The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1904-10-21


tbiy cnac.atCd. Ills face was one that
had been scared and twisted by fire: an
expression Of torture had found pcrma-
aent lodSmeut among his features.
To this wrecked creature. SAYS Mr.
w. l.. Comfort. an American Corre-
ipoEdent, writing In the Japan Times
came member of the imperial house
hold. bearing tAr appreciation Of the
Emperor, ana q few hours LATER the
secret agent died
Mr. Comfort thus describes the ter
ible experiences through which Ito
passed before ne came to his pathetic
end
Soon after the war began Ito and
another spy named Shbata formed n
daring plan 10 eutrap a Russian train
coming south from Nukden. Shibata
was TO blow Up the bridge at Hs.feng.
while Ito was TO perform a similar
act az the Llo- Kiank. waiting there
until the train had safely passed over
the bridge
II would then be trapped between
two shattered bridges, when Ito would
make hiS way across country 10 a place
forty mics distant where a japanese
detachment Of 600 men were stationed.
and lead them 10 the derelict train.
Ito parted from Shjbata at the Hsi-
fcng. lie made a wide detour through
The ic"-'ound forest and reached the
itao ON the following noon The
wcathor was bitterly cold. but Ito had
two days scant supply Of rice and
dried fish. and kept on the move 10
avoid freezing He made his way east
to 'he main line bridge ana concealed
h'WSelf in the iroawork OF the struc-
turr at nightfal! to await the coming
Of the train. There was Russian
sentry ut each end Of the bridge These
Ito avoided by approaching the struc-
ttro from the frozen river bed and
climbing mp the embaukment to the
ir.u braces.
There he waited for seven terrible
hours. The troop train that he had
expected early in the evening did not
arrive until hours after midnight. The
nl-ht was clear, bright and deadly
cold. Ito lay along the Sirdcrs. The
fr' ezinS iron sank into his bones. The
torture in his limbs gave way to numb |
rcfs as The hours passed.
lie fC!l into a half stupor, from which
tho train awakened him and almost
shook him from his position. lie lay |
for many minutes while the girder |
hummed fainter and fainter. but so |
paralyZcd in his limbs that he could |
scarcely move. He drew himself I'D !
to sitting posture at last and Lncaded |
I'll" life back with his knucklcs.
The charge Of powder had already |
been sct Ito pulled of his mittcns and |
tunbled IN the pocket OF his wadded |
coat for matches The matches were |
there. but his dead fingers could not |
grip them. He crushed open the |
pocket with the strength Of his arms
and clntched the box in his palm His
mind was confused VITA torture and
desperation. He knew but two things
that he must fire the powder and
tell 1oShimOto, the Japanese Captain.
" he lost his life i'm accomplishing the
first the detachment would not know.
The first match broke un,ightcd. He
waited an instant to learn If the Rus
now the big mistake ne had made in
taking his position on the bridge before
the coming of the train. Had he
waited at the river until the train had
passed, he would have been able 10
Keep of the cold. He struck the sec
"ud match. working his hands as n
babe would tumble with a clumsy tool.
The sulphur Lighted with n cracklo
that was like thunder IN the midst Of
the deep silence. As Ito dropped i'm
p heap to the snow Of the river bed.
fourteen feet below. hn heard the feet
OF the aroused sentry above.
The spy called toward the oDposifc
side Of the river under the shelter OF
the bridge. lie heard the first sentry
shout 20 the other in Russian that I
som" one had scratched q match. The .
sentry on the far side started for the
first, and passed over the bridge above
40. The latter, on his hands and :
knees. since his feet and lower limbs 81
would not yet support him. moved ,
s'iily 10 the further pier. then. iudg- d
irC as best h. could the time that the :
fuse would last, darted out from under =
'le structure 70 the moonlight. He i
was a moment TOO soon d
ono Of the Sentrips yelled and fred :
hiS rife. Tho bullet snapped past Ito's ,
f9r There was second shot. and n
lie missile spriwIcd the spy upon the y
snow for an instant. Then came tho a.,
horrid crash OF the explosion. and
'h' northern end Of the bridge was
in which were mingled be.
Sond finding the bodies Of The two sen =
.r.es.
Ito was senseless for q time. He re- ~
covered slowly, and learned that tho o.
second bullet had lodged high i'm his
ct arm, but be saw the completeness q
Z his work on tho bridge and was glad.
IL made bis way 10 the shelter OF the 81
cuthern bank bound the wound with or
li. loin cloth, and then. with frozen
and weak from the loss Of n
'''od started east along 10 LAO Eive- q,
''l FOR Yoshui.o', hiding place in the b
Mountains. I,
IL seemed ls be made bis way for.
ward that he ran upon his ankle bones fa
There was no C.rcu.atior-no life be .t
ow He sat down and tried fo remove .,
Us boots. in order 90 rub bis .eet I'm
NOW, but the leather b.pni him like s.,
ROM and his Lrufs vya-' f,o.t-.or'ogg