The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-12
YALU'S HERO DEAD.
Capt. PhiIo McGifin Kills Himself
at New York.

NEW YORK, Feb. 11.-Capt. Philo
McGiffin, who commanded the Chinese
ironclad chen Yuen in the battle OF
Yalu river in September, 1894, during
the Chino-Japanese war, committed
suicide early today in the Post Grad
uate hospital, to which he was recent
~ admitted for treatment. lie shot
himself over the right ear. a nurse,
hearing the pistol Shot entered Capt.
McGifhn'S room, and found him sitting
up in bed with his back propped up by
pillows. Blood was streaming from an
ugly wound in the right side OF his
head. On a little table directly at the
mead Of the bed was n revolver, and
on the floor near the bed was another.
One chamber had been discharged from
the pistol on the table.
On the same table with the revolver
was found a note written ia lead pencil.
The ape appeared to have been torn
from a note book. In substance the
note said that the captain left his re-
spects to the people and to his friends,
and regretted the act which he was
about to commit. How the captain
came IN possession Of the pistols is not
yet known.
TIE captain was taken to the hospi-
tai about the middle Of last month by
his friends and physician, DR.. T. B.
RoolnSOn. Since being in the hospital.
he has been attended by DIR. HamiI-
ton. About the middle of January
the captain became insane, and it was
round necessary to a him confined
IN the hospital. He was taken to a
room on the second floor Of the build
ing, with a window in it, opening on
to Second avenue. He had had some
sort Of OF mental trouble for months,
which developed into insanity, and, on
his being removed to the hospital, ne
was SO violent that it was found neces-
sary to place him in a straight-jacket.
AT that time, and sine then, DR.. Ham
mond attributed his condition to
wounds he received in the battle OF
the Yalu.
The brother of the LEAD man has
been notified, and it IS probable he VIII
take charge of the remains and attend
to the burial.
Phiio N. McGifan. who commanded
the Chinese irOnclad Chen Yuen, at the
battle OF the Yalu river, was born IN
Washington, Pa, in 1862. He was a
son of Capt. Norton McGiffiin, who
served in the Mexican war WITH
distinction, and who was colonel of the
Eighty-eighth Pennsylvania volunteers
during the war of the rebellion. Philo
McGifin graduated from the naval
academy at Annapolis, with high hon
OrS in 1882. The personal bravery Of
Capt. McGiffin won admiration long
before the battle Of the Yalu river.
lie was thrown by an accident of travel
into the midst of the great railroad
strike in Pittsburg. in 1877, and ten
dered his services to the city. They
were accepted, and during the strike
he distinguished himself by personal
bravery, running an engine single
handed through q mob of strikers to
rescue some soldiers imprisoned in the
round house. He was awarded a gold
medal, and a vote Of thanks, by the
city council.
While he was q cadet at the naval
academy, McGiffin received the thanks
of the secretary of the navy for res
cuing two children from a burning
building. Some two years later. Nc
Gif1n was cOmplimented in a general
order from the secretary of the navy
for an act of personal bravery in going
al0ft to secure a spar on the COnsti-
tuition during a hurricane when the
sailors would not venture into the rig
ging. After graduating near the head
Of his class, McGifin was honorably
discharged in 1884, owing to a redEc-
ton in the number Of m~idshipmen.
He entered the service Of China dur
ing the Franco-Chinese war, and was
DISTINGUISHED for gallantry, n was
sent to England to superintend the con-
~stIuctlon Of ironclads. and at the out
break Of hostilities with Japan, was
put in command of the Chinese squad
ron His part in the battle OF the Va
III is we'll known, and although it was
a defeat for the Chinese fleet, 1t ac-
cornplished it's desired end in prevent
ing the landing Of a japanese force in
the rear of the Chinese army.