The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-09-03
MISSIONARY AND Wife
PRISONER PASSENGERS.

Norfolk, Va. August 30.--Rev.
Robert II i}cdihger, a Presbyterian
IL visionary. from the Belgian Congo
IA Africa together with his wife and
two aud one-hali-year old child is a
passenger on the steamship coro-
rado. now in this port. The mis-
= onary and hls wife who have been
away from thcit home in Mecklen-
burg county, Va, for a number of
ears and who after enduring many
Hardships have been waiting in Lon
don several months. in order To get
passage 10 the United States. desire
tic land here, but their landing has
been denied by the steamer, along
with come twenty or more American
citizens who took passage on the
Coronado at London fer Jamaica,
v hen they could not secure passage
en- any vessel direct to New York.
The Coronado passengers must,
under agreement made by the yes
sci before She lett England proceed
L. .Itnacia and there take passage
cn some other United Fruit company
boat back to New York. The. trip out
from Norfolk To Jamaica is four
days, but IT will be impossible for
them to start back to New York
from Jamaica before September ..
With two score or more Americans
practically prisoner passengers on
the Coronado, there has been some
suppressed excitement aboard of the
ship, as she has been laying for the
rast twenty -four hours taking bun
ker coat at tsaulberts Point. All tho
| passengers have been denied the
| r, ght to land because the master was
under strict instructions from his
] owners not TO permit any debarka-
| tons at Norfolk With so many
| americans SO very anxious to land.
the master has taken no chance and
vs. refusing 10 permit his passengers
tc even come ashore temporarily.
The case of Rev. and Mrs. Bedin-
ger is a very unfortunate one be-
cause of the coalition of health of
Mrs. Redineer and her child. Mrs,
Ledinger is particularly delicate. Her
parents Mr.. and Mrs. Smith. Of
Meek lenhurg arrived in Norfolk to
meet her and there is also here to
meet the family Mr.. Bedinger's father
ard brother thu latter, Frank Bed
irger, being "a member of the bar
Ot Boydton. Virginia, The case has
been taken up With the collector of
customs and tho collector has re-
uuested that Mrs. Bedtnger be landed
forthwith. because of the condition
ISl lft 1ltftltll anu XIV lFR EFfNs
the long trip TO Jamaica and back
to New York would be to her In
view of the condition of her health
the collector has also asked that she
e not separated from her husband
and child and that the missionary
he peruditted 10 land along with his
I wife and iittie daughter The col
lector OF customs feeling that every
thing should be done for the com
fort OF Mrs Bedinger made arrange
r.1ents for her convenient landing
and coming TO Norfolk last evening,
This landing was denied by the
master, not because he said he did
rot wish to DO accommodating. but
because he was under strict orders
rot to permit The landing OF any pas
scngers at Norfolk The collector
decided TO take no drastic steps him
SELF in the matter last evening. and
the missionary and his wife remain
ca aboard of the vessel and were still
| there today. Their relatives, how
ever, were invited by the master te
tec aboard the ship and they stayed
there with them last night,
There was a conference at the
Custom house this morning between
the master of the Coronado and the
collector, on the subject of the land
ire of the Bedinger family. The
master still insisted that he could
not land them, until his company
authorized It, He was very agreeable
about the matter and communicated
Nv wire with his American agents at
Boston, asking AS to instructions In
connection with tho request OF the
collector for the landing of the Bed
irger family
Collector Hamilton after Anal in"
yt~stigation of the whole matter de-
c1ded that OWING 10 the condition ri
Mrs. RAilnecr's health. the vessel
would not be PEI mitted to leave the
port until she was landed together
with necessary baggage.