The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-08-12

possession OF MS majesty, and, sur
rounded by his Japanese guard, fed to
Chemulpo and sailed for Japan. Since
then he has been under the protection of
the japanese Government, and it is only
through then, that his life has been pre-
served so long.
The true story of Kim Ok Kiun's taking
off has MOI been told | get it almost direct
from his assassin. He is now nominally in
prison and he cannot be brought into the
presence of the King until thirty days
from the time when his hands have
touched dead body. This is according to
Korean custom. He is we'll treated, how
ever, and when a month has passed every
one expects that he will be called TO court
and receive high official position for his
bloody murder. This mans life would
make a plot for a dime novel, and his
assassinatio of Kim was done, not be-
cause he hated him, but in order that he
might carry out pet scheme of VEN
geance, which has, am told. been the
handspring of his actions for years. The
man who gave me my information is Kor-
can official from the northern part of the
country, who is a close friend of the assas-
sin and who was In Seoul at the time of
kim's rebellion. He came to me almost d.
rectly after talk with the assassin. and the
man told him just how he had killed Kim
at Shanghai and gloated over it as he
related why he did 1t. A more yilla;nous
act l never heard described. The assassn's
name is Hong Chong Woo. He is a man
of about 40 years of age. He was born
near here, and when be was still young
10 Fotb ioIa
Here Hong got an Office. He was a very
unjust official and be levied all sorts of
unfair taxes. He squeezed the people
until they were almost starving, and at
last they arose in rebellion and mobbed
him. In the melee Hong's mother was
killed. The story OF his expressions get.
ting out Hong saw that he could no longer
stay in Quelpart and he went away, VOW
ing vengeance upon the people whom he
had oppressed He told his friends that
he was going to Japan and. that he pro-
posed to learn all about modern ciyiliza-
ton. He would come back in the course
of years TO Seoul and get an appointing
under the King. BY the aid of his knowI-
edge he would work his way up to such a
position as would eventually give him the
and he would then squeeze the life cut of
the people who had killed his mother
This story will sound like a tale Of
Munchausen's when read in the United
States. It does not sound so strange here.
At any rate Hong went to Japan. He
studied French and japanese there until
he became good enough French scholar
TO tran slate Korean books into the French
and to make money out of themS With
this money he went to Paris, and he landed
there with only S12 in his pocket. His
knowledge of French and Korean gave him
work with the missionary societies of the
Catholic church, and he also did work and
became the friend of Pere Hyacinthe.
He accumulated money and after time
returned to Japan. In the meantime
the rebellion of Kim Ok Kun had oc-
Cured. Kim was staying in Yokohama,
protected by japanese guards. Hong saw
that through. killing him he might gain
the favor of the King and get the
Office which would accomplish his
scheme of vengeance. He sought Kim
out. lie wormed his way into his conf
dence. He pretended to want to over
throw the Korean Government. At the
same time he privately told the Minister
from Korea to Toxic that he thought Kim
ought to be killed and that he was ready
to do it. The legation became convinced
of his sincerity, and they first attempted
with him to take Kim TO Korea alive.
They gave him dinner at teahouse in
Yokohama, where there were plenty of
geishas and plenty of wine. The scheme
was to get him drunk. propose ride to
cool of, to capture him during the ride,
carry him to a ship and take him to Korea.
Everything went well up to the time of
getting into iinrikishas for the ride. Here
it failed, because the men from the Korean
legation were not on time.
Then Hong planned the assassna ton at
Shanghai He had great trouble 10 get.
ting Kim 10 leave Japan. and it was only
through persuadiDg him that he had the
money by which he could organize another
revolution in Korea that he got him to go.
Kim thought that if he had $4,000 ne
could get enough japanese troops to go
with him to Korea to conquer the country.
He knew that the Korean soldiers were of
no good and realized that the people were
on the verge of rebellion. Hong pretend
ed he had the money in French bank at
Shanghai, and be showed Kim a forged
check upon this bank for S5000 He told
Kim that there were many Russians IN
Shanghai. and that during his stay in
France he had learned many things about
the schemes of Russia. He said that the
Russians were building the Trans Siberian
Railroad in order to take Korea first and
afterward China. He said they were look
ing about for good strong Korean general
to help them, and that by meeting the Rus
SLAMS at Shanghai Kim could, in all prob
ability, have the command of their forces.
In this and other ways he at last per-
suaded him to leave Japan. He acted so
that Kim had full faith in him, going SO
far as to even present him with sword
cane and telling him he must always have
this with him, so that he could use it IL
attacked by any Koreans at Shanghai.
On the trip Hong paid all the bills and he
furnished Kim with money for his ex-
penses at Shanghai. The two had rooms
at one of the good hotels, and it was in
Kim's own room that Hong shot him.
Kim was lying down in his chair. reading,
and Hong walking up and down the room,
pretending that he was much interested in
book. During the walk he got behind
Kim's chair. and then pulled revolver
and shot him again and again, killing him
at the third or fourth shot. You have all
read how the Chinese authorities pro-
tected him, and how, by LII Hung Changes
order, both he and the dead remains of
Kim were taken to Korea. All this was
barbarous enough, but perhaps the most
hor har nf al IN n ba fnld