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| Gen. Samuel B. M. Young. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, August 14, 1899.
SAN MATEO CAPTURED.
Another Battle Has Occurred In the Philippines.
ABOUT TEN MILES FROM MANILA.
The American Loss Was Three Killed and Thirteen Wounded, Including a Lieutenant of the Twenty-First Infantry—Our Men Exhausted By Marching.
MANILA, Aug. 14.—A reconnaissance by troops of General Samuel B. M. Young's brigade, with the object of discovering the whereabouts of the enemy near San Mateo, northeast of the San Juan reservoir about 10 miles from Manila, resulted in the occupation of San Mateo. The American loss was three killed and 13 wounded, including a lieutenant of the Twenty-first infantry.
The Americans approached San Mateo in three columns. Major Cronin with 15 men of the Twenty-fifth infantry advanced from Novaliches five miles west of San Mateo. Captain Rivers with 100 men of the Fourth cavalry and Captain Parker, formerly lieutenant colonel of the Twenty-first New York volunteer regiment, with 208 men of the Twenty-first and Twenty-fourth infantry and the Fourth cavalry, approached in two columns from the south.
Major Cronin experienced many difficulties arising from the condition of the country and failed to affect a junction with Captain Rivers west of San Mateo, as had been planned.
Captain Rivers took an outpost of the enemy two miles southwest of San Mateo. He then encountered strong resistance among the hills, the enemy firing from excellent positions. Having failed to connect with Major Cronin and seeing that the town was already occupied by the Americans, Captain Rivers withdrew, covering his withdrawal by heavy volley firing. He lost a sergeant killed.
Captain Parker, on advancing, found the enemy strongly entrenched on the far side of some rice fields, about a mile wide and covered with deep mud. Pushing forward rapidly, he routed the Filipinos after 40 minutes fighting, and then continued the march upon San Mateo, which he entered without serious resistance about 1:30 in the afternoon. Major Cronin entered the town about 4:30. The Americans still occupy the place.
Our men were exhausted by the heavy marching. Twenty-three of the enemy are known to have been killed. This is the first action in which Colonel Burt's colored troops participated. They behaved well, their leaders having difficulty in holding them back.
General Young, accompanied by Captain Parker's column, was under fire throughout the engagement. It is estimated that the enemy numbered between 300 and 400 men.
While the Seventeenth Infantry during last Tuesday's battle was approaching Calulut along the road, the troops saw a group of 50 Filipinos outside the town under a flag of truce. Some who were in white clothing held up their hands to signify that they were unarmed. Captain Hart, with a detachment, advanced cautiously to a point within 200 yards of them, when the Filipinos picked up their arms and fired a volley. The Americans dropped into the bushes unhurt on the first movement and returned the fire. At this the Filipinos ran off.
Word has been received from Lieutenant J. C. Gillmore of the United States gunboat Yorktown, who with 14 members of the crew of the gunboat was captured by the insurgents last April near Baler on the east coast of Luzon. The message which comes through Spanish prisoners is to the effect that the officer and his men are at Vigan, in the province of South Ilocos, on the west coast of Luzon. All but two are well. Lieutenant Gillmore is allowed a house and a servant and is fairly treated.
REBELS AGGRESSIVE.
Our Forces Attacked by the Insurgents On Two Different Occasions.
MANILA, Aug. 14.—The insurgents have taken the aggressive in the neighborhood of the railroad. On Saturday night they unsuccessfully attacked San Lius on the Rio Grande near Calumpit, which is garrisoned by two companies of the Twenty-second infantry. The Americans had one man, a sergeant, killed and two privates wounded.
Sunday morning a similar affair took place at Gringua, four miles west of Malolos, where another small garrison is stationed as a safeguard against a possible attack upon the railway. A special train took reinforcements to Malolos and Guiguinto, just north of Bulacan.
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| Fernand Labori. |
LABORI WOUNDED.
Dreyfus' Counsel Shot by Man In Ambush—Fell in the Roadway.
RENNES, Aug. 14.—A man in ambush attacked Maitre Labori, counsel for Dreyfus, and one shot was fired, hitting Labori in the back. M. Labori fell in the roadway. He is still alive.
