Sunday morning globe., 1901-08-18
HOSKI TORU
The Former Japanese Minister In
Washington.
HOW HE WAS SLAIN

HNNNatNla uuA a WoW W WaWl e'b"NNN @"N
Offices His Reasons for the Assassination
Detailed Account Of This Historical and f.
lraOrdInau Msiaer
on the afternoon OF June 21 Toxic
was startled by a political assassina.
tion which presented many features Of
very exceptional character. The
victim was Mr.. Hoshi TOru, undoubted.
ly the most influential politician In
Japan after Marquis Ito a man whose
name has been in everybOdy's mouth
for the past ten years, although 1t 10
difficult to say whether he possessed q
larger share OF nOtoriety or OF fame.
In his capacity OF chairman OF the
Toxic City Council he repaired to the
Municipal Buildings on the 21st inst,
and took part In discussion held with
closed doors, This being concluded at
1880 o'clock, the six members, includ.
ing Mr.. Hoshi, passed into an adjoin-
ing room, and were conversing on va.
rious topics when the door opened and
a man entered the apartment AtIired
In Japanese costume sucu as is worn
by persons Of the upper classes, and
holding his card In his left hand, he
addressed some semi-audible remark to
Mr., Hoshi, and then, advancing quietly
TO the latter's side as though to deliver
the card hesuddenly drew a short
sworn from the folds OF his garments
and with lightning rapidity dealt Mr..
Hoshi five st8bs, all Of a deadly char
acter.
Mr. Hoshi, though a man of power.
tul physique. made no apparent resis-
tance nor uttered any sound. The first
stab disabled him completely, and he
must have been held up by his assassin
to receive the other blows As soon
as he was released he fell on the
ground, vomiting blood, and expired In
few minutes. 1t is doubtful whether
the assassin made any attempt to es-
cape. but a mOmentary struggle took
place between him and Mr.. HoshPs
colleagues who naturally useu some
violence in selling him. Ultimately he
surrendered his weapon quietly, and
desired the City Council to bind him
II they desired, as he had no intention
of seeking to eYade the consequences
of an act performed In the interest Of
his country, On investigation he prov
ed to be one Iba SOtarO, a man aged
about fifty who had acted a distin-
guished and creditable part In the
world Of education and finance, and
VINO, at the moment of his crime. occu-
pied a position Of high trust and con-
siderable emoluments, In his posses
sion the police found a written declar.
alton OF motives such as Is invariably
carried by the political assassin in
Japan. IL ran thus:
THE MURDERER's STATEMENT
81 am not Intimate with Hoshl Toru,
nor do l bear him any ill-will. My
first and only meeting with him was
when, having been undeservedly hon
ored with the posts of chairman OF the
Educational Council OF Yatsuya and
member of the District Assembly, I at
tended a meeting Of the TOXIC Educa.
tioual society, Of which Hoshi TOu
had been chosen president. Ii was
ispossihle to regard with approval the
appointment Of a man so evil and de-
prayed to a commanding position In the
field Of education. and 1 determined
from that moment that his removal
must be affected. Subsequently. I had
no connection Of any kind with him,
but nothing, I was sensible, could be
graver than that such an expert ras-
cal should have the opportunity Of de
basing and corrupting tie administra-
tlOn of the capital, as well as destroy
ing the morality Of the citizens, and
that, while filling an Office which made
him inspector of the city's officials, he
should bring trouble and disgrace on
all, from sovereign to subject. His ae-
completes in bribery and corruption
had been exposed and punished, but
he alone, brazen-faced and incorrlgibIe.
continued with increasing Yigor his ca.
reer Of lnsatiate plunder, spreading
the poison of evil among all classes
and undermining the morals OF the
youth.
For many generations my family
acted as instructors Of swordsmanship
Ina this city. | myself, Indifferent as is
my capacity, have sought earnestly not
only to further the course OF education
and TO encourage the taste for learning.
but also to foster the spirit OF military
science. Further, I have felt Il duty
10 spare no effort for the improvement
Of agricultural and manufacturing IN
dustry, though / am we'll aware that
my poor abilities are an Indifferent
qualification for such task. / shall
here set down a statement OF the Oc-
CupauOns that have hunertO engaged
me, in order to prove that / have no
connection whatever with any politi.
cal party or society: Director OF the
'okio Agricultural School for six years,
manager OF the Savings Bank OF Ja-
pan for four years head Of the YedO-
gawa Paper Factory for three years,
Chairman Of the Literary Publishing
Company for four years, adviser to the
Yatsuya Bank for one year. These de-
tails show that / have no sort OF rela-
tion with anybody OF politicians. Nei-
ther. ] repeat II. do I bear any ill-will
to Hoshi Toru. II / now invite the
pain OF parting forever from my wife
and children-paln az cruel as that Of
being torn asunder; N brave the com
ments OF public opinion: II ruin my
self and my family for the sake of re-
moving "A universal evlldOer. IL is be-
cause / can not idly endure to see the
arch rascal HOshi Toru daily pursuing
with fresh yigor his evil courses;
teaching the youth to be crooked and
corrupt by his example as President OF
the IOklO Educational Society and by
his doings In the City Council. intro
ducing Generalization and disorder in
10 the municipal administration thus
bringing misfortune upon all, from the
Emperor downward. Men OF judgment
pray you to appreciate and sympa-
thize with my sentiments"
It appears that I'm addition to carry
Ing this document on his person, Iba
SOtaro, Just before proceeding 30 the
place Of assassination, posted copies to
Tho onfooc NJ uornn Ioo dfnor Fo9tr,.To a.,