Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1912-12-12
INJUSTICE IN COREA
IS SHAME OF JAPAN
Statement By the Rev. DR.. vii.
ton Merle Smith Criticises
Treatment Of Missionaries.

New York-Special: The Rev. Will
ton Merle Smith. OF this city, who has
Just returned from Japan, China, and
Corea last night in his church. the
Central Presbyterian, preached on
conditions in Japan. After the serv-
ice he dictated statement. touching
upon Japan's treatment of the Corean
Christians, based upon very careful
observations and inquiries. He said
THE great trial in Corea, which Is
now Japanese territory, has been crit
icised. One hundred and twenty-three
OF the most prominent pastors and Of
ficers OF the Protestant Christian
churches We're charged with an att
tempt to assault the governor general.
Nearly 100 We're convicted and sem
fenced to imprisonment OF from five
to ten years.
THE sole evidence upon which tho
judgment against the prisoners was
given was their own confessions. which
they all repudiated at the trial and
said We're wrung from them by the
representative of the Associated Press
in Japan who has been decorated by
the Japanese government and is known
as strongly pro-Japanese. does rot be-
lieve torture was used to large ex-
tent
"As Mr.. Kennedy represents the
case, Prince Ito, the former governor,
was assassinated by renegade Ro-
man Catholic Christian Two other
attempts at assassination were mado
by Christians. SO called. These at
tempts made the Japanese government
suspicious OF the Christians. The pres
ent governor general Of Corea was at
the head of the Japanese spy system
during the war; He sent spies every
where in Corea. These spies testified
against these pastors.
These spies caused this large num-
80 ,9sxt~
to be arrested, and these men who
were arrested confessed to the police
that they were engaged in plot to
assassinate the present governor gem
eral which confessions they all repu-
dated at the trial, declaring they were
made under torture. They simply said
yes to anything they We're asked.
Some of the missionaries even take
Japanese view of the trial. Tie
venerable DIR. Loomis, of Yokahoma
feels that there must have been some
measure of justification for the con-
viction. The other view is that these
confessions We're extorted under tor
ture and the Japanese judges had nc
corroborative evidence whatever. |
saw one physician who treated these
prisoners who said he saw the marks
of torture on them. Several of the
prisoners died in prison.
whichever view may be taken In
this ma tier there is one criticism that
seems justified. The court refused te
allow most of the prisoners to present
rebuttal testimony This is Japan's
shame that her judges gave no fair
chance for the prisoners to prove their
innocence. She has convicted 100 OF
the leading pastors and officers of the
church upon evidence not worthy Of
the name. It Is difficult to see how
in the splendid galaxy OF Japan's no
BILE achievements this one act can ever
be known as anything else but Japan's
| shame
Mr.. Nobu Watanabe, the Japanes.
chief Justice of the supreme court o
Corea. who is stopping for few day,
at the Hotel Netherland, on round
the world tour by special commission
OF his government, with his attache
Mr.. Tolsitara Auju was entertained al
a dinner given by Mr.. Kokichi Mid.
zuni, the Japanese consul general.
Mr. Watanabe denied the charge tina,
his government had relieved him from
duty in order that a less sympathetic
Judge might officiate in the trial OF
1 the Carean Christians