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| USS Yorktown (PG-1) |
Cortland
Evening Standard, Wednesday, December 22, 1897.
INVESTIGATION ORDERED
Into the
Reported Killing of Our Sailors by a Japanese Mob.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.—The department of state
has undertaken an investigation of two very disagreeable incidents that may
contain in themselves the germs of serious trouble in the near future.
These are the killing by Japanese of two
sailors attached to the United States fleet on the Asiatic station. The exact
conditions under which the killing occurred are not known here yet, and the
state department is trying to learn them through the United States minister to
Tokio and the United States consul in Japan, preliminary to determining what
steps shall be taken to secure reparation, if it shall be found that the
killing was, as is expected, unjustifiable.
The first killing was of a sailor named
Montgomery, formerly attached to the Yorktown, while she was on the Asiatic
station, and the last was that of Frank Epps, a sailor native of New York and
an apprentice on the flagship Olympia. He was killed at Nagasaki.
The officials here have been advised of the
bare facts only, but following so closely on the terrible assault at Kobe last
September of a Japanese mob upon the sailors of the Yorktown, these killings
have aroused them to a determination to secure protection for our sailors in
Japanese ports.
England
Makes a Demonstration.
LONDON, Dec. 22.—According to a special
dispatch from Shanghai the British squadron will make a demonstration at
Che-Foo, on the north coast of the Shan-Tung promontory, as a warning, it is
supposed, that Great Britain intends to oppose the division of China without
consulting her.
It is reported there that Russia has offered
China a loan to pay off the indemnity of the war with Japan, and it is
believed, says the dispatch, that Japan and England are acting in concert to
preserve China from disintegration, favoring the idea of a protectorate over
Central China with a capitol at Nanking.
A German-Chinese commission has been
arranged to settle the boundaries of the occupied district at Kiao-Chau, and it
is evident, therefore, that the occupation will be permanent. The same dispatch
says it is rumored in Shanghai
that the British intend to occupy Ta-Lien-Wan, south of Port Arthur, in order
to guard the gulf of Pe-Chi-Li.
A correspondent at Tokio says there is no
excitement there over the news from Port Arthur. The press is calm and the
public is indifferent.
NEW TYPE
OF ENGINE.
Cost of
Construction Said to Be Much Less Than Present Style.
The Chicago and Erie railroad is building 40
locomotives of an entirely new type for use on the main line between Chicago
and New York. The most striking feature in the new engine is the position of
the cab, which is placed in front of the steam dome, leaving the boiler and
firebox immediately over the driving wheels. Several advantages are claimed for
this arrangement. The engineer is given a much clearer view of the track ahead
and has better control of the machinery. The heaviest part of the locomotive is
over the driving wheels. The area of the boiler is considerably increased and
the cost of fuel is greatly reduced.
By an improved arrangement of the firebox
the cheapest kind of fuel can be used, and the saving on that score is said to
be considerable. The new engine can also be built for 15 per cent [sic] less
cost than the old type. It is lighter and the wear and tear on the tracks is
expected to be much less in consequence. Two firemen will be employed on each
engine, one to shovel coal and keep up steam and the other to assist the
engineer. The new engines will attain much greater speed and do more work at
less cost than the present locomotives.—Chicago Record.
SUGAR
BEETS.
Refinery
Will Probably Be Erected In Binghamton shortly.
BINGHAMTON, N. Y., Dec. 22.—A largely
attended sugar beet institute was held at Union under the direction of F. E.
Dawley of the state department of agriculture. The principal address was made
by Dr. H. W. Wiley, chief chemist of the United States department of
agriculture and the best authority on sugar beet culture in the country.
Dr. Wiley stated that he was certain the time
has come when the United States will arrange to produce its own sugar. He said
that 1,000,000 acres of beets, properly cultivated, will produce enough sugar
to supply the country. He assured the farmers of Broome county that results of
experimental beet raising prove that this section can raise beets equal to any
part of the world.
Several of the promoters of the local
refinery conferred with Dr. Wiley, and it is almost certain that a refinery
will be built here within the next six months.
PAGE
TWO—EDITORIALS.
The
Partition of China.
It was a sorry day for China when it went to
war with Japan. Previously it had been an unknown quantity in the international
problem. It was known to be handicapped by its intense conservatism and
corruption in high places. But it was a country of extensive area and occupied
by over 400,000,000 people. In various conflicts it had been forced to engage
in with European nations it had not displayed any great military prowess. But
with the will of the emperor not only the civil but the religious law of the
land, and with the people extreme in their devotion to the traditions, customs and
government of their country, it was supposed that if the integrity of the
empire were ever seriously threatened, there would be a patriotic uprising in
China that would overwhelm any foreign invader by sheer force of numbers.
