Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-29
KOREANS FACE TRIAL
Accused of Plotting to Kill the
Governor General.
ALL PROFESS CHRISTIANITY
Count Terauchi Denies There Is Cam.
paign Against Church.
ARE CROWDED IN PRISON
Condition Has Caused Charges That
Many Have Been
Tortured.
ALL PROFESS CHRISTIANITY
ARE CROWDED IN PRISON
Special Cableeram TO The Star.

Special Cableeram TO The Star.
SEOUL. Korea, June 29-The cases Of
the Koreans charged with plotting agains,
the government and the life OF the gov.
ernor general are to come up for hear.
ing shortly. The evidence in the hands
OF the public prosecutor is understood to
be voluminous. In all 1O3 persons are
held.
The interesting feature OF these arrests
Is that nearly all Of the accused are pro-
Tossing Christians. This has caused much
comment. and the accusation has beer
made that the Japanese government was
directing a campaign especially against
Christians because Of uneasiness lest the
influence of the church might become un-
pleasantly powerful in Japan's new pos.
session.
The officials Of Korea, including the
governor general. express surprise at the
attitude taken by a number Of the lead.
ing missionaries. The governor general
Count Terauchi, himself has said that
there did not exist in the official mind
the faintest suspicion of any completely
or foreknowledge on the part Of the mis-
sionary body in connection with this plot
Cooperation Desired.
He declared that 1t was the desire OF
the government to cooperate heartily
with the missions, and said: II and my
successor will always live up to the prom
ises and the program laid down when
Japan first assumed the. control and gov
eminent of Korea. The instructions OF
the emperor are that religion and politics
must be kept apart. In other words, the
state and church form two different
branches. Both, however, tend to the
same goal, which is the betterment Of
the people. and both must cooperate"
Gen. Akashi, the chief Of the police.
said that the evidence of a plot was, he
believed. conclusive. but the great diff
Guilty was to secure truthful statements
from the Koreans concerned. These were
mostly young men with advanced ideas
students-and he admitted most Of them
were students In the mission schools. He
said that In the past large numbers of
Koreans had protested Christianity in
order to secure the protection and assist
the abuses and injustices OF the Korean
government
Element Of Discomfort.
After the Japanese had annexed Korea
tent And because Of the sympathy felt
ars. or so-called converts, these latter
believed that the missionaries would sup
port them even though they might plot
sedit1on: Gen. Akashi, who had been &C.
cused OF much harshness in dealing with
this case. said that he did not believe
statements made by prisoners who as
serted that the missionaries had actually
attended meetings where this conspiracy
was discussed.
The prisoners were all confined in a Jail
in the center OF Seoul, where some 400
other prisoners were confined. The prison
Is crowded. The prisoners sit closely
together and occupy each just sufficient
ever. the Korean in his own home lives
and moves in small space. The cells are
clean and thoroughly ventilated. The
prisoners all appear to be Clearly clothed
and to be in good health. One or two
OF the better class of prisoners are con-
fined in more spacious cells, and one of
them. a baron, formerly minister Of edu-
cation, has cell to himself with mating
and ample bedding.
Deny Use Of Torture.
The accusation has been frequently pub
lished, and is believed by many OF the
missionaries. that torture has been used
in the preliminary examinations to elicit
testimony which might prove the case
for the police. The governor general and
Gen. Akashi positively deny the use of
any form Of torture or of violence in the
prison.
Some prisoners who have been released
have shown marks which they declared
were caused BY torture, such as hanging
by the thumbs, fogging and mental in
huences. Analysis of their stories does
not prove the truth of the statements.
Certainly none Of the prisoners now con-
fined shows any outward evidence Of tor
ture.
A number of missionaries express them
selves as satisfied that a plot did exist.
The trial will be open and the prisoners
will be given counsel. The evidence will
all be read in open court, and appeals to
two higher courts are permissible.
The General Belief.
The common belief is that the case will
develop a conspiracy in which a number
OF educated young Koreans have been
connected as the leaders. It is asserted
that Koreans now living In America and
certain other persons who have been con-
nected with Koreas past, but who are
now living in America, will be shown to
have contributed money and advice. Ger
tain OF the prisoners were the recipients
of these funds and are known to have