Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-10-13
CRIME IN JAPAN.
Late War With Russia Followed BY
Usual Generalization.

Late War With Russia Followed BY
Usual Generalization.
1t was confidently predicted that the
termination Of the war with Russia
would be followed by a marked increase
Of crime throughout Japan, says the
Kobe correspondent. of the San Fran
cisco Examiner. No one expected that
the multitude of coolies largely drawn
from the lower classes that composed
the wake of the Japanese army in the
Manchurian campaign would find 1t
easy to break from the habit Of plunder
generated by months Of marauding
among the helpless natives Of the in
vaded territory. Foreigners especially
were apprehensive Of conditions when
these camp followers Of the victors
were turned loose upon the more do
mesticated and peaceful communities
at home. In some respects this prophecy
has been more than verified. During
the last three years there has undoubt-
edly been a conspicuous development
of. the criminal classes of the nation.
Indeed, the authorities have Of late be-
come alarmed at the increasing ten
dency to assault and battery among
the common citizens, often leading to
wounds and even murder. Crimes re-
sulting from debauchery, which here
tofore have not been conspicuous
feature Of the debased classes in ia
pan, are now obviously on the increase.
Foreigners no longer find it quite safe
to wander alone or unprotected among
the beautiful valleys and hills that en-
viron so many Of the Japanese cities.
Robberies and hold-ups that used to
be almost unknown are now not in
frequent. Even on the public street
foreign women have been relieved Of
their purses in broad daylight after
the manner of towns in the so-called
wild West"
The authorities seem either helpless
or Indifferent to the urgency Of the
circumstances. The police force Of
all Japanese cities is no doubt made
quate to the extent Of duty devolving
upon guardians Of the law, being much
weaker in calibre and numbers than
the force in similar communities
abroad And the few there are appear
to be either in constant fear Of the
criminal classes or deficient in the ini-
tiative necessary to the capture and
punishment Of the offenders. The
Japanese policeman does not patrol the
streets as in Europe or America; he
keeps his measured watch at what Is
known as a police box, place often
difficult to find, and the criminal feels
perfectly free to operate at safe dis
tance from this station.
The night watchmen Of towns and
cities go about banging two pieces OF
hardwood together, the constant clap
ping keeping the criminal aware Of the
exact spot the watchman is in, and so
enabling him to escape detection.
It is the conviction Of most foreign
residents in this country that the root
of the trouble lies in the fact that the
officers Of the law are really in deadly
fear Of the criminal classes. Every
Japanese criminal carries concealed
weapon, and the murder Of policemen
is frequent occurrence.
The average citizen Of japan appears
to have little confidence in the law as
an arbiter Of the wrongs he suffers; in
fact, he more frequently takes the law
into his own hands. Among the lower
classes the appeal is not to the author
tiles, but to the fist or the knife, and
not infrequently to the yet more fatal
short sword.
A rather significant feature Of devel-
opment among the criminal classes In
Japan Is the increasing frequency OF
piracy along the coasts and inland seas
of the empire. The japanese have been
known to plunder wrecks that had
been abandoned, but an attack upon
cargo in transit has not hitherto been
known. However, a big lighter was
recently on it's way to Yokohama with
a load to be transhipped to an ocean
steamer, when 1t was attacked by
force Of pirates. A large part OF the
cargo was distracted, the crew OF the
lighter being helpless to offer resist
ance. In the beautiful waters Of the
Inland sea, too, especially in the vicin-
ity of Seto, acts Of piracy are becoming
alarmingly frequent
The present captain Of the pirates Is
a young desperate Kadota, who year
ago was in the penitentiary. The po-
lice aver that all the pirates In the In
land Sea yield to him answering obe-
dience.