Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-07-27
War Inevitable.


II. 900 troops to Corea. Eight gunboats
were to convey them. A call was made
for q. 900 troops from each of the Chinese
provinces.
The trouble is caused by long standing
enmity between the nations, precipitated
by the assassination Of Japan subject
The assassination Of Kim 0kKiun, If not
the prime cause of the trouble between
japan and China, has had much to do
with precipitating long standing national
enmities into active preparations for war.
On March 9th last, three men in the garb
of Western civilization. one attended by
Japanese servant, arrived at Shanghai on
the steamer Saikio Marc, from Japan
They called themselves Japanese subjects,
gave Japanese uames and took up quarters
in a Japanese hotel in a foreign settle
ment.
One of the three was. ..Kim-0k-Ki an in
stigator. if not the instigator ofthe Korean
massacre of December. 1898, For nlne
wears Kim had been refugee in Japan.
Unsuccessful demands for his surrender
had several times been made By the King
Of Korea to the Japanese authorities As
the Emperor of China is the acknowledg-
ed Suzersin of Korea much surprise was
felt that Kim shauld have dared to set foot
on Chinese soil.
An English journalist set out to probe
tie mystery, but before he found his way
to the Japanese hotel, the Korean was
lying dead with three revolver bullets IN
his body. On the body of the murdered
man was found a card bearing the name
nKim- Ok Kun" printed in Roman char
acters.
| The murderer proved to be one Hong
Diyong-Ou, Korean of good position. re
Gently a somewhat prominent figure IN
Parliamentary society. He was arrested
next day by an English detective, bat he
was in no way disconnected. He had fled,
be said, simply to avoid the vengeance OF
Kim Ok Kiun's Japanese servant, not to
| escape Justice He had assassinated Kim
by order of the King of Korea, aud. al
though he had not the authorizing docu-
ments with him, it would be produced
shortly by a comrade who had been jointly
| intrusted with Kim's execution.
The next day Hong was formally charg-
| ed with murder at the MIXED Court,
where Chinese magistrate sits with q
European assessor to try Chinese subjects,
and the case was adjourned sine die, pend
ing compromise with Peking Hong was
/ taken into Shanghai under an order from
the Vieeroy, Lii Hung Chang, and lived
very contentedly at the city magistrates,
Yamen, until he was acquitted and sci
tree.
| On Hong's return to Korea after the
murder, he was received with honors,
while his victims body was subjected to
mutiIation and public exposure. The mas
sacre at Seoul, tue capitol of Korea, at the
close of 1884. had been almost forgotten.
but it nevertheless had some international
significance.
The Hermit kingdom had been opened
to Europeans only two years before, when
the first treaties with Western powers
were signed. The young king had recent
ly been handed over the reibs If the gov
eminent from the regent, his father-the
Tai W un- Kun, OF Dying Coon" as
| EDglishmen in the far East were want TO
call him-au era of Western civilati1n had
been started by the establishment of a
customs service and postal sy ystem.
The customs service is still in fall swing,
but the postal system Is represented only
in Philatelists collections by Korean
stamps not one of which v as ever used on
on letter. For on the very day that the
general postoffice was inaugurated with
banquet the massacre occurred.
report was brought to the dinner
table that q fire had broken out close by
the postofIice. Prince Min Yok-Ik, a
brother OF the Queen Of Korea went out to
ascertain the truth of the report, and was
Immediately cut down by sssassins armed
with swords. Herr von Mollendorf, then
foreign advisor to the King, manag-
life was saved by DR.. Allen, a medical
missionary, who is now court physician at
Seoul. and the prince is still proud to show
his terrible scars to visitors from western
countries.
This outrage, however only the begin
ministers. The War minister was first
hacked to pieces, and then during the
night seven other heads Of departments
and others. including the Queens father,
were killed.
1t is firmly believed by the Royslists
that the ex-regent, the Tai-W un- Kun was
the real instgator of the massacre; but,
however that may be, q rebel government
was formed with KimO Ok Kium, the victim
of the recent assassination, who up to that
time had held the minor office of Vice
President OF the Foreign Office, at its head,
but his rule only lasted two hours.
The political crisis was complicated by,
if it did not arise out of, the ancient rivalry
between China and Japan for the suzer-
ainty of Korea. Kin 0k-Kiun was sup
ported by japanese troops; but their were
Chinese troops also at Seoul, and these.
having the support Of the Korean popu-
ace-who, as a rule. hate the japanese
w ere the V1cLpTs III HRut WHICH e0su-
ed
All the rebel Ministers except three
were massacred in their turn. aud the rule
of the Korean King and the Suzeranty of
China pretty firmly established. OF
the three ministers who ascepted Kim-0
Kinm was ore. Kim made his way to Ja
pan, where he lived under the protection
of the Japanese Governm ent until he went
70 Shanghai last march and met bis
death.
II is alleged in justification of his assas-
sinslion by order of the king of Korea that
he had of late years been intriguing not
only with japan, but with Russia, for the
overthrow Of the present Korean monar-
chy and the Chinese Snzersinty and for the
establishment Of a new rule under his
leadership.
IL is believed that Hong Sjyong Gu, the
assassin, was himself implicated in the
massacre of 1884. and that he has sought
To- buy pardon as we'll ~ reward by his
treacbeTy. IL ~, this would account for
| his having been able To work himself into
Kim's confidence and entice him to
China
The money which enabled him to make
| figure in Parisian society during his re-
cent trip to Europe is believed to have
been supplied by the Korean authorities.
The Pennsylvania Reserves.
M. & q