Norwich bulletin., 1912-09-14
Count and Countess Nogi Suicide in Ac-
 cordance with Ancient Custom
WERE DEVOTED TO DEAD EMPEROR
Double Tragedy Enacted Sound of Signal Gun that Msu
 hitos Body Had Started on Funeral Car-Pans Care
 fully Prepared and Farewell Cup of Salki Drank by 2 the Couple Before Taking Their Lives

-Toiio, Sept 1s.-General Count Maresuke Nogi. supreme military councillor of the empire. and his wife, the Countess Nogi. committed suicide tonight in accordance with the ancient Japanese custom as their final tribute to their departed, emperor and, friend, Nutsuhito
 The taking off by their own hands of the famous general and his wife were as dramatic as 1t was sad. The general cut his throat with a shor; sword, and the countess committed hari kari.
 Both Attended Funeral.
 Following the samurai custom. the couple had carefully prepared their plans for killing themselves and timed them so that they would be coincident with the departure forever from Tokic of the dead emperor.
 General Nogi and the countess had attended the funeral services of Nut euhito at the palace here today, and fl
  . to Aoyama tonight with the cortege Instead. however. at the conclusion oi the ceremony at the palace, they with drew to their modest home in Akasaka a suburb of Tokio, and there began their final preparations fg death
 Drank Farewell Cup os sski.
 First the general wrote 6 letter te his new emperor. Yoshihito, which later was found beside his body. Ther he draped in mourning a portrait or the wall of the late emperor and after wards he and his wife dressed them selves in full Japanese costume anf drank a farewell cup of saki from cups which had been presented to the general by Mutsuhito,
 Darkness had fallen and Genera Noei and the countess sat and awaited the signai they had agreed upon tS announce their ieaFetaking. This wal .fAe boofi,ing of q single gun in tfis psihca grounds at Told0 which was tt ist the people know that the body oi tue emperor was starting on the fur 7 neral ear for its last resting place,
 esu Signal fer Double Suicide,
 As the boom of the signal gan re. pounded through the clear stir night General Negi arose and gfaspinf tightly in his hand a shert sword , plunged 1t into his threat while tht countess stabbed herself through thu stomach A student whs resided il ths Mogi houss heard the fali of tha bodies aud rushed into the room. Ly. fng upon the floor were the here tighter and his wife. Both were breath. | ing. bat their spasmsdic gasps sRswei plainly that their lives were fast eb, bin&, The student went for aid, bH when he returned with 1t both thu Hsnerat and inc countess had ,rassef sEay.
 Tragedy ccsstssl Sensation. The tragedy created a profound sen, bation. and expressions of sorrow were heard on evsry hand tonight Especially grief stricken was Prime, l Arthur of Connsught, the special en s Voy to the funeral of Mutsuhito O !; Great Britain. Prince Arthur was t have gone with General Nogi tonnor' ' row to the former capital of thu Shiduiate Kamakura-
 Nesl Hero of Russo Japanese War. Those who knew General Nogi wei declared that his oaimness in killini i himself was the kind of stoicisn {, that be always had displayed, no mat \ ter what crisis faced him They in \ stanced the famous charge of tn Japanese up the 2s metres hill durinl r the Russo Japanese war when as com mander of the Japanese third arm, Nogi saw the Russians imow down hi | forces in hundreds, among them tw' t of his own sons, and yet calmly an. | fearlessly continued the battle, finalI taking the hill. and eventually beinI \ handed the surrender of Lieutenan ' General ,Stoessel at Port Arthur