The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-02-11
PHILO M'GIFFIN DEAD.
The Hero of the Yalu Com
mits Suicide in the
Post Graduate
Hospital.
MADE INSANE BY HIS WOUNDS
Watchers Care of No Avail Shot
Himself in Bed This
Morning.


in the Chinese navy" said Captain Philo
Norton McGif1n, the hero of the battle of
the Yalu. lying in his cot in the Post
Graduate Hospital three weeks ago. "but
am not in good standing He thought
little and laughed. ''You know" he said,
''it is custom there for a naval officer
when he loses a battle to commit suicide
and they wanted me to follow the GUS
tom; but I declined with thanks
He has accepted it after all. He shot
and killed himself this morning in his bed.
His nurse, who had left him asleep, as
he thought, five minutes before, returned
to find him dead. On the table, beside
the pistol, lay a note, hastily scribbled
on the pages of a leaf torn from his
note book 1t read
"MEMo.
Look alive that the bed is not set
afire by my shot.
my Compliments and adieux to all. I
regret that my destination must remain
to you unknown-but you may. guess.
With apologies to Miss Phelps for the
Au revoir.
ham, my, compliments to Mr. Bennett.
Incidentally may note that though eff
feet my exit it is not the hegira antici-
pated by the learned staff.
Gorham and Bennett, were his nurses.
Miss Phelps is the matron of the hospi-
tai,
McGiffin never recovered from the ter
rife battle of the Chen Yuen with the
Japanese navy. The injuries wrought
upon his body by splinters and shot
healed. but the crash of mighty guns
pounding the armor of the ship echoed
in his ears till the day he was taken to
the hospital a maniac. 1t was his friend
and ciassmate at Annapolis Robert M.
Thompson, who took him there. He is
director in the Postgraduate Hospital and
saw to it that McGiff1n had the best of
attention there. A room was given on
the second floor, and nurses put in charge
of MIN, night and day.
They took a revolver away from him
when he came, thinking it was all he
had No one dreamed that in the tin.
box in which he kept his private papers
there were two others, a Smith & Wes-
son revolver and a monster navy Colts,
both loaded. The box was within his
reach, and he asked for it daily. The
nurse let him have 1t.
The Captain was humored as far as
possible under orders of the doctor. He
was excitable and nervous, but gave them
no trouble from the first. Lately he had
been progressing well, as they thought,
and promised ultimate recovery. They
congratulated themselves upon this at the
hospital, where Captain McGiffin was a
favorite as well as its most distinguished
patient.
Night Nurse James D. Bennett was on
duty last night. All was going well. Mid
wakeful He called for his tin box and
the nurse gave 1t to him. The Captain
sorted over the papers with the lid half
closed, and by degrees became drowsy,
&c 1o6 fA 10 1n6
back upon his pillow and shut his eyes.
The clock struck and he seemed sound
asleep.
It's hands pointed to 2:so O'Clock when
the light and tip-toed from the room. He
was gone barely five minutes. When he
Giffin dead, with a bullet-hole in his
head just over the right temple. He lay
on his bed. with his head hanging out
upon the note on the table. Sitting up
in bed and taking. aim, he had held his
senses long enough to putzit back. Then
on the floor, lay the navy pistol unused.
No one in the hospital had heard the
shot. The nurses cries for help alarmed
they could do nothing. McGiffin had not
lived five seconds after firing the shot.
The nurse told his story and they con-
madness the Captain had feigned sleep
to get the nurse out of the way, and set
about carrying out his scheme the mo-
ment his back was turned
They sent for the police and the police
sent tor the Coroner. He had not come
yet this morning, and the body lay on the
blood-stained cot awaiting his coming.
gave any indication of suicidal mania
while in the hospital. His madness did
not take that turn.
So died the hero of the biggest of mod
ern sea fights.
It was Just month ago that Captain
McGih1n was taken to the Post Graduate
fering from nervous prostration. induced
by overwork and injuries received in the
war between China and japan, in which
ne ne tex Ssn an y,aen active part He
vessels that survived the battle of the
Yalu. In the course of this battle many
We're killed on board the Chen Yuen and
was hit, 1t Is said, over 400 times. Captain
McGlH1n hlmSelf was severely injured. He
was wounded many times, his most ser
charge of a gun on his own vessel.
1t happened that in the course of the
engagement the ship caught fire upon the
naturally. took every advantage. No
sooner did they see the flames then fhe
Janarnese levelled their guns toward the
pour in Shot that those on board the Chen
Yuen might be prevented from putting
out the fire.
Captain McGiffin perceived the danger
and promptly called on his men for vol
unteers to fight the fire. A first detach-
ment went out for the purpose and all
were killed. There was some hesitation
among the sailors when a second call
was made, for not one of them was will
Ing to go without an officer; while on
the other hand the Chinese officers felt
no mcmahon to face a shower of Jap
anese shells and bullets. even though
their ultimate safety depended upon their
doing so.
Aware that delay would be fatal Cap-
tain McGiffin promptly stepped into the
breach himself, and with a body of sea-
men proceeded to battle with the flames.
from one of the Japanese vessels swept
across the deck, killing the crew of one
of the heavy guns, but leaving the gun
itself uninjured. The next man taking
command of the gun was unaware how
McGifin and his men were employed,
and accordingly caused the gun to be
swung over. the port with the muzzle al
most covering them. Just before it was
discharged. McGfffin happened to see his
danger and sprung out of the way Most
of his men were killed at once and he
himself was thrown over by the shock.
Both of his ear drums were ruptured, the
sight of one eye was almost completely
destroyed and he was badly burned about
the head. Nevertheless, as soon as he
was able to do so. he scrambled to his
feet and continued to fight
A few minutes later shell struck a
ladder nearby and a splinter was driven
into McGif1n's hip He withdrew it, how
continued lighting until the end although
In addition to the wounds u had already
received he was struck a dozen times IN
the head and body