The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-09
HIS SWORD TOO LONG
MIR. YAKIMA ATTEMPTS SUICIDE IN
THE USUAL JAPANESE WAY.
Rash Act of Dependent Diplomat
Who Failed in His Mission
TO Honolulu.

SAN FRANCISCO. Oct. S.-The Japan
Mail of Sept. %. copies of which arrived
here to-day by the steamship China, had
the following account of the attempted sui
eide of Courcilor Yakima:
Mr.. Yakima, councillor of the Foreign
Office who was sent to Hawaii in connec-
ton with the emigration trouble and who
left Yokohama for Japan on the 10Th OF
July, had been in a melancholy frame of
mind even since his return to Toxic On
the Goth of September he was found by a
member of the household in his room
bathed in blood. sword about three feet
long was graspeG in his right hand and
several severe wounds were visible In his
neck and stomach. He was almost uncon-
scious. bit owing to the difficulty of using
weapon of such length for suicidal pur-
poses, according to the orthodox japanese
fashion, he had failed to infict mortal in
juries. A physician was soon on the spot
and the wounds were treated, that in the
stomach requiring fifty stitches. 1t is un-
derstood to be the doctors opinion, If no
complications ensue, a fatal result need not
be apprehended. The almost invariable GUS
tom With a japanese who contemplated
suicide is to leave a written statement OF
his reasons for the act but nothing of this
kind has been found in Mr.. Yakima's case
and it is of course idle to speculate on
the motives by which he was Influenced.
Possibly the simple explanation is mental
arrangement, but naturally there is dis
position to infer that some feature of the
Hawaiian affair had depressed him beyond
endurance.
During the summer over 1900 cases of
dysentery and $500 deaths from the same
cause have been reported throughout Ja-
pam
The Toxic Tramway Company, which is
about to change its present system to that
of an electric railway, has increased its
capital stock to 1900. 900 yen.
The Foreign Department will next year
establish legations in Belgium, Turkey,
| Spain, and five consulates, at Marseilles
Hamburg, Odessa, Calcutta and Kanko.
Ninety persons We're killed outright, three
and other buildings destroyed in the vi
entity OF Toxic by typhoon on Sept. 9.
waien adica ,'ngnr ete me ~ tb 9d at
Councillor Yakima, who tried to commit
suicide in Yokohama, arrived in this city
on the Japanese cruiser Naniwa last May
to assist Minister Shimamura in handling
the japanese immigration matter. He
| proved to be a bright young man of con-
siderable experience in diplomatic work
and he made many friends during the three
months he spent on the islands. He was
ordered home in July, and the impression
got abroad at the time that he failed to
accomplish what was expected of him by
his government and that he had gone home
III ulsSface- AT any rate, prior TO MS de-
| parture the matter had been taken entirely
! out of his hands.
The Supreme Court of Hawaii has af-
firmed the decision of the lower court in
the case of the steamship China, and at a
late hour yesterday G. w. MacFarlane Sc
cured a register for the big, vessel.
DR.. Jerrard K. Smith, a brother of At
torney General Smith, was murdered at
Koloa, on the Island of Kauai, on the
night OF Sept a. A native named Kapea
committed the deed. His brother an ac-
complete, turned states evidence and the
arrest of the murderer followed The
crime was committed because Smith had
ordered his mistress to Honolulu to report
as leper suspect. This action incensed
DR.. Smith was to be married shortly to
Miss Mary Brewer, now in San Francisco
| Senator John T. Morgan, of Alabama adj
dressed large number of natives on Sept
80. He spoke of the benefits annexation
would bring to the Hawaiians.