Cortland Evening Standard, Tuesday, August 14, 1900.
SOUNDS LIKE DESPAIR.
Sir Claude MacDonald Says Situation Is Desperate.
GENERAL MASSACRE PROBABLE.
Message From Legation Dated Aug. 6 Says Supplies Could Not Last 10 Days. Russians Employ Terrible Methods in Fighting the Chinese.
LONDON, Aug. 14.—The British consul at Canton, says The Daily Telegraph's correspondent there, has received the following message dated Aug. 6 from Sir Claude MacDonald, British minister at Pekin:
"Our situation here is desperate. In 10 days our food supply will be at an end. Unless we are relieved, a general massacre is probable.
"The Chinese offer to escort us to Tien Tsin, but remembering Cawnpore, we refuse the offer. There are over 200 European women and children in this legation."
The Shanghai correspondent of The Dally Express, wiring yesterday, says: "The allies, at noon Saturday, were within 20 miles of Pekin."
General Chaffee's report, which is the only authentic news received here regarding the advance, located the international forces about 40 miles from Pekin on Friday, It seems probable that this Shanghai report is optimistic. It is scarcely likely that the allies could advance 20 miles in as many hours.
A Yang Tsun dispatch, dated Aug. 7, giving the details regarding the capture of the place, says: "The Russians and French held the left, the British the left center, the Americans the right center and the Japanese the extreme right. The British and Americans advanced on the village at a rapid rate for 5,000 yards, under a severe shell and rifle fire. The Russians opened and the British-American advance became a race for positions, culminating in a brilliant charge.
"The heaviest loss of the day was sustained by the Americans, the Fourteenth infantry having nine killed, 62 wounded and several missing. The Bengal Lancers unsuccessfully attempted to cut off the Chinese retreat."
Another Yang Tsung special says: "Owing to a mistake, British and Russian guns shelled the Fourteenth United States infantry during the night, wounding 10."
Commenting upon this occurrence The Standard says: "It is melancholy to learn that the losses of the Americans, who seem to have borne themselves with conspicuous gallantry, were increased by a deplorable error, in consequence of which one of their regiments was pounded by Russian and British cannon. The incident emphasizes the necessity of that close co-operation which is not easily obtainable without a single commander and a general staff."
Official advices from Yokohama, dated yesterday, say that the allies propose to advance on Aug. 7 to Nan Tsi Tsun, between Yang Tsun and Wu Sing. The Japanese suffered no casualties at Yang Tsun, but the official reports say they had 300 at Peitsang.
Russia's Terrible Methods.
The Daily Mail's St. Petersburg correspondent declares that the taking of Aigun has sealed the fate of the rising in Northeastern Manchuria. He adds: "No prisoners were taken by the Russians. Wholesale massacre was the order of the day; and, when the battle was over, the Cossacks rode over the field, killing the wounded with the butt ends of their muskets."
Once more the press of England remarks upon the ability of the American government to secure news ahead of the rest of the world. "It is to General Chaffee," says The Daily News, "that we are again indebted for news from the front. Not a single dispatch from Sir Alfred Gaselee has thus far been issued by the war office."
Commenting upon the American reply to the Chinese overtures, The Daily News says: "The reply is more conciliatory than that of M. Delcasse and, in some respects, it is a little ambiguous. Still its substance is the same. It may be observed that the United States government does not seem to separate itself from the allies."
All the small arms and ammunition used by the allies will be in accordance with the recommendations of the peace conference, none being explosive or expanding. The drain of China and South Africa upon England's stores is so great that every private firm has been enlisted to help the government supply the demand and to restore the reserve, which is much below par. All the great ammunition firms are working night and day in their efforts to meet the government's wishes.
Captured by Boxers?
SYRACUSE, Aug. 14.—Word has been received here that Frederick J. Dunford of Company C, Ninth regiment, has been missing since July 10. It is feared that he was captured by the Boxers in a skirmish that morning.
RUSH TO PEKIN.
Allied Troops are Due to Arrive There on Wednesday.
