DEMAND THAT TWAIN RETRACT.
Missionaries Say Statement by Him in The North American Review Is Libelous.
"Mark Twain" has brought down upon his head the wrath of the Peking Missionary Association and the American Board of Foreign Missions, who both demand that the author-humorist retract statements made in an article by him in the February issue of The North American Review. The article, it is alleged, contained a libelous attack on Missionary W. S. Ament of the American Board of Foreign Missions.
Col. George B. M. Harvey, editor of The North American Review, yesterday received the following cablegram:
Peking Missionary Association demands public retraction Twain's gross
libel against Ament; utterly false.
SECRETARY
Col. Harvey turned the cablegram over to Mr. Clemens, (Mark Twain,) who would not be interviewed yesterday on the subject, he being bound by contract to his publishers not to talk of the matter for other publications.
Those who called at this place of residence, 14 West Tenth Street, with reference to the matter were met by a very close of Mr. Clemens, who said:
"Mr. Clemens cannot say anything touching on the affair at present. The American Board of Foreign Missions some time ago requested him to either prove or retract the statements he made in the article, and at which they took umbrage and exceptions. Mr. Clemens replied that if they would have patience he would discuss the situation further in a new article, which will appear in the April issue of The North American Review."
Mr. Clemens's friend was asked if the article would be in the nature of a retraction.
"I can only say the Mr. Clemens will have much more to say on the subject. He has received many letters from China since the publishing of the first article. He hopes that both the Peking Missionary Association and the American Board of Foreign Missions will like it, but he has his doubts."
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