Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 July 1900 — APPEALS FOR HELP. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

APPEALS FOR HELP.

BELATED MESSAGE FROM CONGER IS RECEIVED. ' ' __J__ He Writes from Pekin July 4 that a General Massacre Was Imminent— Besieged in British Legation and Shelled by Chinese. A written message, signed Conger and dated July 4, was received at Tien-Tsin on the 21st. It was cabled to the Navy Department in Washington Tuesday by Captain Charles Thomas, commander of the Brooklyn. The Conger note says: Been besieged two weeks in British legation. Grave danger of general massacre by Chinese soldiers, who are shelHug the legation daily. Belief soon, if at all. City without government, except by Chinese army. Determined to massacre all foreigners at Pekin. Entry of relief forces into city will probably be hotly contested. A Washington correspondent,~writing Wednesday, says that the letter from Minister Conger in his own handwriting, under date of July 4, reported to the State Department contains no encouragement for the officials who have been confident of the safety of the foreigners, and have accepted the message of July 18 as genuine. More than anything heretofore received this message casts a gloom over the capital. The statement that Pekin was in control of imperial troops has no significance further than to indicate the helplessness of the Government at the time the letter was written. The serious position of the foreigners as reported by Mr. Conger has aroused apprehension and revived skepticism in official circles where the developments cf the last few days have had the effect of

arousing hope that Chinese reports were sincere. The accuracy of the conditions reported in Mr. Conger's letter cannot be questioned and unless the Chinese Government ba* regained control of the imperial troops and has taken foreigners under its protection there is reason to fear the worst and question the sincerity of Chinese officials. Li Hung Chang’s prediction that the march of international forces upon Pekin would result in massacre of foreigners is now accepted in connection with Mr. Conger’s report as indicating purpose to prepare the world for the announcement of the death of the foreigners. Up to Wednesday no information has been received from the Chinese legation or Chinese Government in response to President McKinley’s reply to the Emperor, and no answer had been received from the second dispatch sent to Minister Conger through Minister Wu.

CHINESE MINISTER WU TING FANG.