NEW YORK, Aug. 14.—Cabling to The World Frederick Palmer sends dispatch dated from the headquarters of the allied troops in the field, Tuitsung, China, Aug. 8, via Shanghai, Aug. 12, which says: "The general advance of the allied forces began this (Wednesday) morning. The order is to rush to Pekin with no rest. We probably shall arrive at the gates of the Chinese capital in seven days, reaching there next Wednesday. The enemy is demoralized. The Chinese are reported to have retreated straight to Pekin after having been unexpectedly driven out of Yang Tsun on Monday. Yang Tsun was captured by the Americans under General Chaffee. They led the allies in the forced march from Peitsang and attacked before the natives had recovered from the effects of their signal defeat of the day before. The United States regulars made a dash when they found the enemy and soon were masters of the position.
But just here a most distressing thing happened. The Americans had done their work so quickly and thoroughly that they were in the Chinese trenches before the rest of the allies knew it and a Russian battery threw shells among the Americans through a frightful error. The American casualties are estimated at about seventy, mostly among the men of the Fourteenth infantry. Part of the Fourteenth's losses were caused by Russian shells. Forty per cent of the men of the Ninth infantry were exhausted by long, hard marching and the intense heat.
LETTER FROM CHINA.
From Allie Russell of the Fighting Ninth at the Front.
Mr. Horace Russell [of Cortland, N. Y.] has received a letter from his son who is in the Ninth regiment in China, from which we are permitted to publish some extracts as follows:
LOGAN, U. S. A. TRANSPORT, July 7, 1900.
DEAR FATHER—Hoping my last letter found you all well and happy, I thought it would be some time before I could get a chance to write to you again, but luck favored me for once, so I thought I would drop you a few more lines while I could rustle the material.
We are outside of Taku, the Chinese seaport, where we expect to land by lighters to-morrow and march from there 110 miles to Pekin, where most of the foreign troops are at present. Most all nations are represented by warships and troops. I am a bit seasick but it is doing me good, for it cleans one out. I believe as every one else does that this thing won't last long and as soon as it is hushed up the Ninth regiment will be ordered home.
The Chinese are putting up a pretty stiff fight just at present, but it can't last many days, because there are 30,000 troops at Tien Tsin and 20,000 more landed to-day, and more expected tomorrow.
A lot of missionaries came aboard today and are going back to Nagasaki and from there home.
We have had a fine boat so far and hope we will strike such a good one when we start for the States. If you don't hear from me again for some time don't worry, for I am all right now, and if anything should happen you would hear about it on short notice.
We leave the boat in light marching order and three days' rations to last us five days in our haversacks and each man carries an axe, shovel, or a camp kettle.
From your loving son, ALLIE.
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| William McKinley. |
PAGE TWO—EDITORIAL.
McKinley and the Methodists.
There are many rumors afloat says the Utica Herald-Dispatch about the attitude of the Methodist church towards President McKinley. It is asserted that he will lose thousands of votes on account of his action in the army canteen matter. It has been denied that there is any considerable number of Republican Methodists who will fail to vote for him. We confess we cannot understand the position of the person who condemns Mr. McKinley for an action which to most men who know anything of human nature and actual conditions is worthy of praise as an illustration of good judgment and common sense.
The canteen system in our army permits the regiment or battalion which is at a military post to establish a place at which supplies are sold, consisting of most of those necessary small wares and luxuries which soldiers need, together with tobacco and the lighter alcoholic drinks. The sale of these latter is permitted under close official supervision, making intoxication difficult, if not practically impossible.
But to many conscientious persons the sale of beer and the drinking of beer is as wrong as the sale of the worst rot-gut whisky and the excessive drinking of the same. We will not "compromise with sin," they say. To such we commend the words of that long established organ of New England Methodism, Zion's Herald. A reader asks it what a Methodist ought to do in view of the declaration of the bishops that no political party, so long as it stands committed to the license [regulation of alcohol by tax—CC ed.] system, should receive the vote of Christian men. Both great parties are thus committed. Zion's Herald answers that the utterances of the bishops set up a high standard which it is really impossible at present to realize. It declares that the effort to found a party whose only or main issue is the prohibition of the liquor traffic has humiliatingly and hopelessly failed. At the present time the way of duty seems to the editor perfectly clear.
"It is plain," he writes, "that either the Democratic or the Republican party will succeed—either William J. Bryan or William McKinley will be elected president of the United States. The editor cannot vote for Bryan because of his financial views and his policy toward our new islands possessions. So pronounced are we in our convictions on these points, that we could not vote for [any] with the third party, because a vote so cast would help to elect Mr. Bryan."
It is plain how this editor will vote. Undoubtedly he speaks for thousands of other Methodists in the United States.
THE PROHIBITION TRAIN
To Visit Cortland With the National Candidates in October.
