New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-19
GOSSIP AT THE CAPITAL
MIR. sILL's GOOD OPINION OF coRNA
AND ITS PEOPLE
THE MEANEsr CoNsTTrUENT-TITE KAvoSAGf"
OF COUNTY CARLOW CoNGRtsSioNAL LII
BRARY MAY BE OPENED EVENINGS.

BRARY MAY BE OPENED EVENING"
Washingt Dec 1S-Envoys OF the oni'-"
States on their return home. espeCia'S
the Orient about which there Is sun enooe
mystery to make It the most romantic part Oh
the world bring interesting tales OF 'nen
perlences. John NJ B. Sill. Of Detroit FORMER
limited States Minister to Corea, who recenus
visited the capital for the purpose OF settiihs Up
his accounts with the State Department, has ~
| his testimony In regard to the tragic death OK
the Queen of Corea, finally set at rest LIE
rumors. constantly springing up here, that INC
unhappy consort OF the King is still alive Inc
story told by Mr. Sill corresponds IN every oe'~"
with the account given by Mr.. son. the io' nc
Minister from Corea. and. at the time OF h~
death here last summer. member OF the FFN5
Council.
According to Mr. Sill, the murder Of the Queen
who for twenty years before her death was '"'
power behind the throne and welded q tre-
mendous influence, melted by tai Won
Run the father Of the King and regent ourihs
his minority a crafty intriguer and clever pois-
tician The story Of her ASSASSINATION. togeene'
with her attendants. In small room OF 'ns
paIace has often been told. and Mr.. Sills &C
count does not differ from the accepted version.
But he says it was long time before the King.
persuaded that she was dead. Reports came %
him that she had been seen alive in dinerenk
parts Of the kingdom and he cherished the hope
of being again united to her. He was al lasS
convinced however that she had been assasa-
mated by her enemies. and in proof OF TINS nef
skull identified by the teeth and the bones on
her fingers were shown him The time Tor IN
funeral to bury these remains has been SET ITO
Quently but they are still above grouno' oV
jectons being made on every occasion py tns
soothsayers either that the time was ho' ao-
spicious or that the place selected was haunted
by devils and spooks
Mr. Sill professed himself fond Of both the
climate and life Of Corea, and has a much higher
opinion Of its inhabitants than that entertained
by uients and scientific men who nave maoS
that country a study. The people. he says. are
intelligent and we'll educated. according to Co
rean standards and their literature. OF which the
Confucian classics comprise a large part is a
rich one. Seoul boasts Of tri-weekly news
paper. printed in English on side and in
Corcan and Ernmoun on the other. Ernmoun
IS dialect Of the country. in which its traditions
written. passed down through centuries oy
mothers 10 their children
Mr. Sill's views concerning the intellectually
IF the Coreans coincide with those Of the in
structors in this country Of the students from
the Hermit Kingdom" The young men who
come to America TO work in Its universities are
exceptionally bright and adapt themselves to the
customs and manners in vogue here as quickly
as the japanese and much mere easily than the
Cinnamon. who cling tenacously 10 their
tional habits They are. too. amiable and APP
preciative and have made themselves liked
wherever their lines have fallen