Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-09-17
FOLLOW RULER TO DEATH.
Japanese Mobiles Commit Suicide in
Accordance With Strange Custom.


Japanese Mobiles Commit Suicide in
Accordance With Strange Custom.
Gen.. Count Maresunke Nogi, su-
preme military counselor Of the Jap
anese empire, and his wife. the Count
ess Nogi, committed suicide at To.
kyo last Friday night in accordance
with an ancient custom as a final
tribute to their departed emperor and
friend, Mutsuhito.
The death by their own hands OF
the famous general and his wife was
as dramatic as 1t was sad. The gen.
eral cut his throat with short sword
and the countess committed harikari.
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 for
ever from Tokyo Of the dead emperor.
Gen. Nogi and the countess had at
tended the funeral services Of Nut
suhito at the palace here today and 1t
was expected that they would proceed
to Aoyama tonight with the cortege.
Instead, however. at the conclusion Of
the ceremony at the palace, they
withdrew to their modest home in
Akasaka, a suberb Of Tokyo, and
there began their final preparations
for death.
Left Farewell Letter.
First the general wrote letter to
his new emperor, Yoshihito, which
later was found beside his body. Then
he draped in mourning a portrait Of
the late emperor, which hung on the
wall, and afterwards he and his wife
dressed themselves in full Japanese
costume and drank a farewell cup Of
sake from cups which had been pre-
sented to the general by Mutsuhito.
Darkness had fallen and Gen. Nogi
and the countess sat and waited the
signal they had agreed upon to an
nounce their leave taking. This was
the booming Of q signal gun on the
palace grounds at Tokyo which was
to let the people know that the body
of the emperor was starting on the
funeral car for its last resting place.
AS the boom Of the gun resounded
through the clear, still night, Gen.
Nogi arose and grasping in his hand
a short sword plunged 1t into his
throat while the countess stabbed
herself. through the body. A. student
who resided in the Nogi home heard
the fall of the bodies and rushed into
the room. Lying upon the floor were
the hero Of Port Arthur and his wife.
Both still were breathing. but their
spasmodic gasps showed plainly that
death was near. The student hurried
for aid but when he returned with 1t
both the general and the countess
were dead.
Expressions Of Sorrow.
The tragedy created a profound
sensation and expressions Of sorrow
were heard on every hand tonight.
Especially grief stricken was Prince
Arthur Of Connaught, the special en-
voy to the funeral Of Mutsuhito Of
Great Britain. Prince Arthur was to
have gone with Gen. Nogi tomorrow
to the former capital Of the Shotgun
ate or Kamakura.
Those who knew Gen. Nogi de-
clare that his calmness In killing
himself tonight was the kind of
stoicism he always had displayed, no
matter what crisis faced him. They
instanced the famous charge Of the Jap
anese up 203 Metre hill during the
Russo-Japanese war, when, as COM
mander Of the japanese third army,
Nogi saw the Russians NOW down
his forces in hundreds, among them
two Of his own sons, and yet quietly
and fearlessly continued the battle,
taking the hill and eventually being
handed the surrender Of Lieut.. Gen.
rStoessel at Port Arthur.
National Hero.
Gen. Count Nogi was a national
hero in Japan. It was he who cap
.tured Port Arthur from the Russians
in 1904 and assured the success OF
his country in the battle of Mukden.
The count was born at Hagi in the
province Of Choshu, in 1S49.
During the Saigo rebellion Nogi
fought bravely at the battles OF
Yamagacuhi and Twarazaka and was
wounded. After the rebellion was
suppressed he was made a lieutenant
colonel.
He commanded the first brigade OF
infantry in the Chino-Japanese wal
and captured Port Arthur in one day,
On the outbreak Of the Russo-Jap-
anese war in 1904, Gen Nogi was ap-
pointed commander Of the third army.
His force took 203 Metre hill after
terrible slaughter and also destroyed
the Russian squadron in port.
Gen. Nogi personally received Gen,
4Stoessel's proposal to surrender Port
Arthur.