The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1894-10-03


According to Korean ethics it was not
improper for his enemies to remove
him by the knife or bullet, political
methods that have been employed more
than once in the East in this genera
ton.
Japan now decided that Kim was q
heavy load to carry, and he was or
dered to leave the country by June
81. Kim, however, had other views.
When the police went to see him at
the expiration of the time, he fed to
the French embassy and appealed for
protection. He was, however, turned
over to the authorities, and his fore
ible removal from the country was or
dered on the ground that his presence
tended "to endauger the peace, tran
guilty and external safety of the en-
pire." What to do with him, though,
was knotty problem. Japan wished
to insure his safety. If he was sent to
China he would be killed. Russia
would not harbor him. San Francisco
was proposed, but Kim was without
means, and it was feared that he
would starve there in a land of plenty,
unless the Americans took very kindly
to him. 1t was finally decided that it
was not desirable, for his own sake, to
turn him loose upon the world. Japan
has little group of islets in the Pa
citic, the Bonin Islands, which at that
time were uninhabited save by few
retired pirates and runaway sailors.
So Kim was sent to these far-away
sunny islands to be supported by the
japanese Government. For some years
he contemplated the mutability of for
tune in this retreat, but at last, just as the
little islands wero beginning to bios
som under the nurture of the Japan
ese farmers who had gone to them, the
Government listened to Kim's piteous
appeal and took him back to Japan.
The fact was not generally known, but
it had not escaped the observation of
Koreas agents.
In his retirement and obscurity Kim,
on an evil day, made the acquaintance
of fellow countryman. The man APP
peared to be of very little Importance.
he did not thrust himself upon Kim'a
notice nor appear at all anxious to
cultivate his acquaintance. He was
an agent of the court of Korea, but
Kim seems never to have suspected it.
For weeks and months he would never
go near the man he intended to muir
der. He was carrying on legiti-
mate business in Japan, and
was SO slow, discreet and pa.
tient in promoting the real
purpose of his sojcurn there that his
conduct excited no comment. Very
little is really known of his acquaint-
ance with Kim. What he proposed
to do was to murder the man on
friendly soil where he would not be
called to account for the crime, and
he bided his time. At last his oppor-
tunity came. Kim had @ claim for q
considerable sum of money in South
China. His pretended friend under
took to negotiate for the settlement of
this claim. He knew that he had
completely deceived the old man when
he went to Shanghai to prepare for
the denouement. His dagger was ready
for the victim whose perfect conf
dence he had won. His plans were
cunningly conceived. The problem
was to get Kim to Shanghai though he
seemed to be doing everything in his
power to make it unnecessary for Kim
to make the journey. He reported at
last, that it would be positively nee.
essary for Kim to go to the Chinese
port to sign documents that would not
or could not be sent to him. He knew
very we'll that Kim would not consult
anyone with regard toa visit to China,
and he assured his dupe that there was
not particle of danger. He could
travel in disguise, transact his busi-
ness in few hours and return to
Japan, in perfect safety by the next
boat.
Kim's cunning had apparently de-
serted him, and he went unsuspect-
ingly to the cruel death prepared for
him. The Japanese Government did
not know he was out of the country
until the news came. that he had been
butchered on Chiuese soil. They made
some effort to investigate the matter,
but finally decided that Japan had no
jurisdiction, as Kim was foreigner
murdered on foreign soil. So the
chapter ends. Kim died as he had
made others die. He became the vic
tim of political methods that he had
used with considerable effect upon his
rivals; and the manner of his taking
off shows how stealthily and persis-
tently some Governments of the Orient
are still capable of plying the arts of
the assassin in the pursuit of their
enemies. Detroit Free Press.