Saturday, November 4, 2017

THE ORIENTAL WAR AND THE MURDER OF PATRICK QUINLAN





Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, December 24, 1894.
THE ORIENTAL WAR.
NEWS OF THE CONFLICT AND THE SITUATION IN COREA.
Japan's Demands In the Event of a Treaty of Peace as Gathered From the Japanese PapersIntrigue and Violence Continue in CoreaJapanese Win Another Decisive VictoryOther News From the East.
   WASHINGTON, Dec. 24.—Recent newspaper mail advices received here from Japan show that the question of the terms of peace that Japan will demand from China is a fruitful subject of discussion by the native press. Opinions, however, differ regarding these terms and while some journals content themselves with speaking generally on the subject others are more specific in their demands. One paper asserts that Formosa, so important from a commercial and military point of view, must at all events be taken.
   After detailing what an immense expenditure must be incurred by Japan in supporting Corea and protecting Japanese interests in the north of China following the war, the paper declares that Formosa will have to be annexed as a resource from which to draw receipts at least equal to these prospective expenditures.
   Another paper enters a strong protest against the claims advanced that China must surrender territory entirely out of proportion to the objects for which the war was undertaken.
   Assuming that the war is practically over, the Japanese are already discussing the matter of Japan's prospects thereafter. Mr. Kaneko, the vice-minister of state for agriculture and commerce, has been looking into the history of the United States after the great civil war and to that of Germany after the Franco-Prussian war for light on the subject and the Noshomusho has been holding consultations about the matter for some time, but the investigations are far from concluded.
   The vice-minister is personally of the opinion that the extension of facilities for direct exportation is of the greatest importance. According to a Seoul correspondent affairs are again becoming serious in Corea where there is trouble in which Tai Won Kun, who is understood here to be practically prime minister, is involved. It had its origin in the surrender of Li Heiki, a favorite of Tai Won Kun, to the Corean police in whose custody he is now held.
   Li Heiki, it appears, took part in all the deliberations of the faction headed by the aged statesman and is therefore acquainted with its secrets. Shortly afterward he was a police official and had frequent occasion to meet members of the Japanese police now in the capital. Intercourse with the latter gave him an insight into the real intentions entertained toward Corea by Japanese.
   Thus newly enlightened, says the correspondent, his hatred of the crooked artifices and ignorant devices of the faction with which he had been connected grew intense and conscience finally drove him to confess to the police officials what he knew of the faction's doings. He was placed in confinement and, although implored by several of the parties against whom he had informed not to confess, he made a clean breast of all he knew and had done.
   Some objections were made by the Corean government to the demands of the Japanese minister, Count Inouye, for the examination of witnesses implicated in the affair, the Coreans asserting that such proceedings would be contrary to the time-honored usage of the country.
   The result of this first collision between Count Inouye and the Corean government was not clearly known at the time the correspondent wrote; letters by means of which the faction instigated the Tonghak insurgents, together with other documents bearing on the same point, secret dispatches sent by the Tai Won Kun to the Chinese generals in the Phyong Yang, have all fallen into the hands of the Japanese authorities, and the sinister project of the old gentleman and his followers against Japan, the correspondent adds, is now an open secret.
   Since these events transpired news has come to the United States by telegraph to the effect that the Japanese government has dispensed with the services of Tai Won Kun, and the natural presumption is that this action was the result of the occurrences referred to.
   Factional strife in the Corean court is said by another paper to be the prime cause of all the evils now hampering the country's progress along the path of reform. Lately another bone of contention has been added to accentuate the political confusion already existing in the field of politics. It is a question relating to the parentage of prominent members of the government and the present trouble had its origin in the old time Corean system of concubinage.
   A Japanese paper gives a summary of the losses of the Japanese and Chinese armies up to Nov. 23, exclusive of the battles at Fung Wang Chang, Kinchan, Talienwan and at Port Arthur. It shows that the Japanese lost about 380 killed and 835 wounded, while the Chinese lost 4,800 killed and 4,500 wounded and 1,018 of them were made captives, making a total of 10,318.
   The Chinese have also had 211 cannon taken from them, 4,895 rifles, 8,384 cannon shot, 43,000,660 cartridges, besides enough ammunition to last a month, firing with 20,000 rifles; 333 banners have been taken, 3,400 tents, 1,000 horses, 3,000,000 taels worth of currency, 111,090 mace (coins), 2,413 koku of rice, 5,755 koku of unhulled rice and in addition sufficient food to last an army of 20,000 men three days. The Chinese have lost 13 vessels, a torpedo boat, [9] men-of-war sunk and one of their war vessels captured, which makes a total tonnage of 9,850 tons.
   The number of killed and wounded on the Japanese side at Port Arthur is estimated at over 400 while those of the enemy is estimated at nine times that number.