With the Japanese invasion of their country the
defensive ability of the Chinese ceased to be the unknown quantity which had
heretofore kept all enemies aloof. The patriotism of the people was shown to be
simply a matter of family custom. The public service was one vast system of
bribery and corruption. Although there were millions of people to draw from the
army was such only in name. Money supposed to have been used for its equipment
was stolen. What soldiers could be mustered were wholly unfit for service,
being without discipline, arms, supplies, patriotism or courage. During the
entire war there was not a single instance where these soldiers stood their grounds
against the Japanese, unless they were cooped up in some ship or fortress,
whence it was impossible for them to escape. Every battle in the field was an
easy victory for the invaders. When it was all over, China appeared in its true
light as an utterly helpless nation, and one that could be made the prey of
others with impunity.
On March 5, 1895, after the Japanese had
captured Port Arthur and Wei Hai Wei, they took Neu Chang at the head of the
Liau Tung gulf. Nothing could now prevent them from marching on Pekin,
capturing it, and overthrowing the Manchu dynasty. Li Hang Chang was therefore
sent to Japan to sue for peace. After narrowly escaping assassination, he
managed to arrange a treaty. It provided that China should pay a large
indemnity, abandon all claims to Korea—the cause of the war—and cede to Japan
the island of Formosa, the Liau Tung peninsula on which Fort Arthur stands, and
that part of Manchuria between Liau Tung and Korea. Furthermore Japan was to
occupy the Wei Hai Wei fortress on the Shan Tung peninsula until the indemnity
was paid.
A week after the treaty was concluded
Russia, Germany and France joined in a protest against Japan's acquiring any territory
on the Chinese mainland. Had Great Britain taken Japan's part, the latter could
have ignored the protest. But Great Britain, because of interests in Egypt, and
also, doubtless, because it too did not favor giving Japan a foothold in China,
made no sign. Japan was obliged to yield to the protesting powers and take an
additional indemnity in lieu of territory. Soon after, Russia tendered its good
offices to procure for China the first installment of the indemnity. Then
followed a treaty between Russia and China whereby the former was given a
virtual protectorate over Manchuria and the right to occupy as a winter station
for its fleet some ice free harbor in China—from the first believed to be Port
Arthur.
Russia would doubtless not have made use of
Port Arthur until the Trans-Siberian railway was completed. But Germany was in
a hurry to get something from China for helping to save it from Japan. The
murder of German missionaries furnished the pretext, and Kiao Chou bay was
occupied. Russia did not protest, but occupied Port Arthur. France, the third
rescuer of China, will doubtless put in its claim soon. This may include
possession of Hai Nau island and two provinces north of Ton quin.
As Great Britain and Japan, acting together,
can stop the partition scheme, they are likely to be allowed their slices of
China. The former may get the province of KwangTung, in which the city of
Canton is situated, and also some of the islands near Shanghai and the entrance
to the Yang-tse-Kiang. Japan, in lieu of Wei Hai Wei, and other parts of Shan
Tung desired by Germany, may be given the province of Fuh Keen on the mainland
directly opposite to Formosa.
Should the coastwise provinces mentioned be
lost, China would still have a large territory left. The powers might guarantee
its stability. Their influence might also break up the conservatism that has
been China's curse, and give it the benefits of modern civilization. At any
rate, the ancient empire has too long stood in the way of progress, and its
partial dismembership may be of benefit all around.
SIX
CENTS DAMAGES.
Jury Wanted
to Bring In a Verdict of "No Cause of Action."
The Syracuse Standard has just been the
defendant in a libel suit brought by Charles
Redington to secure $5,000 damages for an alleged libelous statement in its
columns some time ago. It appeared that Redington was arrested on the charge of
robbing the mails, and the Syracuse Standard gave an account of it at the time.
Another man was afterward convicted of the
crime and is serving his time in prison. Redington then brought a suit of libel
against The Standard and said it would take $5,000 to comfort him. The jury
came in at noon yesterday and said he would have to be comforted with six
cents.
The Syracuse Journal says:
If the jury had had its way about it, the
comfort for Charlie would have been even more chilly, for the foreman reported
a verdict of no cause for action. Justice Hiscock told the twelve that they
would at least have to find six cents for Redington as The Standard had
admitted that there was a libel and damages in that amount must be found. This
will carry six cents costs with it. The jury was out less than a hour, and
reported just before dinner—lovely jury.
HON. O. U. KELLOGG ILL,
But It is
not Thought to be Anything Serious.
The Binghamton Republican of this morning
says: "The hearing in the white pass books case which was to have been
held before Justice Mattice at his chambers in Oneonta yesterday was adjourned
to January 7 because of the illness of Receiver Orris U. Kellogg, who is
confined to his hotel in New York by an attack of grip. A number of attorneys
went to Oneonta from this city but returned on an afternoon train."