Maitre Labori left his house alone for the court at about 8 o'clock this morning. His residence is situated in the suburbs of the town about a quarter of an hour's walk from the Lycee, the route being along a solitary road beside the River Vilaine. He had reached a point half way on his journey, when the man who had evidently been lying in wait for him rushed out of a narrow lane and fired a single shot from a revolver. The murderer was only a couple of yards behind his victim and the bullet struck Labori in the back. The wounded man uttered an agonizing cry and fell flat on his face. The murderer immediately fled through the lane from which he had emerged and escaped.
At 7:30 it was announced that the bullet had entered the stomach, and that there was no outward bleeding and that the physicians believe that Labori will die from the wound, and at 2 o'clock this afternoon Labori was suffering great agony and the doctors who had left the house were hurriedly summoned to attend the patient. Colonel Jouast called after the close of the session of the court martial and was allowed to see M. Labori. He expressed his deepest regret at the occurrence. General Mercier followed, but doctors declared that Labori could not bear such an interview in his present state and so General Mercier was obliged to go away without seeing the wounded man.
Death of Mrs. Lester.
Mrs. Jane A. Lester, aged 79 years, died at 7 o'clock last evening at the home of her son, I. Dan Lester, 170 Tompkins-st. Mrs. Lester had been a great sufferer from rheumatism for a number of years, and for a long time had been entirely helpless.
She is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Mary E. Lester Squires, Mrs. Grace E. Hubbard and Miss Jennie Lester, all of Cortland, and two sons, Messrs. I. Dan and George T. Lester of Cortland. Mrs. Lester was a member of the Memorial Baptist church. The funeral will be held Wednesday, the exact hour not having been definitely decided upon.
Police Court.
Two fines were imposed for public intoxication in police court this morning.
Officer Smith this morning arrested four tramps near the D., L. & W. station, and their cases will come up to-morrow morning. They gave their names as John G. Tallahee, James Carpenter, Norman Shaw and Wm. Brazill.
Wm. Randolph, who said his home was in Marathon, was up on the charge of public intoxication, but on his promise to leave town was allowed to go.
KILLED BY LIGHTNING.
Clayton Sherman of Groton Struck During Saturday's Storm.
During the severe thunderstorm which prevailed in this section Saturday afternoon, Clayton Sherman, who lives two miles east of Groton, was struck by lightning and almost instantly killed. Mr. Sherman and a neighbor and the latter's son took refuge in Mr. Sherman's barn to wait until the shower had passed. Mr. Sherman was sitting on a stool near a post. The lightning struck the barn, seemed to follow the post down to where he was sitting, struck Mr. Sherman, knocking off his hat and tearing his clothes. Death was almost instantaneous.
The barn was set on fire, but the fire was extinguished before much damage was done to the building. Two children standing a little distance in front of Mr. Sherman were not injured, neither were the men who were in the barn with him. The accident is a particularly bad one. Mr. Sherman was a young man and leaves a wife and family of small children. The funeral was held this afternoon at 1 o'clock.
LIGHTNING'S WORK.
Damage Done in Cortland Saturday—Barn Burned in Solon.
During the thunderstorm Saturday afternoon,
lightning struck the house owned by George Allport on [15] Broadway occupied by
Mr. John Miller. The bolt struck the cupola over the bay window and played
about the roof, ripping off a few shingles and splitting a rafter.
The house on Otter Creek place, occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Bert Andrus, also received the attention of the electrical fluid, a chimney was shattered and a small hole torn in the roof.
The large dairy barn of Charles Manchester who lives west of Solon village was struck and was burned to the ground. Mr. Manchester was just drawing in the last of his crop of oats as the storm approached, and had just driven into the barn with the last load when the barn was struck. The men barely had time to get the team and load of oats backed out of the barn before the fire reached them. The entire season's crop of hay was in the barn and the loss will be a severe one for Mr. Manchester.
It is reported that a large barn in the town of German, Chenango county, was struck by lightning and burned during the same storm.
ACCIDENTAL DROWNING.
JOHN SHERIDAN SAVED A LIFE AND LOST HIS OWN.
Seven Boys in Bathing at Elysium Park Sunday Afternoon—Boat Overturned in Ten Feet of Water—James Dalton's Narrow Escape—John Sheridan, His Rescuer, Seized With a Cramp and Went to the Bottom—No Inquest Necessary.