Japs Defeat General Lung.
   TOKIO, Dec. 24.—Advices received here confirm the report of the defeat of General Lung after hard fighting that lasted five hours. The Japanese are now about 10 miles from New Chwang, which it was expected would be reached yesterday.
   A dispatch from Antong says that the Japanese force consisted of four regiments of infantry and five batteries of artillery. The latter bombarded the Chinese, who had established themselves in the village of Kung Wasai. The infantry then thrice charged the Chinese lines. The fighting was stubborn, the combatants meeting hand-to-hand. The fight was the fiercest that has yet taken place. The Chinese loss is estimated at 500 killed or wounded. The Japanese also suffered severely.

RACE WAR IMMINENT.
SEVEN NEGROES KILLED AND MORE BLOODSHED THREATENED.
Opposing Armies of Blacks and Whites Approaching Each Other, Armed to the Teeth, and a Battle Seems Inevitable—The Trouble Originated With the
Murder of a White Man of Some Prominence.
   QUITMAN, Ga., Dec. 24 —With seven negroes dead and armed mobs of blacks and whites in close proximity to each other, the outlook for a race war in this county is startling in its certainty.
   The excitement is the result of the murder of Joseph Isom, one of the most substantial farmers of this, Brooks county.
   Seven negro lives were taken to pay the penalty and this seems to be only the beginning of the end.
   A correspondent visited the scene of action and found a posse of 300 covering a space of about five miles.
   The largest crowd was congregated a mile and a half from Isom's house, consisting of 100 men armed to the teeth, and about half a mile further on there was a mob of negroes, about the same number, armed with Winchester rifles, pistols, axes, clubs and everything else conceivable, waiting for the white mob to come on to them.
   It has been discovered that a number of negroes had conspired to kill every man that was in the posse that arrested Jerry Jeffreth for the killing of T. Moulden a few weeks ago, and that the killing of Mr. Isom was the commencement to carry out this awful conspiracy.
   What the outcome of this will be in the next 24 hours cannot be foretold. No action has been taken to stop the progress of the mob so far.
   Captain Tillman, father-in-law of Mr. Isom, is doing all in his power to prevent further trouble and is sending all over the county for conservative men to come and assist him to control the mob.
   The names of the killed are Sam Taylor, Eli Fraser, Sam Pike, Harry Sherard and three whose names could not be learned.
   No white men have been killed so far.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.
Christmas Old and New.
   Elizabeth Cady Stanton has drawn a picture of an old-fashioned Christmas that makes one's mouth water. Perhaps it brings a suspicious moisture around the eyes of old-timers too. Certain it is that only in the farm districts can anything like such a Christmas be enjoyed now as that pictured by Mrs. Stanton. Among the retainers of her family was a gigantic cook and serving man, coal black, named Peter. Peter sang tenor, played the violin and made the sum of the children's happiness at Christmas. They had a dance in a great basement kitchen on Christmas eve. There Peter played for them. Then they hung up their stockings and went to bed. In the morning before daylight they darted down into the basement kitchen, barefoot, to see what Santa Claus had brought them. The gifts were simple; they were inexpensive. A modern city child would scorn them. Yet happiness, joy, danced all day in the hearts of those rosy, healthy country children. Peter always took them for a great sleigh ride in a long old lumber sled. Mrs. Stanton is now 80 years old, yet the recollection of those rides remains as one of the shining spots in her memory.
   And now, alas, the times! "Christmas and wedding presents and flowers at funerals have come to be a tax and nuisance in their extravagance and excess."
   So they have. Women work themselves into a nervous illness straining to make and buy gifts for their acquaintances. Men with families are taxed so heavily that it takes months to recover from the drain.
   It is time we reformed Christmas giving. This holy and heavenly day ought to be made sacred to children because it is the Christ child's day. They should be made perfectly happy from morning till night in all reasonable ways that their parents and friends can devise. Presents should indeed be given to them, but not extravagant dolls and toys unless their parents are very rich. Games, rides and juvenile parties will make them happier than expensive gifts.
   As to grown people, Christmas will be more honored by their ceasing to give presents to one another altogether than by their striving to give what they cannot afford. Women especially ought to stop boring their eyes out and sewing themselves into a hysterical state making things which half the time are of no good to anybody after they are done. Christ came into the world to save sinners, not to make people bankrupt themselves in purse and health making Christmas gifts.
   Of course, if one is a millionaire and is spasmodically seized with remorse for getting so much richer than his fellow men, then by all means let him ease his conscience by giving gifts to those whom he can help. To such it will be pleasant to read what George W. Childs said about Christmas giving:
   When I was a boy, I made up my mind to be rich, and also made up my mind that when I should be a man, I would give Christmas presents to everyone I knew. If I have not been able to accomplish my resolve, it has not been for lack of will. I can truthfully say that the happiest week in each year of my life is the one which directly precedes Christmas, when I feel that I am able to send presents to about 2,000 people whom I know and feel are perfectly deserving of them.

