The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-18
cember last and the colony was broken

cember last and the colony was broken
up.
Only a day or two ago Chin Pom We,
the Korean minister. appealed to the Sec
rotary of State for assistance in securing
the property left by Prince Sob, claiming
that 1t was purchased with money belong
lug to the government. but the latter left
a will in which it was bequeathed to the
Korean consul general in New York in
trust for his relatives in Seoul. Sob was
a very able man, and when he died the
government lost one of its most dangerous
enemies and Tai Won Kun one of his
strongest supporters.
Prince Ye Wha is now under the pro-
lection of Gen. Min Yung Whan, another
Korean exile, formerly commander in
chief of the army who was sent by the
King as an ambassador to the coronation
of the Car of Russia and the Jubilee of
Queen Victoria. He las always been 10y
al to the crown but met Sob kwang Pom
in Washington, who persuaded him that
his life would be in danger if he returned
to Seoul. So he has remained here ever
since, first as the guest and companion of
the late Mr.. Sob and now himself the
head of tho little colony of exiles.
The Prince is studying English and the
modern sciences with Dr. j.. S. Gale, the
Presbyterian missionary, who lived many
years in Korea, and Is famous for having
complied a dictionary of that language.
DIR. Gale goes to him every day and
teaches him and his fellow-countrymen as
an act of courtesy, just as he does Mr.
Ye, the present minister of Korea.
Mr.. Ye is devoted to the King and has
been of very great service to him. II was
through his ingenuity and eleverness that
the King was enabled to escape from the
palace a year or more ago and find refuge
in the Russian legation at Seoul, where,
for the first time since the assassination
of the Queen, he was allowed to carry
out his own viii. While he was in the
palace he was prisoner of his father, Tai
Won Kun, and was compelled, for fear
of his life, to do exactly as Sob Kwang
Pom and other conspirators directed. But
Mr. Chin Pom Ye, the present minister,
made arrangements for his majesty and
the Crown Prince to leave the palace be-
fore daybreak one morning In disguise.
They were carried in sedan chairs Of a
color commonly used by servants.
For several mornings before the escape
was attempted Mr. Ye arranged to have
these chairs go in and out OF the palace,
carrying persons of no consequence, in
order that the guards that had been placed
by Tai Won Kun might become accus-
toned to them and so allay any suspicious
that might be aroused. Finally, one dark
rainy morning, about O'clock the KING
and his son, disguised as servants, were
SmQRSleu INTO lneil ana Cdiiltu Nhhohs
interference to the Russian legation,
where for the first time in a year his mai
esty was able to breathe freely and sleep
without q devoted friend by his side. The
consplracles against his life were so fire.
quent and so bod that he dare not even
eat the food that was cooked In the pal
ace. His meals used TO be brought to
him from the Russian and American le-
cations every day, and DR.. Allen, Dr.
Underwood and other American mission
aries used to take turns sitting in his bed
room while his majesty slept.
AS soon as Mr.. Ye got him into the Rus
sian legation, where his life was secure
the King Issued an edict removing his
own father and the ministry the latter
had organized, and appointing in their
places men in whom he had confidence
| He remained in the Russian legation for
more than a year. In the meantime a
! new palace has been erected for him, ar
ranged so that he can seek the protection
of either in case his safety is threatened
DR. Gale is also teaching Minister He
and his wife the English language. and
| they learn readily.