The Prohibitionists had an enthusiastic meeting at their headquarters in Collins hall last night and subscribed the $100 needful to secure the stopping here for a day of the Prohibition train when it starts out on its campaign in October. The news dispatches on Aug. 8 told of this train and the fact that John J. Woolley and Henry B. Metcalf, the Prohibition candidates for president and vice president, and a glee club would make a tour of the country in October, stopping at those places which could raise $100 to defray expenses. The local Prohibitionists plan to have a grand rally of the county at that time and to get other speakers from the state and make a day of it generally. The date of course cannot yet be fixed.
N. Gooding Improving.
Conflicting reports have been in circulation on the streets [of Cortland] to-day as to the condition of S. N. Gooding, who suffered an operation for appendicitis at the hospital a few weeks ago. Mr. Gooding improved steadily and got upon the regular hospital diet with a good appetite till Sunday at about 1 o'clock when he was suddenly seized with a griping pain in his bowels. There was an obstruction and it continued for about twenty hours. Dr. Sornberger tried all Sunday night to relieve it, but to no purpose and he then telegraphed to Dr. Miller of Syracuse who performed the operation. Dr. Miller was at Fourth Lake in the Adirondacks, but said he would start for Cortland at once to perform another operation. Dr. Sornberger continued his efforts to remove the obstruction and two hours later succeeded and Mr. Gooding was out of pain in a moment. He sat up all the afternoon and felt very comfortable. It was too late to reach Dr. Miller by wire and he came to Cortland, reaching here at 11:25 last night. He took a look at the patient, but thought he was doing just as well as possible and would soon be well again.
Illness of Geo. P. Hollenbeck.
Mr. George P. Hollenbeck returned last Saturday from a business trip to Worcester, Mass., having a very decided pain in the side. Dr. Higgins diagnosed the trouble as an enlarged gall bladder. Dr. H. L. Eisner was down from Syracuse last night in counsel and agreed with the diagnosis. The steps taken for relief did not prove effective and Dr. Van Duyn came at 1 o'clock to-day to perform an operation in which he was to be assisted by Dr. Higgins and Dr. Dana.
4:15 P. M.—The operation was performed this afternoon and the difficulty proved to be appendicitis instead of an enlarged gall bladder. The appendix was removed and Mr. Hollenbeck is as comfortable as could be expected. He stood the operation well and has a good chance for recovering.
WEST POINTERS PUNISHED.
They Kept "Silence" in the Presence of the Officer.
NEW YORK, Aug. 14.—Forty cadets at the West Point military academy have been sentenced to the most severe punishment ever inflicted in the course of discipline at the institution. The penalties include shortening of furloughs, details to detested guard duty in the area and confinement to barracks limits for long terms which will prevent participation in "hops" and attendance at football games. The guilty ones had greeted Tactical Officer Lindsay with "silence" when he entered the mess hall because he had reported the 1908 class for hazing a "plebe" and it is this class that will suffer.
RETURNED FROM EUROPE.
And Report a Fine Time—Others Will Come Later.
Mr. and Mrs. N. H. Gillette, Miss Florence Van Bergen and Mr. Robert I. Carpenter, who sailed from New York on June 30 on the City of Rome for a trip through some portions of Europe and to the Paris Exposition, reached Cortland this morning on their return, all well and happy. Miss Goodrich left them at New York for a visit in Pittsfield before coming back to Cortland and Miss Barnes went directly to her home in King's Ferry. All of these except Mr. Carpenter came on the Astoria which reached New York between 8 and 9 o'clock Sunday night and anchored outside. Mr. Carpenter came on the Laurentian which started with the Astoria but arrived seven hours later. Mrs. Tillinghast and Miss Stone are now at Grassmere in the north of England, but sail with Mr. and Mrs., and Miss Muller, and Miss Van Hoesen of Truxton on the Ethiopia on Aug. 25.
All report a pleasant time. It has been unusually cool in England and Scotland this summer and some crops will hardly mature without more warm weather. It was fearfully hot the week they were in Paris at the exposition, but last week during the hot wave the steamer was away up in the latitude of Labrador and wraps were needed all the time on deck.
The Astoria voyagers relate that two sailors, who were unwilling to begin the trip, jumped overboard when the ship was well started out and attempted to swim with all their might for the port. They were overtaken and brought back on board. Two trunks which got started wrong, were also given a ducking in the brine while being taken from the ship.
