Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-01-28


After the riot of last December the
queen did not like to live in the palace
they then occupied, for she said the
spirits of the murdered mobiles haunted
her; so they moved across the city to an
other palace in the spring. A few DAYS
ago Dr. Heron obtained permission from
the king to visit the palace they had thus
vacated. And away we went, Mr. I'm.
derwood, DR.. Heron two Korean govern
ment officials, chair men, soldiers, ponies
with their little tinkling bells, high sad
dies and all. The palace is so unlike
anything have ever seen that scarcely
know what to say of 1t. The buildings
are not grand, but are very picturesque
with their pagoda.like tops and little
round towers. They are all painted in
blue, red, green and white, and look like
mosaic work. There are hundreds of
little rooms Sx16 feet, and some only SxS.
There are also some larger rooms, but
nothing which makes any pretensious to
grandeur except the kings reception
hall which has the most gorgeous top
and carved wood doors / have ever seen.
The only people who seemed to be living
on the palace grounds were few sery,
ants, with large punches Of KEYS in
charge, and two or three eunuchs who
had the care of the palace ladies' but
were not needed at the other palace.
Everything looked dusty and ghostly,
and the bullet marks and few sword
gashes in the inner gates were unpleasant
reminders of the horrible manner in
which the unsuspccling mobiles were
beheaded last winter as they passed in to
meet The king, as they supposed. Per
haps 'the kings notice to the people"
will give you better idea of the affair
than anything you may have seen in re.
gard to it, and | will give a translation of
part Of it,
"Notice of the crimes of five conspira,
tors will spare you the trouble of
pronouncing their names secretly sought
to betray the king, having long wickedly
conspired, on the 18th day at night Min
Yong lex [cousin to the queen gave
dinner at the Foreign Office. Tn. Mill
tary students and more than ten others
set fire to q house and then hid outside
the gates and waited for the coming OF
Min Yong lex.
They stopped and wounded almost
siQed) him, telling the people that there
was reason for the act. The conspirators
at once went to the japanese Legation
and then to the palace.
Having addressed the king they told
him that a great trouble, had arisen, and
forced him to allow himself to be taken
away; and in the night, as the king was
troubled, he went to the Kyng 0 Kong.
The japanese minister gathered his sol
diers and went to the Kyng o Kong and
surrounded it. The students, more than
ten stood at the gate and prevented the
passage of Koreans, and soon it became
impossible TO obtain access to the King.
Then the cOnspirators, trusting in the
japan sse soldiers, boldly assassinated the
nigh ohYclals Invited them togo in to see
the king, and beheaded them one by one
as they passed through the gates) A
most deplorahie event These five con.
spirators then assuming the authority
and dignity of the boards of war and fl
nance, were supported by the others.
This days work was most deplOrable
and makes one sick to think OF. The
Chinese soldiers took occasion Of the peo
pies regret and the troops were led out
They went to the palace. All that time
the japanese soldiers first fired and the
soldiers fought together and killed and
wounded each other The king retired
by the north gate"
Retiring by the north gate is very
significant, for, about seven miles north
east of Seoul is an extinct volcanic crater
1000 feet high. The crater is about the
size of Seoul; inside are heavy groves of
trees, a stream of water and numbers of
Buddhist temples with armed priests and
well filled storehouse. This place is
only accessible by one entrance having
precipices on all other sides. It, Foulk
acting L. S. Minister the only foreigner
who ever visited it Che being sent by the
king to look after its defense) says, that
200 nen could hold it against 10000.
This is the kings retreat and he watches
it by the north gate which is situated in
the north palace wall and only used for
this purpose. Immediately, on passing
through the gate, the way leads along Il
narrow path made by carefully placed
granite and sand making ridge across Il
very deep chasm. When the king has
passed over, few blows with shovel
so loosens the sand that the whole thing
falls, and pursuit is impossible. Neither
DR.. Heron nor have been presented to the
king as we have never met our own pres
idcnt but he is said to be very good
looking, about twenty seven years old
and has a clear head; but the queen is
older than he and has much influence
with him in affairs of government.
Some anxiety has been felt in regard to
the return of the kings father from Chi,
ma, where he has been kept for some
time, but returned last month at the in,
vitation of the king. We hope, however,
that all can be arranged in peaceablc
way.
The Korean government is more like
the old Patriarchal government than any
thing | know of in these days. The king
calls himself the Father of the country"
and treats the people like children, Civ
ing to each his share of what is produc
ed. All the overplus of grain, food, or
cloth from each province is taken to the
kings storehouse where he sees that those
provinces which have more cloth than
they need, and want rice or some kind of
food, get fair exchange, and those
which have too much rice get cloth in
exchange. This is said to have been at
tended to very carefully and fairly a
number of years ago, but the system is
not so well kept up now.
You will be pleased to know that the
Korean Royal Hospitals grand success
and is one of the queens pets. In fact
she established it in honor of her cousin,
Min Yong lex srecovery from the wounds
he received during the riot The two
Dr.s Allen and Heron are able to visit
over one thousand sick people every
month and have had great success, which
greatly pleases the king and queen.
His majesty sent letter of welcome to
DIR. Heron shortly after we arrived, and
we often receive gifts from him. Shall |
tell you of the last royal gift? 1t was Sat
urday afternoon. was sitting darning DR..
Heron's socks in most peaceful frame
of mind, when the little Korean house
boy rushed in with evident excitement,