The San Francisco call., 1897-09-23
HAV ALAN AND
JAPANESE NEWS
A Disquieting Rumor Ar
rived Here on the City
Of Peking.
Japanese Ex-Soldiers Are Said
to Be Going to Honolulu
as Laborers.
Particulars of the Tragic Death of
Captain Nichols of the Ship
Abner Coburn.

which arrived last night from Hongkong
via Yokoha ma and Honolulu brought the
full particulars of a sad fatality at sea.
The American ship Abrer Coburn left
New York on March 25 last for Hongkong
with a cargo of kerosene oil. Captain G. A.
Nichols was accompanied by his wife and
daughter. and his son, ]. f. Nichols, was
second officer. All went well until June
last when heavy weather was encountered.
The second officer was on the cabin
top" says the Shanghai Daily Press,
when he saw tremendous sea coming
down astern with every prospect OF poop
ing the vessel. He shouted a warning TO
his father, who was just coming out OF the
cabin companion. The lll-fated sklpDer
had reached the steps leading to the cabin
top when the sea came aboard. 1t car
ried the wheelhouse and fittings over
board, smashed the wheel and threw the
two helm smen nto the scuppers, Young
Nichols noticed that his ia ther was injured
and at once hove the ship to. 1t was then
found that the chief officer, M. l.. Spark,
was also injured. having been thrown vio-
lently against boat on the TOP OF tha
house, and his thigh was badly fulsed.
The injured men we're taken below. and II
was found that the captains right leg was
broken at the shin bone and the left thigh
bone was also broken. He was uncon-
scious for two hours, and eight hours later
he succum bed despite the most tender and
careful treatment by his wife and daugh-
ter.
The body of the plain was buried three
days later. The deceased was well known
in almost every port in the United States,
and a half dozen old ship-masters were
down to meet Mrs. and Miss Nichols when
the Peking docked with them aboard yes
terday.
When the wheelhouse went the flag
locker went also, and all that was lett OF
the wheel was small section and one
spoke. A rope gear was rlGged and
porary wheel made and with these
the ship was taken into port. Mrs. Nick
OILS said yesterday that the two helmsmen
escaped, almost mlraculously, with lew
bruises, but that the expert nee of all on
board was one that will not readily be for
gotten. The Coburn is a wooden ship of
1879 tons burden and was built In Bath,
Maine.
Two of the blue jackets on the United
States cruiser Philadelphia had a narrow
escape in Honolulu just prior 10 the
sailing of the steamer City OF Peklng.
The Hawaiian Advertiser says that the
two men, Blaine and Shirrer were set to
work in one of the bunkers trimming the
coal, which was being put aboard by the
men on deck.
1t was not long before the chain that
holds up the heavy iron gate broke. The
door fell holding the blueiackets cap
tive. Then the coal began to fall through
the hole from the deck above. The men
cried out, but no help could be obtained.
Gradually the coal kept on falling until
the place became suffocating.
Breakfast time came around and the
men were missed. A search explained
all, but it took three-quarters of an hour
to get Blaine and Shirrer out OF the coal
They were unconscious and 1T was TWO
hours before the surgeon was able to say
they were out of danger.
The japan Mail prints the following:
We heard a suggestion made yesterday to
the effect that now the China is registered as q
Ha waiian steamship, as attested by the flag
she few when coming into this pert (Y oko-
hama), the Japanese Government might seize
and hold her as a ma terlal guarantee for the
payment OF its claims against Hawaii until
they shall be met We, however, apprehend
the claims which have been preferred are by
| this time, or soon will be, submitted to arbf-
tration, when both parties TO it will be bound
| to accept the award when rendered.
On top OF this comes the news that 174
JaTanese passengers were landed at Homo
lulu from the steamer City of Peking.
These are said TO be ex-soldiers of the lale
| Chinese Japanese war. This story is
vouched for by the officers OF the steamer,
| but the Hawaiian papers have nothing to
saw about the matter. In fact there was
no opportunity, as the Peking only re-
manned q few hours in port. According
to the story one of the agents OF the Mail
| Company in Yokohama informed an Off
| Ger OF the Peking that the Japanese were
| in command OF officers and pointed out
one of the corporals. The Gallo lanoed
nearly 400 Japanese on her last trip, and
| it is said that 800 more are expected on
| the Doric. These are split up among the
various plantations, and if they are
soldiers would have a good chance of drill
| ing their countrymen in the art of war.
| Captain j. Tremaine Smith of the
Peking says that if the Japanese who
came from Yokohama on the mail boat
were. soldiers or ex-soldiers he knew
nothing about it. The men and women
were shipped as laborers and as such were
| landed in quarantine at Honolulu. Other
M m bers of the Peking's crew, who were
seen last night, knew nothing at all about
the matter, no. even having seen the
| evening papers.
The Japanese cruiser Nanwia Kan sailed
from Honolulu to Yokohama on the 7th
inst. She was the only Japanese warship
in Hawaiian waters.