The Laurentians gave three concerts in coming across, in which Mr. Carpenter gave valuable assistance. One of these was for the benefit of the Sailors' Orphan society of Scotland, and in this Mr. Carpenter had two solos and three obligatos.
BOSWORTH & STILLMAN
To Succeed J. A. Jayne in the Shoe Business at 5 Main-st.
J. F. Bosworth of Cortland and G. G. Stillman of Utica have bought out the stock of boots and shoes and the business of J. A. Jayne at 5 Main-st., and will continue in the same line at the old stand under the name of Bosworth & Stillman. The store will be closed to-night for inventory and the formal opening will be on Saturday, Aug. 18. These two young men are energetic and active. Mr. Bosworth has been for eight years a clerk for A. S. Burgess and is well and favorably known here. Prior to eight years ago Mr. Stillman lived in Cortland, but then went away to act as a representative for G. H. Hammond & Co., the great beef house, in whose employ he has been ever since. He is a nephew of L. F. Stillman of Syracuse, formerly of Cortland. They purpose [sic] to keep a large and varied stock of goods—one that will suit all classes of purchasers. They will aim to please and they intend to please, and they will doubtless have their share of patronage.
New Superintendent Appointed.
Mr. W. S. Barker, who for the past eight years has been the efficient and popular superintendent and manager of the Homer and Cortland Gas Co., has resigned his position to take effect Sept 1, and his son Mr. Charles W. Barker, who through all these years has been his assistant and right-hand man, has been selected as his successor. If the father wished to resign no better choice could be made than the son and no one would be more acceptable to the patrons of the company. Mr. W. S. Barker will take a long vacation and much needed rest before undertaking any new line of business.
HOME TELEPHONE COMPANY
Secured New Offices in Third Floor of Wickwire Building.
The Cortland Home Telephone Co. has leased of Wickwire Brothers the third floor in the Wickwire building on Main-st. over McGraw & Osgood's shoe store for its general office, power room, director's parlor, storeroom, etc. With this point settled the chief engineer will immediately commence operations.
SENT TO SYRACUSE.
Weeks Tried to Cut His Way Out of Cell Last Night.
Grant Weeks, who was arrested by Officer Day Baker last night for public intoxication, was sentenced by City Judge Davis this morning to a term of six months in the Onondaga county penitentiary. Weeks was locked up in police station last night, and with a big jack knife he had attempted to cut his way out by whittling away the casings from around the lock in the door. He has been before the judge three times in the last six months. Weeks was the first man to answer to a charge in police court since Aug. 7.
BREVITIES.
—John L. Lewis lodge, No. 587, I. O. O. F., will confer the first degree this evening.
—The Wallace Wallpaper Co. started up its factory this morning to fill orders for the fall trade.
—Adjourned meeting of the Emerald Hose company will be held next Friday evening at 8 o'clock.
—A new fire alarm box has been placed in the Wallace Wall Paper Co.'s factory. It is No. 334.
—There will be a business meeting of the Epworth league of the First M. E. church to-morrow evening at 7:30 o'clock.
—The Delevan family picnic occurs at the park to-morrow and a large representative of the very large family is expected to be present.
—Regular council of Pecos tribe, No. 357, Improved Order of Red Men, will be held at 8 o'clock sharp Thursday night. The adoption degree will be conferred on several candidates.
—Though Cortland did not get much rain when the cool wave came along she should perhaps be thankful that she did not get the hurricane or tornado that seemed to come on all sides with the rain that fell.
—New display advertisements to-day are: Palmer & Co., Special contest at county fair, page 7; F. I. Graham, Good by headaches, page 7: Warren, Tanner, & Co., Muslin underwear, page 7; Brown's Pharmacy, Every lady, page 7.
—The Syracuse papers announce that Rev. Dr. W. P. Coddington is likely to be chosen dean of the College of Liberal Arts, Syracuse university, to succeed Dr. Leonard, resigned. Dr. Coddington has been connected with the university since its founding.
—There will be no lack of opportunity for picnics to-morrow. The Knights of Maccabees go to Cayuga lake at 7:30 A. M.; the grangers go to Ross park, Binghamton, at 7:46 A. M. or 8: 20 A. M.; the farmers' picnic occurs at Pitcher, trains leaving L. V. station on E. & C. N. Y. R. R. at 8:35 and 9:50 A. M.
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