The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-13
Emperor Of Horea Man Of Constant
Fears; First Dread Being Assassinatio
Howl Three Once
Turing am nj -.AW a the Of
the Empires His PERSON.

7ISTORY tells OF a Korean general
4 IT 1 who had so many enemies that
he was afraid to sleep like other
lEslHis3s people at night and was also
4ss1sAD afraid to sleep naturally in the
DAYTIME. Accordingly he trained himself
to sleep sitting bolt upright at table with
his eyes wide open, and a sword in each
hand.
The present Emperor of Korea, vi Hung,
does not sleep with his eyes open, sitting
upright at a table. but he comes pretty
near it, Since his accession to the Korean
throne in 1864 he has had many desperate
enemies Indeed. after the murder of his
Queen in 1895. he did turn day into night
by sleeping then and holding his Cabinet
meetings at night. For some weeks, when
runors of assassination were ripe at a GER
tain time a few years ago. all the food
which passed his Majesty's lips was pre-
pared by an American missionary and sent
secretly to the Palace. Thus, taking the
years through, the old Korean general
asleep at his table. with his straining eyes
staring straight ahead, is d very fair pic
ture of the state of mind in which the
Korean Emperor has lived these many
years.
One night. seven years ago, it was
rllmOred in Seoul that a mob was to at
tack the palace on a certain night. Lack
ing. all confidence in the staying qualities
of his soldiers and guards. the Emperor
sent post haste for three Americans to
stay with him during the night. He and
the crown prince remained in their sleep
ing rooms, while the three musketeers
in, mfr
shadows. cast on the paper walls which
divided the rooms, told the guards that his
Majesty and son were anything but rest
full.
The night wore on until at last, with a
prornptness that would have done credit to
a South American revolution, the noise of
the emeute without the palace walls could
be heard Instantly the Americans entered
the royal bedroom and surrounded the EN-
perer and prince, and the number of six
shooters in evidence in their hands and
their belts would have excited the envy of
a Mexican cowboy. The uprising was
Guelled. because the authorities had been
warned and prepared. but as the tumult re-
sounded in the streets and along the walls
and gates. the intensest excitement reigned
in the palace The Emperor and prince
posted themselves between the Americans,
and in their agony seized their guardians
hands. Their terror and their attitude
brought home to the foreigners. in an
ocean wave OF pity. closer appreciation of
the continual strain under which the En-
peror lives, and his ever-present fear of an
untimely end Figuratively speaking, the
poor man is like that general who never
slept except with his eyes open wide.
DOUBLY TERRIFIED.
At the present crisis this impotent po-
tentate attracts the attention of the world,
and to give any fair picture of him it is
Just TO hint at the start of the haunted life
which he has led in order to show what his
mental attitude has been to all around him.
If his greatest fear has been that of the
assassin the return of exiled Korean no
blemen in Japan has been the second great
est and in a way the two are one in sub
stance, for the return of pretenders to the
Korean throne would mean assassination.
Thus he has feared that friends about him
were traitors in disguise and would make
away with him, and he has feared that
traitors, known 20 be desperate men, who
have been exled would return and kill him.
And friends and enemies have played these
fears off one against the other on his Maj
esty through many years to gain many
ends.
The government of Korea is unlimited
monarchy; the present dynasty has existed
since the founding of Seoul, in 1892 1t is
an interesting fact in Korea that each new
dynasty found a new Seoul, which means
capital The kings have been despots.
and the present Emperor has ordered the
beheading of many men. even unto recent
days, though 1t is not legal to do so to-day.
With Korea the raising of the finances has
been difficult task, and the dispensing of
money the root of vast evil. Everything
! has been for sale in Korea, even the good
will of royalty; offices, such as governor
ships, are purchased. the incumbents
being compelled first to get back their
outlay and then a salary. The taxa
! ton laws are extremely heavy on the
poor the rich often escaping. Own
| ing two bulls is considered a misfor-
| tune among the common people, since the
owner will be judged to have accumulated
money. and as likely as not will be asked