The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-08-09
SINKING OF THE KINsH1UMA7U.
Tragic End Of Oflcers and Men When
the Vessel Was TOrpedoed by RUS
SLAMS Some Committed Suicide.
Others Kept Up n Hot Fire and
Sank Cheering and Singing.

the London Telegraph. 1t appears that
the men had been ashore scouting and
had then re-embarked. The escOrting
torpedo boat destroyer fotilla put to
sea and the transport followed, but
soon the vessels were separated in a
fog, and when this lifted the Kinshiu-
maru, thinking the squadron to be the
ships. Captain Yagi Of the Kinshiu-
maru, thinking the squadron to be the
Japanese, altered her course and steer
ed toward the warships, when the sig
nal "Stop" floating from the mainmast
and the firing of a blank shot across
the Kinshiumaru's bows brought the
ship to a standstill. This turn of events
naturally caused surprise and astonish-
ment on board the transport, but moth
ing could be done in the way Of escap-
ing. Lieutenant Commander Mizogu1-
chi, who had charge Of the work Of
the transport, proposed visiting the
warships and taking such measures as
required by circumstances. This was
agreed to he the best course, and, hav-
ing said farewell to the military officers
in command of the troops and accom-
panied by Captain Yagi, Paymaster
Ida and an interpreter, Mr.. Kondo,
the lieutenant commander rowed to
the nearest warship, whence, as is
known, the party never returned and
are now prisoners Of wal at Irkutsk.
On board the Kinshiumaru the mill
tary officers assembled in the saloon
and took counsel as to their course Of
action. The officers were Captain
Shiina, Captain Sakurai, Lieutenant
Terada, Lieutenant Yokota and Ensign
Higaki. After the conference Captain
Shiina went into the between decks.
where the men had been ordered to as
semble. and gave orders as to the
course to be taken by them. Meanwhile
both the transport and the warships
had been lowering boats, and three
officers boarded the Kinshiumaru and
ordered the troops to lay down their
arms and surrender, stating that II
they did SO they would be taken on
board the warships. The soldiers were
given an hour in which to arrive at a
decision, and having allowed b crew
Of the steamer and the passengers to
take to the boats the naval officers re-
turned to the squadron.
1t was now past midnight. with a
bright moon and clear sky. A great
silence prevailed on the transport,
which now had only troops on board
and a few bluejackets and coolies. Cap
tain Shiina once again inspected his
men, who were found in perfect order.
some motionless, but others fixing bay
onets or loading their rifles, preparing
for the end. Sergeant Major Washi
was collecting the maps, sketches, etc..
kept by the officers. Sergeant Okano
gathered in the note books Of the men,
and maps and note books We're thrown
into the engine room fire. A corporal
ordered the men to take off the num-
bers on their shoulder straps SO that
everything should be destroyed which
would prove of any value to the enemy
afterward.
It was past / o'clock on the morning
of April 20 when the Russians dis
charged a torpedo against the fore part
Of the transport. On this Captain
| Shiina went into the tween decks and
freed the men from military discipline
| They were told to take what course
| they thought fit, as nothing could be
| done to avert disaster. The men, anx.
ious to know the fate of their officers
swarmed up the companionways to the
saloon, found the doors locked and nc
sound issuing therefrom. Inside were
the officers. who had agreed to sink
with the steamer, imprisoned In the
saloon so that they should not fall int
the hands of the enemy. Particular
and scrupulous to the last, the officers
had persuaded Captain Sakurai, wht
did not belong to their regiment, of thu
i~nadvisability Of his dying with them
Captain Sakurai, an old experienced
officer, regarded by the general staff al
one Of the smartest officers of the army
in northern Korea, left his comrades
and the mi of his death Is I'm
known. According to report, however
1t seems there was not perfect unan
Unity in the manner the officers shoult
meet their death. It is stated tina
Lieutenant Terada dissented from tn
command of Captain Shiina that tn
officers should die together and lei
the ship vowing that he would sell hi
life to the enemy, but die fighting
What became of Lieutenant Terada
not known.
The end Of the men was equal,
tragic. Some minutes after Captain
Shiina had given his last commands
which left the soldiers to their W re
sources, Sergeant Kurisu and Corpora
Horisaka committed suicide by shoot
ing each other. and many followed thi
example. Sergeant Okano went o
deck, drew his sword and committe
harikari, an example, We are tolt
which was also followed by some Q
his men. A rather more soldierlik
nav NJ amending the last moments q