The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-12-03
The CIeveIand-Gresham Admfnistra-
tion n Reproach to Americans That
Reside in China.
INSTANT INVESTIGATION
SHOULD BE INSTITUTED TO PRE-
SERVE AMERICAN DIGNITY.
Harper's Weekly Shanghai Corre-
spondent Returns to New York
and Tells His story.

letter from Shanghai regarding American
helplessness in China stirred up a bees
nest around the ears OF Secretary Gresham.
has returned from China He was seen at
his home in Brooklyn yesterday By q cor
respondent At the beginning OF the in
terview Mr.. Ralph said: 1.-The statement
in my story was absolutely true. The
Monocracy was the only ship OF the Amer
lean navy in Shanghai waters between
Aug. 1st and five weeks ago, when i wrote
the story. 1t is true, too, that the Ameri-
can residents there have been compelled to
rely for protection on the war ships OF
other countries. Shanghai is pretty nearly
half English and half American. 1t is Q
little republic by itself; there is nothing like
it anywhere else in the world; little
soeck on the great eggshell of China IL
is governed by the Americans and the En-
slish jointly with subordinate help from
or two other countries Side by side
with the American settlement is q French
settlement on q French concession. and
these three make up the city OF Shanghai.
'The Americans in that city. as 1 say,
have no protection, except such as they get
from the foreigners; and i, as an Ameri-
can citizen, am ashamed to have to depend
foreign countries for that protection
which am, of right. entitled to from my
own country. I have no quarrel with Sec
retary Gresham. and l have not, in my
story. made any pointed references 10 him.
l simply felt humiliated, as all Americans
in Shanghai felt, when our government
turned over two Japanese to death and
torture"
OF the trust the United States had ac-
cepted in offering protection to the Japan
ese in China. Mr.. Ralph said: 1.-The un-
derstanding of every Chinese official in
Shanghai was that our government would
see that all Japanese in Chinese territory
we're safely conducted out OF the country.
The diplomatic people representing foreign
governments in Shanghai understood this
to be the case, and that the Chinese de-
sired to have nothing to do with the Jap
anese in their country during the war and
expected the American consul and consul
general to protect the japanese in their
passage out of the country, and TO protect
them in their departure from the city Of
Shanghai.
THE JAP SUSPECTS. :.
This being the case, my point is that
China would have been satisfied il our
consul-general had refused tS give up the
young men who we're turned over TO tor
ture or any other Japanese citizen. The
first mistake made in this particular Incl
have understood that he admits it, He al
lowed the Japanese to be arrested in the
French concession. After permitting the
arrest he told the young men he would
have to surrender them to China. They
asked 20 be surrendered to the American
consul-general, Mr.. Jernigan, in the hope
that. he could secure their safety. Mr..
them nothing but an asylum pending the
decision of the United States government.
He did not know whether they were spies
or not but he did know how outrageously
| they were to be killed, If the Chinese once
| got hold of them. He therefore allowed
| them to occupy one OF the cells In the little
| told the Chinese that they were in his care.
HE set about system OF correspond
| lay their fate as long as possible. Mr.:
| Jernigan is a thoroughbref American OF
the old school He is North ,,, Carolina
| nervous and courageous as a high bred
| bull; without disliking the Chinese. he
| of them. He had two things to hope for.
/ either that our government would tell him
to let the japanese so or that hoo s %oula o 1n
court or tribunal IL. European Shanghai,
so that every atom Of evidence. both fot
| them and against them, might be produced
and they might have a fair trial. 1t is prob
| able that If his instructions had been saE,-
| ly to open the cell door and let them walk
| mediately. vet there was the chance Of es.
cape and anyhow nobody could have said
| that the Americans had turned them over
If. on the other hand, our government had
| insisted on a fair inquiry into the anesec
misconduct, the Cninese wouio nase ave, unns hez,
| and that we would be able 90 Jucge tneii
| methods afterward. AS IL was Mr.. Jernigar
deightfSSly fully st wfts or sne con MI
but took receipt: ss fSs s
Ralph was asked. He answered: "As q
whether they were spies or not I VIII sa,
that there was great reason TO believe ina
they were. For ten years. ana some JAP
anese say fifteen years. Japan has coveres
China with spies In preparation TOT mi
war. She had them everywhere. Ihe!
were pilots on the rivers.
s'They were coolies In ports and arsenals
| they were in palaces; they nne-tootn Sompe'
China; dressed in plgtaiis ana Cnines ,
helpless old country in a military way thai
any Chinaman or any lo,opyV SnihamS
that ever lived. Ihey knew tne lvaus, va
I There was nothing about which they wer
| not informed. The Chinese ripped open TN
apa5eee lnlns e ana md they found in It proof that h
| at least, had been studying Mancnurla- !
| was a map which showed the roaas, IN
cities' the waterways and other things 4
the province. even down TO the sources 9
| surpiies and storehouses OF grain, ana cal
cuiation as to the ability OF eacn sectio
II
| the other had curious lump or silver IN
| haif an egg. which is a coin they have A
| China The students had a story OF ho'
| they came into possession OF these thing:
| think they said they found the map
| an old book which they had bought In
| book store -
LITTLE DOUBT OF THEIR GUILT
| Mr.. Ralph laughed at the story, but
went on seriously, as follows: Those fac'
any one may twist as he likes, but l can
not see how they affect the question. NJ
contention Is that We either should nc
| nave rneddled in the broii. or. having pu
| our foot i'm Il, we should not have allowe
ourselves TO be In the position TO b
charged with having turned these men owe
10 the Chinese for slaughter without firs
having made at least formal inquiry int
the question of their guilt"
1.-The public wants 10 know wnether
4 not these men were tortured. as has bee
1 stated" said the reporter
Mr.. Ralph replied: The truth as
whether the men were horribly tortured Q
not rests with God and the Chinese. Escs,
| hody believed the stories when 1 was
| CHINA. i knew all the facts CT the Shanl
| hai cases and that Is why i wrote the stor,
but i will tell you another story which
Ala not write about because i was not o
the grounds After We told the Chimes
that American protection meant instar
surrender 10 them of their enemies one {
> n - a..