John Francis Sheridan, aged 17 years and 10 months, was drowned at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon in what is known as the marl pond which adjoins Elysium park located three miles west of Cortland. The death undoubtedly resulted from a cramp which seized him while attempting to rescue James Dalton, a companion, who had already been to the bottom twice.
Yesterday afternoon seven boys whose ages range from 13 to 18 years, went out to the body of water for the purpose of bathing. They were John Francis Sheridan, the boy who was drowned, son of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Sheridan, who live at the pumphouse of the Cortland Water Works Co., James and John Dalton, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Milton Dalton of 10 Delaware-ave., John and Charles Dalton, sons of Mr. and Mrs. James Dalton of 22 Water-st. and Alonzo and Charles McAleer, sons of Mrs. Frank McAleer of 199 Tompkins-st. The boys removed all of their clothing but their undershirts on the south bank of the body of water next the Lehigh Valley tracks and spent considerable time wading around close by the shore, where the water was from ten to twenty inches deep. The bottom there is of thick, miry clay. The boys also had in their possession two flat bottom rowboats which they were rowing about. At the time the unfortunate occurrence took place, three of the boys were in one of the boats and Alonzo McAleer attempted to climb in, but in doing so, overturned the craft and sent all into the water. John Dalton, aged 15 years, was one of those in the boat when it went over, and he climbed to the upper side of it while the other boys made for the shore. The Dalton boy thought he could work the overturned boat back to shore, but this he was unable to do and the breeze which was prevailing drifted it farther out into the lake.
Some of the boys called to him to jump and never mind the boat, which he did. Unfortunately the boat was at that time directly over a deep hole in the lake, in fact over a spring which feeds the lake, and the water there is of course considerably colder than at other places. The Dalton boy, who was not aware of his exact location, jumped directly into this hole, and being unable to swim went to the bottom. He came to the surface and went down the second time, when John Sheridan started for his rescue. John swam to the place where he had gone down and when he came up this time Sheridan gave him a push toward shore and himself went under water where his death occurred.
In the meantime, the other boys screamed for help and the first to reach the scene was Michael Mellon, who was sitting on the bank several hundred yards east of the scene of the accident. Mr. Mellon removed his shoes and rushing into the water reached the boys just as John Sheridan went under and as James Dalton was going under for the third time. He grabbed the Dalton boy by the hair of the head and started for shore but his progress was slow as his clothing was completely water soaked. The boys waded in from the shore and were able to reach Mr. Mellon's hand. They all formed a line and taking hold of each other's hands managed to pull Mr. Mellon and the Dalton boy to the shore. A number of the farmers in the vicinity had heard the screams of the boys, and C. E. Millen, G. L. Beardsley, Henry Burghart and Clarence Klotten were soon on hand. The Dalton boy had entirely lost consciousness, and it took nearly fifteen minutes to revive him. The Dalton boy told a STANDARD man afterwards that the last thing he knew or remembered was when John Sheridan pushed him toward the bank.
While the work of restoring respiration in the Dalton boy was in progress, others were searching for the body of Sheridan which had not come to the surface after Its first disappearance. The water was very rolly and it was an hour before his body was located. It was found at the bottom of the springhole under ten feet of water. There is scarcely any doubt but that he was seized with a cramp at the time he gave the Dalton boy the push, for his body did not come to the surface, and he was known to be a good swimmer.
A long pole with a hook attached had been secured from a neighboring farmhouse, and the hook being caught in the Sheridan boy's undershirt, the body was drawn to the surface by G. L. Beardsley and Clarence Klotten, placed in a boat and taken to the north shore of the lake. Life was extinct. A messenger at once started for Cortland and notified the young man's parents, Coroner W. J. Moore, and Undertakers O'Leary and McEvoy. James Dalton, who had narrowly escaped with his life, went to the house of Jay Lamont and securing a horse and carriage drove to the home of the unfortunate young man's parents, and brought back with him James Sheridan, an older brother of the young man.
Coroner Moore and a STANDARD reporter were at the scene shortly after 5 o'clock, only a few minutes after the recovery of the body, and only a few minutes more than an hour after the accident occurred. The coroner viewed the remains, questioned those who saw the accident and made the rescue, and decided an inquest unnecessary. O'Leary & McEvoy's ambulance arrived a little later and conveyed the body to their undertaking rooms, where it was prepared for burial and later was taken to the home of the young man's parents.