MURDEROUS ASSAULT.
PATRICK QUINLAN STRUCK DOWN FRIDAY NIGHT.
The Assailant Unknown—Robbery Was Doubtless the Motive—Details of a Dastardly Crime.
   What proved to be a murderous assault was committed last Friday night by parties unknown upon the person of Patrick Quinlan, a prosperous farmer who lived with his son Thomas and a daughter upon their farm of over two hundred acres about two miles west of Homer. The road which leads to their house is one which branches off from the main road and runs only to their farm house. It is about a half a mile in length and very lonely even in the day time.
   At about 6 o'clock Friday night Mr. Quinlan started on foot for Homer. He is known to have left that village for his home shortly after 8 o'clock, and that was the last seen of him till shortly after 7 o'clock Saturday morning, when his son started for Homer with the milk which is regularly delivered at the milk station, and found him lying beside their private road about half way between the house and the main road.
   The old gentleman lay face downward with his head on his hands. His son endeavored to rouse him, but all of his efforts to do so were futile. On turning him over a ghastly sight met his gaze. Mr. Quinlan had been lying in a pool of blood and was literally soaked with it, as he had been bleeding from the nose and ears.
   The young man turned his team around and with considerable difficulty succeeded in dragging his father to it and lifting him into the wagon. He could not have accomplished this had it not been that his father's legs were rigid, after having lain there as is supposed all night. The young man took his father to the house, put him to bed, went on to Homer with the milk and returned home without notifying anyone.
   After dinner as his father still remained unconscious the young man drove to Homer, arriving there at about 1 o'clock, and called on Dr. L. T. White. The physician had an office full of patients, as it was his office hour, and he told Mr. Quinlan that it would be two hours, at least, before he would be able to get away. Mr. Quinlan urged him to come as soon as he could and at about 3 o'clock the physician started.
   On arriving at the house Dr. White found Mr. Quinlan still unconscious and in a very bad state. His tongue was swelled to double its size and he had sustained a fracture of the skull over his right temple. His right eye was blackened and all that gave evidence of the fact that he was alive was his heavy breathing. After dressing the wounds Dr. White told the family that the injured man had not long to live. Rev. J. J. McLoughlin was immediately summoned and remained with the patient part of the night.
   A STANDARD reporter notified Sheriff Miller of the assault Saturday evening, but it was impossible to do anything in the dark. Early yesterday afternoon District Attorney Jerome Squires, Sheriff Miller and a STANDARD reporter drove to the scene of the assault to look over the ground. The son said in substance that he did the chores Friday evening as usual at about 6 o'clock. He went to bed early and his sister did also, leaving the door unlocked for their father. In the morning they found that he had not returned, but did not worry, as they supposed that he had spent the night with his brother, who lives above Brewery Hill, as he had previously done when he was detained at Homer.
   He discovered the body lying by a small tree at the right side of the road going up the hill. In the road he found the old gentleman's jack knife and a plug of tobacco. His pockets had been rifled and some nails which he had carried in his pocket were scattered in the road. Mr. Quinlan's belt had been torn from his waist and a fence post with marks which resembled blood was found near the body. This might or might not have been the instrument used in the assault.
