The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-01-16
THOSE JAPANESE SPIES.
Secretary Gresham says They Were Exc.
outsd, hut Not Tortured.

outed, hut Not Tortured.
WASHINGTON. D. g., Jan. l5.--Tho
President to-day sont to the senate tho
correspondence in the case Of tho two
Japanese Bplos together with letter
from tho secretary Of state 10 which II
waa stated that tho American consuls
had no authority TO protect Japanese In
China except 90 far as using their good
ollicoa whom occasion demanded. It was
clearly stated to Minister Donby by
Minister OF Foreign Affairs Mustu that
during tho progross Of war Chinese sub.
iects In Japan must DO direct In tho
Jurisdiction Of Japanese courts and mil.
itary authorities and that treaty pro-
visiona to the contrary were necessarily
abrogated by tho war situation. This,
OF course, carried with It tho status OF
Japanese subjects In China Tho letter
further states that thoro 10 scarcely any
doubt tho supposed students woro spios,
United States Consul Jernigan. ut
Shanghai, In report dated November
.. says: "Tho two alleged spics wero
not executed 40 soon rs handed over,
but their cases were under invcstiga.
ton for nearly ak weeks and I am as.
sarod that thoro was no uuiairne,s prac.
ticed against them during tho inyesti.
CATION. In still later report no states
that "a letter from an Intelligent for.
oign resident at Marking. whore tho
two Japanese wero executed, discredits
tho reports OF their torture. Other lot.
ters from tho Same gentleman havo
proved so accurate that l am disposed
to accept tho reported torture as with.
out substantial proof" Secretary
Gresham adds: "The Chinese govern.
ment denies that the mon were put to
death after being tortured, and tho do.
partmen. is not advised that they we're
tortured"
Mr.. Jernigau. in explaining his con.
duct In receiving the students, said:
"Somo Of the papers found In the pos.
session OF tho Japans,o would natur-
ally, in the state Of war now existing,
croato suspicion OF character tend.
ing to support the alleged charge. but
they state that they had boon students
in Shanghai for several years, wearing
Chinese clothes, giving the name OF the
school. the teacher, tho place OF their
lodging and other facts that give to
their statement a. minuteness which
more than raises reasonable doubt in
their favor"
He says tho students arc nero small
boys. he also says in later dispatch
that their papers we're such as intelli-
gent students might prepare for per.
soual information, and in this dis
patch makes his suggestion that Ameri-
can consuls act as arbitrators. On Sep.
tember 3, Mr.. Jerni2au notified Mr..
DENLY OF tho delivery OF the spies and
adds: you seem not to understand
my position here"
In letter TO Mr.. DENLY dated Sep
tember /, Mr.. Jernisan says: "The
result OF the examination was q COM
pleso vindicatiou OF the students from
all suspicion and some OF their papers
were nothing more than notes taken on
geographical subjects. l do not think
tho two boys are spies. Even il roa-
sonable auspicion attached, it would be
cruel to pehead nero boys for indis-
cretions which may have been commit
ted in furtherance OF their educational
plans. l am interested in them be-
cause feel that to deliver them
TO a native court would be to
deliver them to death and this would
lead to retaliation. Tho barbarous
proclamation OF the governor of For
mosa shocks civilization throughout the
world, and yet it rem aims for China to
disavow the prize money rescript for
heads and ships issued here by subor-
dinate officers OF her arsenal. When
the barbarisies and cruelties OF tho dark
ages are sought to DO utilized in modern
warfare it becomes the humane and
patriotic duty Of all claims and races
efectually to protest"