The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-08-28
TWO JAPANESE SPIES
Last Hours of a Colonel and Captain
Who Tried TO Blow Up a Bridge.


they were about to shatter with dyna-
mite a bricge on the line Of the Man
churian railway. writes n. Pravdine to
the Nouvelliste Vaudois. OF Lausanne
Switzerland. They had made their way
10 the bridge through the Cossack lines
and were about 70 shatter Il TO pieces,
N view Of A company of the ears men
put at the last moment they were not
quick enough
When the accused were led into the
iftLe room of the Chinese .fansa' Which
mad been turned into q court martial nail
oS (ne military auth critics OF Harbiu the
JedSeS and Spectators consisting almost
VIZ Nv OF Officers. could not core cal thes.-
men.
The formaiities OF the court martial
were OF the simplest order, and the hear
ing OF the trial offered little OF inter
est seeing that the accused openly. and
not with without q certain pa triOtic pride
accepted the responsibility of the crime
Weighing upon them. They gave their
names and rank without the slightest ire
NOR of voice
'-Tehono Jokoka. a years old. colonel
OF the STAFF. passed out first from the
military academy at Yeddo," said the e.
Ger OF the prisoners, a short thick-set
man Of strong and energetic counte-
''Teisko Joklzi, 81 years old. captain of
the staff" said the other. taller and
slighter in build than his comrade with
a thin and deeply bronzed face. As he
gave his name he turned z disdainful look
on those .s,, In eo1Ft moment later he
And you. colonel?" asked the PRESENT
Of the tribunal Are You. of the same
religion as YOU cO-accuse2'
No. sir, I am a Christian"
Seeing the looks OF astonshment pro
duced by this declaration, he added. quick
Il am all the same a true Japanese.
born of Japanese parents. But I'm my
youth was won over by the soft words
OF Christ, and was converted from Buddh-
ism
Colonel Jokoka spoke in English. and It
was an Engiishnan employed in the Rus
so-Chinese bank who translated his tes
timOny- A Chinese acted as interpreter
TO Captain Jokki.
The explosive substances found on their
persons were now shown to the prisoners,
but they die not seek 70 exculpate them
selves, nor did they dehy in any particU-
lar the declarations OF the CossaCks who
had arrested them.
The interpreter next translated to the
officers the military public prosecutor s
charge. demanding for them death by
hanging.
1 watched the faces of the two men
when this was read TO them Not a sin
gle muscle did they move Impassive as
statues, they betrayed by no outward
sign the painful workings Of their brains.
Their advocate pleaded for a remission
Of the death sentence to one Of hard Ia
DOT IN COHSiQtIatfDN OF AIle AlAl dNOM ii
they had maze This speech for the de-
Tense made no impression on the two
prisoners. and not a word did they utter.
Knowing that the law admitted of a re-
duction OF the extreme penalty We az
expected a lighter sentence than that Of
capital punishment. but after a delibera-
ton Of half an hour the tribunal con
demned the two officers to the maximum
Observation-Disclosures. hanging.
,Tokoka and Jokki heard the sentence
with as unconcerned an air as II II had
fallen upon strangers to them. Indeed,
had the verdict been lighter one, they
would probably have shown surprise.
Only confirmation by General kuropat-
kin was awaited
I was present when the command1rt
read out General Kuropstkin' order
changing the mode of death TO shooting.
1T Is well" was Jokoka's reply Il am
ready"
His comrade said nothing. his most dis
dainful look expressing indifference as to
the deaths that awaited them
Jokoka asked leave 10 write to his fam
lily and embraced Jokki. The latter now
opened his lips.
81 die moro TRANQUIL than you, colonel
How so2' asked the other.
81 have done my duty 10 nay country
and my maker. You have earned only
the thanks of your country"
What do YOU mean. captain
Il have often thought. colonel Of what
you have told me Of Christianity. You
beast Of Its superiority to my creed Well.
find that you are not in accord with
your Christ teachings J. on the con-
trary. have nothing to reproach myself
with"
You are perhaps right. captain. But
now / have a favor 70 ask Of YOU VIII
YOU authorize me 10 perform the first
really Christian act which has been al
lowed me in my life You know that L
have still bundle of notes in the Chi
sand rubles- ] want to hand over the
money personally to the commaldant 20
give to the Russian Red Cross for their
wounded. Do you agree to this?
Jokki stood rejecting moment Then
II have always felt a great affection
for you. colonel, and IL this makes YOU
happy. give the money to our enemies
When the commanIsnt returned to the
prisoner Jokoka handed him A sheet OF
white banknOtes. with red inscriptions
saying:
There are about a Thousand rubles
here. We beg YOU TO give the money TO
your Red Cross
But had not better send it to your
famiiieE?"
with one voice. The mikado viii not for
get our wives and children Do not refuse
US this satisfaction" added Jokoka, .,di-
vide the money among your wounded
The coulmandant still insisted that the
officers should send nome to Japan all
they left For one moment Jokki ap-
peared to wsver- Hhe glanced at his com
Tades IN misfortune The latter only re-
fterated his wish TO make amends in this
way for the wrongs committed n Ms lie
The captain bent his head, Scquiescing at
last
Our commandant yielded. He then
asked the two japanese whether they
wished for anything
The Buddhfst's reply was: u should
much like bath, after that we viii be at
A bathroom is an unknown article in