   The young man said that he had supposed his father was intoxicated and had fallen and injured his head. He had thought it nothing of a very serious nature till he did not regain consciousness in the afternoon, and then he decided to call a physician. Mr. Quinlan is said to have been a very moderate drinker and was never known to have been intoxicated. Had he been in that condition—and there is good proof that he was not—Dr. White said that it would have been impossible for him to have fallen in such a manner as to cause the injuries he received. He was undoubtedly brutally struck several blows upon the head, his money stolen, and the highwayman escaped. At the time of the tragedy the ground was soft. The indications are that the stalwart old man gave his assailant quite a struggle before being knocked insensible. One of the impressions now frozen in the mud is that of a foot much slimmer than that of Mr. Quinlan's. There are also foot marks of mud on the fence, one of which proved without a doubt that some one climbed the fence from the road to the field. It could not be ascertained in which direction the other foot prints were going. When found, Mr. Quinlan's foot was under the fence in such a manner that it was very difficult to extricate it.
   Mr. Quinlan never rallied but lay breathing heavily in the stupor in which he was found. It was hoped that if the pressure of the skull which had been knocked into the brain was removed, the man might regain consciousness for a long enough period to throw some light on the mystery, Accordingly, late yesterday afternoon, Dr. F. W. Higgins of Cortland, assisted by Drs. L. T. White and J. H. Robinson of Homer, removed a three-cornered piece of the skull two inches in length and about one and one-half inches in width, and a quantity of blood clot from the brain. There was no change after the operation. His pulse was as strong as before and it is thought by the physicians that there were other clots of blood pressing against the brain which it was impossible to remove. The injured man died at 7:15 o'clock last evening.
   It is not definitely known the exact amount of money which was secured by the assailant. Mr. Quinlan had sold his daughter's turkeys for over forty dollars but had turned the money over to her in the afternoon. He always carried from fifteen to thirty dollars in his pocket and had on or about December 20 received a check of about fifty dollars for his milk. He also drew the money from a certificate of deposit at the bank. Out of this he purchased two blankets for which he paid $8.50.
   The last seen of him was at about 8 o'clock, when he left the Central House, where he bought a drink and it was seen that he had a big roll of bills. When taking his money out he had a secretive way of getting it without making a great show of it.
   Mr. Quinlan was 64 years of age and had been a resident of Cortland county for thirty-five or forty years. He had not a known enemy in the world. He was a large, robust, healthy man weighing about two hundred pounds and his untimely death is regretted by a host of friends.
   District Attorney Jerome Squires, Attorney Thomas E. Courtney and a STANDARD reporter left this afternoon for a fuller investigation of the case.





BREVITIES.
   —A Merry Christmas to all the STANDARD readers. No papers will be issued from this office to-morrow.
   —The Player's club have in preparation a new play which will be produced the latter part of January for the benefit of the Cortland hospital.
   —"Shore Acres" which is the attraction at the Opera House Saturday night, Dec. 29, is said to be one of the best plays upon the American stage.
   —Evangelist M. S. Rees will conduct a men's meeting in the Y. M. C. A. rooms Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock. All men are cordially invited.
   —Mr. J. Eades left for New York this afternoon with a fine pair of matched bay horses which Hon. O. U. Kellogg had sold to J. T. Richards of that city for $500.
   —The educated horses which appear at the Opera House to-night and to-morrow night and at a matinee at 2:30 to-morrow afternoon, made a parade on Main-st. to-day and attracted much attention.
   —An Onondaga county justice of the peace in deciding a suit in which the value of a horse was in question decided that a horse was worth fifteen dollars less than its former value for each year after it was fourteen years of age. This then is the basis in Onondaga county for the depreciation in value of a horse as his age increases.
 

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