The times., 1897-12-24
WAYLAID And MURDERED
Fate of the American Sailors, Mont
gomery and Epps.
Statement by Commodore McNair Re
eardinG the Killing Shows 1t
Was Not in Brawl.

The information obtainable as to the
| killing vf American sailors in Japan is
SO far discredita hIe to the japanese side
OF the controversy.
One ui the curious incidents of the kill
| ing is That there was, 50 far as can be
| ascerta ineG, ne contemporaneous report
| made of the affairs by American repre-
sentatiNes in 5apan TO the State Depart
ment
The details furnished to the State De
nartment Yesterday have not been given
| TO the public, and it is not likely that
| fun statement VIII lie made until dip
| loInacy has either settled the dispute OR
! has eN lla uSted Itself in tie effort.
A call was r.iateat the a panes legation
| last night with "A view or asoertaining the
allegation uf facts froni the ia panese side.
| The statement was made that tine members
OF the legation We're at a certain placa.
They were not found there on inquiry. II
WAS alsu stated at the legation that no re-
port had been received relating to the
killing of the Americau sailors.
The state Depa Itment is, nevertheless,
proceeding with tn. inquiry into tile ma nner
in wntcntne sailors came Il their death.
Minis; er Buck, al Toxic has ca hled the
stat. DepanI tent that lie has asked the
japanese government 10 Investigate the
killing OF the sailor Montgomery, who was
attac ched to the gnnisiat Yorktown.
The teathf7of this sailor took place In
September, yet it is stated that Mr.. Buck
had not heard of il until so Informed by
the State Department on the other side
Of the eartn. The State Department sent
him an inquiry about Montco a few
days age, TO which h has replied that he
has asked the japanese government TO i'll
veSrigqte the case. II is believed that
the state Department has no later informa-
tion than that sent by Mr.. Buck.
A S To the other case, that of the killing
Of Apprentice EDps, OF the Olympia, the
flagship of the Asiatic squadron, it has
been reported to Minister Buck by Com
modore Nc Nair. in command Of that squad
ron. Tins killing look place in Novem-
Der. Minister Buck took the latter case
before the japanese government, and it
said e. bc now undergoing Investigation.
Commodore Nc cNair las also made ie
port TO the Navy Department eaacerning
the death of both Americans, which report
has been transmitted To the State De-
partment FOR it's Information.
to be that the Americans Were not killed
in a drunken sailors hrawl, but Were
wa ylaic and murdered. II is likely tia the
State Department viii hold its evidence
until the case shah have been 'na;tc Up
from the Jap9nese point of view.
In addition To these reported ontrages
there Was the assault more recently 10y
japanese nn the sailors OF the Yorktown.
1t is believed that the motive In all oil
these cases was engendered out of po-
litical luminosity. The outra Ges are said
TO be, in large mea sure, the result OF ha
blood ara quarrels over the Hawaiian a +
fair, and that the Americans got the worst |
of it by being waylaid and killed.
There appears 10 be enough known IL |
the State Department to warrant an in
sistence on a speedy accounting by the |
japanese authorities for what is believed |
to be the cold blooded murder OF two |
American citizens.