Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-26
ITO KILLED
IN CROWD At HARDIN
BY KOREANS BULLET
Leading Japanese Diplomat
Was About to Greet Cars
Minister of Finance.
.FUSILLADE OF SHOTS
is FIRED INTO THRONG
Three Enter His Body and Death
Follows Quickly.
REVENGE MOTIVE OF CRIME
Toxic Plunged Into Gloom-London
Shocked-Japanese Commits
sioners Here Weep at
News.
Three Enter His Body and Death
Follows Quickly.
REVENGE MOTIVE OF CRIME

HARDIN, October 26.-Prince Hirobumi
Ito. privy chancellor and resident general
of Korea, was assassinated at the
Tsaitsagan railway station here today.
At the moment the Japanese diplomat
was acknowledging the noisy welcome
that had greeted him as he stepped down
from the coach that he had occupied in
the railroad train.
Smiling and bowling. he turned to make
his way toward the Russian finance min
lister. NJ. kokovsoff, who was awaiting
him on the station platform few PAGES
distant.
Suddenly half dozen revolver shots.
fired in quick succession, were heard,
followed by the cries of those standing
near the prince, who had either been
wounded or imagined thepselves to be.
At the second report Prince Ito stag
gered and fell fainting.
1t was subsequently found that he had
received three bullets, two of which en-
tered the abdomen. Prince Ito did not
recover consciousness and died twenty
minutes later.
The fusillade of shots threw the crowd
into a panic, and it was some time before
1t could be determined who besides the
prince had suffered. When the excite
ment had somewhat sutsided 1t was found
that three other members Of the party on
the platform had been injured. Prince
Ito's private secretary received a bullet.
as did japanese Consul General Hawaiian
and General Manager Tanaka Of the
South Manchurian railway, who had
moved closer to the prince as the firing
began. 1t is thought that these three are
mortally wounded.
Assassin Quickly Found.
The perpetrator Of the outrage was not
hard to locate, as he stood defiantly in
the crowd, revolver in hand. He proved
to be a Korean. and, with two compan-
ions of the same nationality. boasted Of a
conspiracy to take the life of the former
resident general of Korea in satisfaction
for the alleged tyranny Of the prince over
Koreans.
AS the police pOunced upon the three
Koreans the one who did the shooting
exclaimed dramatically:
81 came to Harbin for the sole purpose
of assassinating Prince Ito, to avenge my
country
None OF the three Koreans attempted
to escape. The assassin, while claiming
to have been inspired by a patriotic
motive, and to believe that japanese
wrongs to Koreans justified his act, ad-
mitted under examination that he had a
personal grudge against the Japanese
statesman, who, while resident general
in Korea, had caused the execution Of
several Of the murderer's friends.
Conspirators Not Recognized.
1t had been supposed that the police
protection for the prince was adequate.
but the police stated later that they were
unable to distinguish the Koreans among
the many Japanese who had been ad-
mitted to the railway station to welcome
the prince.
The Russian police stated that ia
panese Consul General Hawaiian had re-
quested them to permit entrance to the
station of all Japanese who sought ad-
mission. A great crowd gathered among
them being the three Koreans, whose ma
tionality passed undetected.
Very soon after the death the body Of
Prince Ito was made ready for removal
home and placed upon a railroad train.
The casket was covered with flowers and
in other ways the sorrow of the official
and public life was manifested.
To Meet Russian Minister.
Prince Ito had come to Harbin to
meet NJ kokovsoff. the Russian minis
Ter OF nnanee, Tor Wnat was DeLeVeu
to be an important conference. The
conference was suggested by Prince Ito
in his capacity as president of the privy
council of Japan The subjects to be
discussed were not definitely known to
the public, but they were supposed 10
concern affairs of administration In
Manchuria.
Kokoysoff had before declined an in
vitation to visit Japan for such con-
ference, and Harbin was agreed upon
as a meeting place. In accepting the
invitation the Russian minister said
that political questions must be bar
red, as he was competent only to dis
cuss financial and technical subjects,
these concerning the status Of the Man
churian railroad The conference had
been announced widely in advance, and
it was generally known when the dip
lonats would reach Harbin.