The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-03-28
II GETTING BETTER.
His Wouldbe Assassin Is a
Lunatic.
RUSSIA is BACKING JAPAN.
Der Demnnds For Great Concessions From
China Likely to BE Granted - Russia
Will Receive Long-sought Favors-Lrs
Assassin May BE Shot.

KOBE, March 26-Li Hung Chang is
making good progress toward recovery
from the effects of the bullet wound in
his face inflicted by Koyama Rokuno
suli The wound has developed no
dangerous symptoms.
The wouldbe assassin is reported to
be lunatic He has criminal record
and has served term Of imprisonment
A Washington special says; Informa.
tion coming to the Chinese legation is
10 the effect that Lii Hung Chang's
wound is not dangerous except as com.
plications may develop 1t is in the
neshy part of the face. but fortunately
no part of the skull has been fractured
or any vital organ reached. Prince Lis
advanced age and several constitutional
disorders which make him almost an in.
valid, however, may aggravate an 9th.
erwise harmless wound. On his arrival
ut Shimonoseki Ii was too sick to leave
the slip which brought him. He has TO
be carried about, this being necessity
In his case as well as an honor due his
rank Officials of the Japanese lega.
ton say the offender probably will be
charged with treason, as the assault is
not only against the person of Ii Hung
Chang, but also against the japanese
government
1t is probable, also that the trial will
be, by court martial, If the martial law
existing at Hiroshima has been extend.
ed TO Shimonoseki. Conviction by court
martial would mean that the offender
would be shot While hanging would
be the penalty If civil court convicted
him, that form of capital punishment
having been substituted for decapita
tion in Japan. In this connection Jap
anese officials say the Lord High Exc.
cutioner" of "Mikado" fame never had
an existence of fact. Mrs. John w
Foster wife of the ex-secretary of state.
who accompanies Ii Hung Chang in an
advisory capacity, has not heard from
her husband concerning the shooting
She regards this as favorable, as he
assured her he would use the cable
freely. Mr.. Fosters last letter came
Shanghai, prior to joining Lii at Tien.
Tsin. Apparently Mr. Foster regards a
peaceful settlement as sure to come.
The letters speak of the care the jap.
hnese government took to prevent a
popular outbreak when the first peace
commission met at Kobe So fearful
was the government that the anti.peace
feeling might bring out some shooting,
such as that which has occurred to Ii,
that all school teachers were directed to
teach Japanese children, it was a neces.
sary feature of civilization to accord
every respect to foreigners
Diplomats here are inclined to believe
that the entire peace negotiations posi-.
bly, may be broken off by the assault on
La, by affording pretext for European
intervention. Ii himself, however,
will prevent failure of peace negotia.
lions II it be possible for him to do so,
% the Empress Dowager has so i'm
pressed upon him the necessity of re-
turning to China with a peace settle.
ment, that failure, it is asserted, will
be followed by his committing suicide
Officials here regard it as settled that
Russia and Japan have reached an un.
derstanding by which the former will
extend her territory southwark from
Vladivostok, thus securing Pacific
harbor open the year round This has
been an acquisition Russia has long
sought, and it gives an eastern ocean
outlet to the great Siberian railroad
The understanding is regarded as so
definite and settled that those diplomats
here who are most concerned with the
subject say Japan is now assured of
Russla's support in urging heavy con.
oessiOns from China