The morning call., 1895-01-06


Japanese artist, and they illustrate the
barbarities which the Chinese used in their
treatment of the Japanese prisoners. One
OF them shows how Lieutenant Takenou-
chi, who was captured by the Chinese
when in charge of an advance guard of
twelve Jauanese, was barbarously tor
tured. He was first dragged through the
town by string which was run through
his nose. His hands were tied behind
him, and a Chinaman held him back by
rope, which be jerked occasionally. in
order to intensity the pain of t9e string
through his nose. which was pulled by
another Chinsman, who walked in front.
Soldiers with flags and spears went along,
and criers carried the heads of the Japan
csc priv8es, which had been cut OFF.
After he had passed through the town of
Pinyang his ears we're cut off, and ne was
again led through the streets. At the
third trip his nose had disappeared, AMI
what became Of him after that no one
knows. The dead were horribly mutilated
by the Chinese, and the actions of the
Japanese at Port Arthur were almost forced
by the horrible treatment which both their
living and their dead received from the
Chinese soldiers and mob. When they en-
tered Port Arthur they found the mutilated
forms of their brothers lining the streets.
Archways of japanese heads. with the
noses and ears missing. had been built
over the streets, and the horrors of the
treatment received by the japanese spies
at Marking were repeated again and again
at Port Arthur.
1t must be rem embered that this was
the elimination of work which had
been carried on by the Chinese since the
beginning of this war, and it Is question
whether American troops under the same
circumstances would have acted much bet
ter. Up to the time of the Fort Arthur
massacre the Japanese mad treated the
Chinese with the greatest kindness. They
had not looted the people, and the Chinese
prisoners as a rule preferred to stay with
them rather than to go back to their own
troops and be starved aud lll-treated. The
Red Cross Society of Japan bad up to this
time aeled with fully as much charity and
mercy as it has ever done in the wars of
Europe. Il is a wonderfully live oIgani-
ZaIiOn. The Emperor is its head, and the
Empress has done all she could to aid in
its work, and as far as | could see during
nv stay in Japan it received better sup
port from the people there than our Red
Cross does here. l saw one curious in-
stance Of the charity of the japanese
people in regard to it. 1t was IN con-
nection with Donjuro, the famous Japa-
nese actor. who is as cele brated there
as Henry Irving is in EUgland. He is the
Edwin Booth of Japan, and he owns the
biggest theater of the empire. It is known
~ Toh,, -
5000 people. II has a stock company, l
venture; as large as that of any theater in
New York, and its nightly receipts often
run into the thousands of dollars. Well,
this man DoDjuro donated the receipts of
his theater for one entire week for the
benefit of the Red Cross Hospital. and all
of his actors threw in their services They
shaved from bout 10 in the morning until
about 10 o'clock at night, and the house
was packed. / had a box 10 the second
gallery. which cost me 81. and there was
at least 5000 in the house the day / a.
tended. Suppose one of our greatest
ACTORS should donate the services of him
self and his troupe to the Red Cross for
week, and you get some idea of what these
actors did.
=: 1t takes big house to seat 5000 people.
We have only one or two theaters that
large 10 the United States, and we have
some like that of DOnjuro's. II has no
chairs. and he people sit on the floor in
lIttle square pens about four feet wide.
There is usually little hox of charcoal in
tie middle of each pen for the lighting OF
their pipes, and there is no objection 10
smoking. There is an immense pit and
La ~ n
are open. and it is more like an open-air
concert hall than thealer. The stage is
made in the shape of an immense wheel,
which is turned by man power at the
Change Of the scenes. aud which moves
one set OF actors behind the scenes and
brings another before you. The supes
come on during the play to fix the clothes
of the actors. They are dressed in black.
and you are not supposed TO see them.
Right through one side of the house there
is 4 broad walk Of the height of the stage.
about FIVE feet wide, which forms
part OF the stage. and some OF ths
actors will step off and come down on
this walk above the audience and plav
their parts there. The acting is different
from ours, but is wonderfully strong in
some respects. There are no better fencars
in the world, and these people have won
derfui power of facial expression. The
Japanese appreciate good acting. They
roar with laughter over the comedies, and
a strong piece of tragic acting brings
shouts of applause and the people tear off
parts OF their clothing and throw them
onto the stage. expecting to redeem them
With presents OF money at the end of the
play. There are no ticket-offices and you
get your tiokes at the tea-bouSes near by.
Ladies bring their fine clothes to the tea
houses sometimes and put them on there
before they 90 in. and many order lunches
sent in to them and eat during the acting.
The plays begin in the morning and last
until night. The shoes are all left outside
IN the halh and on going in you pass by
5000 or 5000 wooden clogs, which are
marked with checks. The Japanese women
10 bareheaded, and hence they have not
the trouble about theater hats that we have
in America.
attended the theater In company with
Mr.. S. II. TokiOka, who is connected wi h
the household department of the ralace.
and with him made call upon the famous
DonjuEo. 1t was between the acts that we