The record-union., 1897-02-12
SHOT HIMSELF IN The HEAD.
CAPTAIN PHILO N. M'GIFFEN COM
MITS SUICIDE.
End of Former Naval Officer Who
Had a Brilliant Career Both in
This Country and in China.

NEW YORK. Feb. 11.-Captain Philo
McGiffen, who commanded the Chinese
ironclad Chen Yuen in the battle of the
Yalu River, in September. 1894. during
the Chino-Japanese war, committed
suicide early this morning in the Post
Graduate Hospital, to which he was re-
Gently admitted for treatment. He shot
himself over the right ear.
The nurse found him sitting up in
bed with his back proped up by pill
lows. Blood was streaming from an
ugly wound in the right side of his
head. On little table, directly at the
head of the bed, was one revolver. and
on the floor near the bed, another. One
chamber had been discharged from the
pistol on the table.
On the table was a note written in
lead pencil. The paper appeared to
have been torn from a note book. In
substance the note said the Captain left
his respects to his people and friends,
and regretted the act he was about to
commit. How he came in possession of
the pistols is not yet known. The Cap
tain was taken to the hospital last
month by some friends.
About the middle of January the Cap
tain became insane and it was found
necessary to have him confined. He
was taken to a room on the second
floor of the puilding, with window OPP
ening on Second avenue. He had men
tai trouble for months before it devel-
oped into insanity and on being remov-
to the hospital he was so violent that
it was found necessary to place him in
a straight jacket.
Dr. Hammond attributed his condi-
ton to wounds received in the battle
of Yalu River.
Philo Norton McGiffen, who COM
manded the Chinese ironclad Chen
Yuen at the battle of Yalu River, was
born in Washington, Pa, in 1852, and
was a son of Captain Norton McGiffen,
who served in the Mexican war with
distinction. He graduated from the
Naval Academy at Annapolis with high
honors in 1882. For personal bravery
Captain McGiffen Won admiration long
before the battle of Yalu River. He
was thrown by accident of travel into
the midst of the great railroad strike
in Pittsburg in 1877. and rendered his
services to the city. They were ac-
cepted. and he distinguished himself
by personal bravery, running an engine
single handed through a mob of strik-
ers to rescue railroaders imprisoned in
the round house. He was given a gold
medal and vote of thanks by the City
Council.
When a naval cadet in Anna polls,
McGiffen received the thanks of the
Secretary of the Navy for rescuing two
children from burning building.
Two years later McGiffen was com
plimented in a general order from the
Secretary of the Navy. for an act of
personal bravery in going aloft to Sc
cure a spar on the Constitution during
a hurricane, when the sailors would
not venture into the rigging.
After graduating near the head of his
class. McGiffen was honorably dis
charged in 1884, owing to a reduction
in the number of midshipmen He en-
tered the service of China during the
F'rancoChinese war, and was distin-
guished for sallantry, was sent to Eng
land to superintend the construction of
ironclads. and at the outbreak of hos
tilities with Japan. was put in COM
mand of the Chinese squadron.