news dispatch
es from Hankow tell of their capture.
Mr.. Fauske is held a prisoner
where In the mountains, and is separ-
ated from his wife and children. The
dispatches say Mrs. Fauske is held
by the bandits in Tsaoyang, but they
say nothing of the children. Mr..
Fauske is held for ransom. it is said.
Mr.. and Mrs. Holm, it is believed,
are held prisoners together.
Mrs. Holm wrote a friend, Mrs. Otto
Rood, Of Minneapolis, regarding the
first attack in which she told Of the
Wounding Of Mr. Aandahl and Miss
Sather.
I'VE regard it as little less than
miraculous" she wrote, that Mrs.
Aandahl and her 2~-year-oldr child es-
capped serious injury and possible
death. We have just had a letter
from them telling of an attack by
brigands as they were spending the
hot months at a mountain resort near
~Fanchung. The robbers attacked
them in the night, beat and stabbed
Mr.. Aandahl and robbed them Of all
their personal belongings and money.
But with Miss Sather it was even
broke two Of her ribs. Mrs. Aandahl
and the baby were unframed, be-
cause they had hidden under a bed
When the bandits were heard ap-
preaching, and thus escaped notice.
They were thankful however, to es-
cape with their lives.
"1n China we are constantly in fear
of u lives. We are never safe. All
summer there have been all sorts of
discomfort n continuous outbreaks
due to the unsettled state Of the gov
eminent. Now the north and south
have taken definite Stands and it is
expected that they will begin war.
1t remain to be seen how it will all
turn out. We hope we shall not have
to go to Shanghai or some other of
the coast towns, as we did two years
ago. 1t would be a great hardship.
After their attack the Aandahls'
to a summer resort where there
are many Swedish missionaries.
Just at present we are in the
mountains on account Of the heat. 1t
is very quiet and we certainly ap-
preciate being away from the noise Of
the city. My husband has been quite
Ill with malarial fever but is now
comparatively well. We expect to
return to Tsaoyang as soon as cooler
weather begins"
Mrs. Holm entered the Swedish
hospital, Minneapolis, in September,
1907, for the purpose of taking train
ing as a nurse to prepare herself for
medical missionary work. She al
ready has spent several years at the
Wahpeton school. She was graduated
from he training school Sept. %,
1910, and left Immediately for China.
where she married Mr.. Holm, who
had gone to that country the previous
year.
Once Resided at Litchville, NJ. b..
Rev. and Mrs. Marcus WerdahI, for
merly of Wahpeton, N. D., are two
other missionaries held prisoners.