Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1904-10-14
FACING DEATH WITH HER0lSM
How Two Japanese Spies Met Their Fate.

hitherto unpublished details of the exc
cution of the two Japanese spies arrested
by some Cossacks as they were about to
blow up a bridge on the Manchurian rail-
road.
Ny informant is a young man who was
severely wounded during the first bonn
bardment of Port Arthur. He obtained
permission to go to Italy to convalesce
from his wound, but before his departure
he made a short stay with some officers
relations of his, at Hardin, where he ar
rived just as the time when the Japanese
were arrested taken in the act, condemn
ed, and executed.
"You were present at the execution OF
the two Japanese?' / asked him.
ALAS! I saw them die" answered the
young sailor
And as l looked at him with astonish-
ment he FASTENED to add:
do not take me for an anarchist. l
am on the contrary, an ardent patriot,
and | eagerly longed for the war with
Japan; l longed to see the Japanese ex-
terminated, and ! desired that we might
be able to dictate terms Of peace to them
at Toxic. But, like all my comrades on
seeing those two japanese officers die by
| the bullets of our soldiers, courageously
sacrificing their lives for their country, 1
could not but think their execution cruel"
Were you present at the trial?'
Il saw the two spies arrested; I was
present at the trial and at the execution;
/ /
! for the dreadful spectacle haunts me,
and l cannot forget it,"
And in half an hour the wounded Off
! Ger, pausing only when the pain of his
right knee. wounded by the bursting of a
| japanese shell, and from which the splin-
/ tiers had not yet been removed became
| too keen, narrated to me the following
events
Il can give my testimony that, when
the two prisoners were brought into the
little room of the Chinese fansa, trans
/ formed into a courtroom by the Hardin
council of war, both the judges and the
public-the latter composed almost eX
clusively of officers could not avoid
manifesting openly their enthusiastic adj
miration for them
And, indeed those men were actuated
! by the most noble sentiments; they had
resolved, as patriots, to make use of
any means to assure victory to their side,
and, as soldiers, under superior orders,
they went 70 meet certain death
THE trial took the ordinary course; the
arguments on either side offered nothing
of interest the prisoners having loudly
and not without patriotic pride, assumed
the responsibility of the crime of which
they were accused.
They gave their names and their titles
without the slightest tremor of the voice.
'Tchomo Jokoka, fortyfour years of
age, colonel of the General STAFF, grad
uated with honors from the Military High
School of Jeddo said the elder of the
prisoners. short, stout man, with a
strong face.
'Teislto Jolxki. thirty-one years OF
age captain. attached to the General
Staff said his companion, who was tall
er and more slender in figure than the
other with angular features and a very
dark complexion, casting a slightly dis
dainful glance around the courtroom.
Buddhist he added, after mo-
ments silence.
And you colonel, asked the president
Of the council; you are of the same re-
ligion as your fellow prisoner
no president; am a Christian. And
observing the establishment produced on
every one by this declaration he FASTENED
to add:
" But I am n true Japanese, born OF
japanese parents. Only in my youth
was cuptivated by the gentle teachings OF
Christ. and became a convert to Luther
anism'
Col JokoBa spoke English. and it was
a subject OF King Edward, an employee OF
the Russo Chinese Bank, who translated
to the court the declarations of the pris-
) oqer.
capt. Jokti was Intercepted by means
of a Chinese interpreter
The accused were shown the explosive
materials which had been found upoT
them; they did not attempt to defenC
themselves. or to deny in any particular
the statements of the Cossacks who haC
arrested them.
oners the military prosecutors speech
asking the punishment of death by hang
ing.
Il watched the countenances of the TIVE
men, and l could not observe in them TIL
. | slightest indication of fear. They re
manned impassive; the painful working
of their minds was betrayed by no sign
THE counsel of the two japanese ask
, ed that the sentence of death should b.
- COMMITTED to imprisonment with hard la
Dor. the accused men having made a com
e plete confession.
The two officers remained unmoved b.
e their counsel's warm appeal; they di
not utter a word.
Since the law allowed of a lighter pun
ishmert we all expected a commutatio
{, of the sentence.
: THE deliberations lasted for half a
hour and the court condemned the tw
officers to the maximum penalty, the scat
, fold.
IS col. Jokoka and Capt. Jokki hear
their sentence with as detached an air q
S IL It had concerned Indifferent person!
+ 1t is probable that If the sentence ha
been less severe they would have show
= some surprise.
n 1.-THE sentence was to be executed o
the following morning at one o'clock; a
ar that was waited for was n dispatch froI
K Gen. Kuropatkin confirming it.
y, "The telegram arrived promptly; tn
genralissimo approved the condemnation
- but spared the Japanese officers the hi
" initiation of the scaffoid and granted thei
=, the grace of being shot, according thel
- a soldiers DEATH
81 was present when the commander
y. read to the prisoners Gen. Kuropatkin
re order
1T is WE'LL responded Col. Jokoka.
am ready
at 1.-THE captain said nothing: his e,
k. preston, that became every moment mo-
l., disdainful, showed his indifference to Il
manner of punishment reserved for hir
lg col. Jol5oka asked permission to wri
S. to his family; then he embraced the cal
at tain.
:" L die more tranquil than you, colone
10 said the latter.
~ Why do you say that?'
At 81 have fulfilled my duty to n
o country and to the Deity. You have do
yours to your country only
. What do you mean, captains?
] have reflected a good deal on VIII
you have said to me about Christianit
/ You are always Wanting its superiorit
y Well, think you are not in accord wi
Christ; while 1 have nothing to reproa
=: myself with
u Perhaps you are right, capital
And 1, l have favor to ask of you. Gi
lon, 80 =, a,