The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-09-14
EPIDEMIC OF HARI-KARI IS
 FEARED TODAY As Sequel to Suicide of General NOgi, Port Arthur Hero,
 and His Wife Famous Japanese Commander Cuts His Throat as Cannon Rooms For MikadO's
 Funeral

Tokio, Sept. 14-As a sequel to the suicide of General Nogi and his wife, at the sound of the cannon shot which told the Japanese of the start of the late Mikado's funeral procession from the Imperial palace here, an epidemic of hari-kaTi cases was feared, today. The modern Japanese estimates sui eide at what it is worth as accurately as any Occidental but the number of genuinely modern Japanese is very small The great majority, even of the country's most prominent men like General Nogi, are at heart of the old school. Inspired by the Port Arthur hero's example the prediction was made that many of them will end their lives as he ended his, within the next few days.
 The new Mikado, it is said. has per sona11y talked with several officials, pointing out that they will serve their country best by remaining to aid in deeessor. Police, it is no secret, re- ceived orders immediately after Nut prevent suicides and to point out, wherever it seemed necessary that self destruction is not in accord with the spirit of New Japan How deep denced, today, however, in the chorus of commendation of the act of Gen era1 Nogf and his wife
 For husband and wife to end their lives together is unprecedented even in Japan and the popular view unqueS- tionab1y is that it added to the grand
 The aged descendant of the SaInurai and his companion of so many wears had dressed themselves as for some elaborate state function. The general was in full uniform, with all his or ders and decorations blazing on his breast. His wife wore full evening dress, after the Japanese style Be sides his letter to the MiRado, the contents of which have not been made public. General Nogi left directions addressed to the office of the general staff of the army and to the surgeon general for the disposition of his own and his wife's bodies.
 The general killed himself by draw ing the blade of jewel-hilted sword presented to him by the late Mikado across his throat His wife perished by the two orthodox cuts prescribed for the ceremony of hari-kari, criss- cross across the abd cTnen.
 From the position in which the f4afsa tRaf the @se eeu51e Hu'q muet have kiiied themselves standing before pictures of the late Mlkado, heavily draped in the their two sons, killed while fighting under their father at the siege of Port Arthur
 ton of his plan to erd his own life, 8 mark of his grief at his masters death He took part in the earlier ceremonial in connection with the the procession from the Imperial pal ace to the Aoyama parade ground, last Light.
 Mikado Mutsuhito's body was put on board the funeral train from (Fokio at a. m, today. following the ser vices at the parade ground, and strong body of the Imperial Guard was drawn up at the station to receive the train at Acyama With no delay a procession was formed as in Tokio, which proceeded to the mournful, monotoned sound of Japanese musical instruments from the station to Mo Inoyan1a Hill Hundreds of thousands of the dead rulers former subjects lined the route the slow-moving caya1cade passed.
 The bu1ocks which drew the fun era1 car in Tokio were dispensed with on the final march, Instead 50 pa1l- the shoulders
 The graveside ceremonial will con tinue far into the night