Inquiry was made of Mr. D. W. Van Hoesen,
Mr. Kellogg's partner, as to Mr. Kellogg's illness, and that gentleman had not
heard anything in regard to it. He did not believe it was anything serious, or
word would have come to him.
IN
POLICE COURT.
Two
Sentences of Twenty-five Days in Jail—Larceny and Assault.
While Chief of Police Linderman and Officer
Corcoran were chatting in the former's private office at police headquarters
last evening, W. E. Miner, who has a candy manufactory at the rear of the
Beaudry block, reported that while he was at supper between 6 and 7 o'clock,
some one entered the shop and walked away with a quantity of candy. The
intruder had pried open a side door that had been nailed up and a quantity of
chocolate candy was missing.
Mr. Miner suspected Frank O. Halley, the bootblack,
and accordingly a search warrant was procured and Halley's room at 34 Arthur-ave.
was searched. The officers found the candy which was promptly identified by Mr.
Miner, and they also found a sack of nuts, which Mr. Miner also identified. Finally
Halley owned up the whole thing and this morning in police court he made a plea
of guilty. The matter was held open until 1 o'clock, when Police Justice Mellon
sentenced him to thirty-five days in the county jail.
Fred Graham, a blacksmith, who lives in the
Estey block on Arthur-ave. and who has been working in Richford, was arrested
at his residence last night on the charge of assault in the third degree,
preferred by his wife, who alleged that he threatened to do her personal
injury. This morning he pleaded guilty to the charge and was sent to the county
jail for the term of thirty-five days.
James Richards of Syracuse was up on the
charge of vagrancy, and was given thirty minutes in which to leave town.
A. T. Darcey, one of the members of the Clair
Tuttle Comedy company which got stranded in Cortland in November, who has been
in town most of the time since, was chanced with vagrancy, and given until 4
o'clock to leave town.
KILLED IN THE WOODS.
THOMAS
BLUNDEN MET WITH A FATAL ACCIDENT.
Had Cut
Down a Tree Which Fell Into Another Tree—In Dislodging This He Was Struck by a
Limb and was Injured so Badly He Died in a Few Minutes.
A fatal accident occurred in the Buchanan
gulch near McGrawville at about 3:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon by which
Thomas Blunden, a man 76 years of age, lost his life. In company with Joel
Pritchard and his son Guy, at whose home he lived, he went into the woods to
cut down some trees. They cut one off, and when it fell its top lodged in the
top of another tree. In their efforts to dislodge it the accident happened.
They had sawed one log from the base of the tree and were trying to pry it to
one side so as to get the rest down. As it began to slip Guy Pritchard called
to Mr. Blunden to watch out or he would get hurt. The answer was the remark
that he knew what he was about, he had worked in the woods before Guy was born.
The tree slipped some more and gave evidence of being about to fall. Mr. Pritchard
and Guy turned and ran. The tree fell with a crash. As they turned about they
saw Mr. Blunden lying with his head down the hill and his head smashed so that
it would be impossible to recognize his features. They supposed at the time
that be had been struck on the head by his lever, but later a broken limb of
the tree was noticed to be covered with blood, and it is thought that this branch
struck him as the tree fell.
The two men carried Mr. Blunden to the house
and a messenger was sent for Dr. Hendrick, but scarcely had the messenger
started when the injured man breathed his last. Coroner M. R. Smith was
notified and, after viewing the remains and hearing the circumstances, decided that
no inquest was necessary.
Mr. Blunden is survived by his wife and two
sons: Edward of Solon and Charles of Homer. The funeral will be held at 9 A. M.
Friday and burial will be in the Cold Brook cemetery.
BREVITIES.
—Mr. Charles Lumbard has opened a boot and
shoe repair shop at 20 1/2 Railway-ave.
—New display advertisements to-day
are—Stowell, Sale Prices, page 7; Second National Bank, Report, page 7.
—In Justice Dowd's court yesterday the
examination in the case of The People against Fred Davis on the charge of abduction
was adjourned until Friday morning.
—The Normal [School] closes on Thursday for the
Christmas vacation, and opens again on Tuesday, Jan. 4. This gives a day before
Christmas and one after New Year's for the pupils to reach home and return for
work.
—The snow is delighting the hearts of all
the merchants and the sleigh dealers. Just let it keep right on. The roads are now
smooth and very little snow will make fine sleighing. Already the cutters are
beginning to slip around town.
Christmas.
Customers declare that we have the choicest
and handsomest lot of candy and mixed nuts and at the most reasonable prices
ever shown in Cortland. Five tons bought for spot cash. Guaranteed pure. Prices
unsurpassed. See our stock and prices.
HOPKINS' GROCERY AND BAKERY. [Paid ad.]
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