John Francis Sheridan was one of four sons of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Sheridan and was 17 years and 10 months of age. His death is mourned by a large number of personal friends, for he was very popular with his companions, but by none is it mourned more than by his immediate relatives upon whom the sorrow falls very heavily. Aside from his parents, he is survived by three sisters, Misses Margaret, Alice G. and Mary Sheridan, and by three brothers, James, Christopher and William Sheridan. His father, Michael Sheridan, is the engineer for the Cortland Waterworks Co. The funeral will be held Wednesday morning. The hour will be announced in to-morrow's STANDARD.
Nothing has occurred in our village in many years which has called forth a more general expression of profound regret and genuine sympathy than the death of this young man. And along with these expressions have been many words of sincere admiration of the courage and self-sacrifice of one who risked and lost his life to save his companion. The boy who was in danger was saved, and the one who saved him was lost. Whoever goes to the rescue of a drowning person always does it at the risk of life. He may be injured by the struggles of the drowning one, or the death grip may be fastened on him and. both may sink together. Young Sheridan had never been strong, but without a moment's hesitation he hastened to the relief of the drowning boy, and after giving him a push towards safety sank out of sight and out of life. Whether the sudden exertion or a cramp or some other cause rendered him helpless will never be known. It is enough to know that he gave up his own life to save another—and had he lived to be three score and ten he could never have died more nobly. Amid the worldliness and selfishness and greed and treachery which are so much in evidence in modern life, such an act as his renews faith in humanity, and gives proof that its better and lovelier attributes have not been altogether lost out of the world.
A DESERVED PROMOTION.
W. T. Busby of Cortland to be United States Express Agent at Binghamton.
Mr. William T. Busby, who since Jan. 26, 1891, has been the agent for the United States Express Co. at Cortland, has received a promotion which comes from faithful and efficient service. He goes to Binghamton to-morrow, where he has been appointed the agent for the same company in that city. Along with the appointment comes a handsome increase in salary. Under Mr. Busby's careful management the business of the company has steadily increased. Binghamton people will find him an honest, courteous and painstaking business man. He will remove his family to Binghamton later. He succeeds W. P. Morgan, who retires to private life.
FAMILY REUNION.
Phelps-Shapley Family Picnic at the Park Saturday.
On Saturday last the descendants of Philo Phelps and Orwin Shapley, with their families held a very enjoyable reunion and basket picnic at the Cortland park, at which old friendships were renewed and many new ones formed.
The morning trains brought many from out of town, and when dinner was announced there were fifty-six who sat down to the long table in the south grove and partook of the good things that had been provided in such abundance. After dinner the company adjourned to the pavilion on account of the approaching storm, and were assembled on the north porch. Mr. Frank A. Phelps called the assembly to order and John H. Phelps was elected chairman of the meeting and L. R. Lewis secretary. Very interesting letters were read from some who were unable to be present.
After a very pleasant season spent in speaking, a permanent organization was effected, and the following officers were unanimously elected for the year:
Counselor—Frank A. Phelps, Cortland.
Vice-Counselor— Wm. Oren Shapley, Harford Mills.
Secretary and Treasurer—Earl Phelps, Cortland.
Assistant Secretary and Treasurer—Francis G. Phelps, Cortland.
Executive Committee—H. Emmett Phelps, Cortland; Miss Rena Hopkins, Marathon; Miss Rachel Phelps, Auburn; Mrs. Robert Wilcox, Harford; Miss Nora Phelps, Cortland.
It was decided to hold the next reunion at Harford, N. Y., Aug. 8, 1900.
The meeting closed with prayer by J. E. Lombard and singing "Blest Be the Tie That Binds."
BREVITIES.
—Chief of Police Parker is enjoying his annual ten days' vacation. In his absence Officer Smith is acting [chief] on the day force.
—The high wind Saturday blew over the smokestack at Hayes' chair factory, causing a suspension of operations for a few days.
—The regular meeting of Grover Relief corps, No. 96, will occur to-morrow, Aug. 15 at 3 o'clock P. M. Please note change in the hour.
—It is expected that the bids for the paving of Port Watson-st. will be opened at the meeting of the board of village trustees to-night.
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