The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-05
MURDERED by JAPANESE.
Correspondence Relating to the Kill
ing of Two American Sailors.


ing Of Two American Sailors.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE President to-
day transmitted to the Senate correspond
ence received at the State Department con-
corning the murder of Frank Epps and VIM.
Montgomery, United States sailors at Ma
gasaki, Japan. The details of these murders
were published from advices to the State
Department on Dec. % last. In the CORE
spondence to-day sent to the Senate, under
date of Dec % Minister Buck called the at
tention of Baron Nissi Tocziro, minister of
foreign affairs, to the failure of Japan to
arrest the murderers of Montgomery and
,Epps, and urged that the authorities of Ma
gasaki be directed to do ali in their power
to apprehend the criminals Baron Nissi
expressed to Minister Buck his interest in
behalf of an earnest effort to discover and
arrest the murderers in both cases. Writ
ing to Minister Buck under date of Dec. %
Admiral AIcNair. after reviewing the cases,
concludes: Il am therefore led to believe
that the actions of the Japanese authorities
in this case have been characterized by Z
lack either of energy or intelligence, or
BOTH"
The opinion of the Governor of Nagasaki
based upon evidence discovered by his po-
lice officials. was that Montgomery met his
death by drowning and not by murder.
Against this is the statement of Past AS
sistant Surgeon j. E. Page, United States
navy, that Montgomery came to his death
by drowning, having nrst been rendered UNI
conscious by the infiiction of either one or
TWO wounds
Admiral McNair, writing to Minister Buck
under date of Dec. Y, expresses doubt that
the men arrested by the Japanese officials
Tor the murder of Epps are the real Grim
inals. and adds that THE strong pressure
brought TO bear upon the japanese authori-
ties by yourself and the consul has COM
PEELED at least apparent display of en-
crgy in seeking the murderers of Epps
which is in contrast to the listless course
OF action pursued in the case of Mont
gOmery.'
Consul Abercrombie, writing to Minister
Buck from Nagasaki under date of Dec. g.
gives this account of the death Of Epps
At about S:3J D. m. on the night OF Dec. II
men on board the British ship Saint Enoch
heard scuffiing and a cry for help from the
sampau near by. Two of the sailors
Jumped into Il sampau and Sculled to the
spot. but not quick enough to intercept the
Sampau men, who eXtingulShed their light
and got away, but they succeeded in picking
up a cap with the Olympia's cap ribbon and
Epps's name marked thereon. Sworn state
ments were made before Capt. c. " Grid
ley, commanding the Olympia. by the mate
and one seaman of the Saint Enoch stating
that they saw a seaman of the Olympia
struck by the sampau men and pushed over
board. Later, according TO Consul Aber-
crombie, the supposedly guilty sampau men
were arrested and held for trial. 1t appears
from q letter to Secretary Long from Adj
miral McNair that the Japanese authorities
made no effort 90 obtain the dispositions of
the mate ard seaman of the Saint Enoch
who were Witnesses of the murder of Epps,
and that at the preliminary examination of
the alleged murderers mo person repre-
senting any branch of the United States
government was allowed to be present