Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1904-09-09
A JAPANESE TRAITOR.
How He Betrayed Official Sc
crets to Russia.
STIRRING EPISODE OF THE WAR.

STIRRING EPISODE OF THE WAR.
Colonel Hanzoku, Whose Treachery
Upset Japan's Plan to Invade Man.
churia Shot Immediately After
ward Within the Palace Walls.
This is the story of a Japanese trail
tor, japanese Benedict Arnold, says
the Tokyo correspondent of the New
York Post. Since the beginning of the
war it has been evident that the Rus
slams have been supplied With an in
innate knowledge of prospective Japa-
nese movements. The original plans Of
campaign We're evolved in Tokyo and
surrounded with great secrecy. Apart
from the elder statesmen and about
eighteen high staff officers no one in
the empire was aware of the objec-
tive points of landing troops from
which the first strike was to be made
Soldiers We're moving by thousands
entrained from all cities, embarked
from all ports, but no one knew more
than the fact that Japan was carry
ing war to the mainland. Precautions
to conceal army movements have been
the most thorough in history, to the
dismay of foreign and native CORE
spondents.
But the Japanese officials found that
their secrets We're leaking.
The First and Second army corps
We're to be landed high in Korea and
thrown forward toward Mukden, Liao-
yanchon and other various points. AS
fast as troops landed the Russians
formed in front. All kinds of impedi-
ments lay in the path of invasion. The
army office at Tokyo was baffled. The
first thought was that Russia's opposi-
ton and anticipation of the movement
of imperial troops was superior craft
"a mastery campaign of defense. But
the idea OF treachery soon replaced
this first thought, and the government
set out to be sure before going farther.
Nine spies-.Iapanese officers disguised
as coolies-were sent out from Tokyo.
A number We're ordered to work along
y
were scattered along tile Yalu frontier.
Every one of the nine was captured
speedily, unerringly, and put to death
by the Russians. Without aid from
Japan-description etc.-this could not
have possibly happened.
Then it wls that the staff officers,
and even the elder statesmen, were.
placed under the character raclling
espionage of the Japanese spy system,
and the land invasion had to wait. Ehe
old and later records of each individ-
ual in the secrets were overhauled and
scrutinized. No one was exempted
whose knowledge might have been
sold to the enemy. Every man was
followed, dogged, watched. These
methods finally seized upon certain pc
culiarities in the life and days work
of Lieutenant Colonel Hanzoku of the
general staff.
Hanzoku had been buying presents
like race track winner. The women
of his acquaintance received valuable
| jewels. The Yoshuwara knew Hanzo-
ku, and the bank of the city showed
deposits in his name. All of which was
not in the reach of a lieutenant colo
nel's salary. HanZoAu was a hard
drinker, Il gambler by European in
stincts, a frequenter of uncertain clubs
and an idol of the geisha girls. He
bore the distinction of introducing po-
ker into Japan. He was, however, a
graduate of German university,
military tactician of worth and had
been decorated for intrepid service dur
ing the Chino-Japanese war. On ac-
count of the latter service he held
good position on the general staff.
1t has been asserted that before the
| withdrawal Of the Russian embassy
one of the attaches arranged with
Hanzoku to furnish St. Petersburg
with detailed plans Of Japan's pur-
poses. The Russian attache and Han
zoku had been very friendly, having
been students together in Germany.
1t is asserted that Hanzoku was
year ago in very bad state financial
ly and that he lost during a game his
last piece of property.
| The details Of actual evidence
against Hanzoku cannot be mad. No
word of the affair has even reached
the columns of the Japanese press, but
within the last few days the lieuten-
ant colonel was arrested, tried by court
martial and shot by detachment of
riflemen chosen from the imperial
guards. Between the end of the trial
and the sound of the shots there were
only a few hours. Hanzoku was
watched over by a heavy guard and
was not allowed the honor of killing
himself. Moreover, he was not per-
mitted to communicate with his fam
lily. 1t is said that he was executed
within the palace walls and buried at
the edge Of the inner moat.