The news & observer., 1895-08-25
BY A CRAZY CHINAMAN
AN AMERICAN MISSIONARY AT
TUNG-CHOW SEVERELY
INJURED.
AN OLD AND RESPECTED MINISTER

He Was Attacked by Demented Car
penter and His Brother and Badly
Cnt---The Two Criminals are Now
in Jail--Minister DENLY Thinks the
Affair WHiCreate a Big Stir i'm China
IAN Official Statement in Regard to
Minister Denby's Silence.
WASHINGTON, d. O., Aug. Mr..
DENLY reports that on the 9TH of July
the Rev. d. Z. Sheffield, an old and
highly respected American missionary,
residing at Tung Chow, a city
about thirteen miles from Pekin,
was attacked by a crazy carpen-
ter and his brother and was Sc
verely cut with a knife. The two Grim
inals were Immediately arrested and are
now in prison awaiting their trial. Mr.,
DENLY adds that matter twill create
stir in China but it is absolutely without
foreign political significance.
MIR. Denby's Silence.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 24.-The follow
ing was given officially at the State
Department to-day:
upon Acting Secretary Adee's atten-
tiOn being called to the statements in
yesterdays papers that much dissatis
faction was felt at the State Department
because Mr.. DENLY had not been heard
from for several days and that he was
supposed to have taken umbrage at In
structions lately cabled to him,
Mr.. Adee said that he had au-
thorized no expression Of the
departments opinion as to the cause Of
Mr.. Denby's silence for the simple reason
that no opinion had been formed or
could nationally be formed in the ab-
sence of knowledge of the facts. The
promptness, good Judgement, and energy
with which Col. DENLY had acted upon
the instructions heretofore sent him
negative any hasty conjecture that be
was now endeayoring with alacrity to
fulfill the duties imposed upon him by
the departments kilograms of the past
week.
''It was to be remembered, - Mr.. Adee
said, ''that China is country of slow
communicative ms, having practically no
speedy mail service and few telegraph
lines; that the problem of the fitting pro-
tection@of the lives and property inter-
ests Of our citizens scattered over ter
ritory covering 1900, 900 square miles
or more, required constant conference
and cooperation between the minister,
Admiral commanding, as we'll trust
worthy information from the pnsuls;
that The TsuDg III YameTo which
is the practical government Of OH !
As far as foreign interests are con-
cerned, is cUmbcous body to deal with,
its deliberations being often prOtracted
and the execution of its decisions de-
pending on the doubtful zeal of the local
vicerOys and provincial governments
and that the necessity of bringing all of
these diverse factors into concurrent
working might well battle Mr. Denby's
natural desire to report to the depart
ment successfully action upon its in
structions.
"To take the case of the Ku Cheng tor
as more properly written, Kutien,)
communication with the Consul at Foo
Chow was obviously necessary to any
intelligent action, and Mr.. HiXson ap-
peared to have put himself beyond tele-
graphic reach. The need of communi-
eating with him by personal message
perhaps explains the press reports that
Commander Newell, of the Detroit,
had gone to Kutien to see him, of
which, however, the State Department
has no confirmation. The telegraphs from
Shang Hal and Hong Kong are to be
taken with some small allowance by
reason of the apparent disposition in
some quarters to work up a prejudice
against the diplomat and naval repre-
sentation of the United States in China,
and dependence upon such reports,
might be more likely to complicate and
defeat than help fully aid the govern
ment in carrying out its practical pur-
poses."
CHOLERA IN JAPAN,