The Washington herald., 1914-04-21
HOW JAPANESE
ATONED TOU. 5.
Officer Who Ordered Troops
to Fire on Bluejackets
Forfeited His Life.
SEARCH FOR PRECEDENTS
Find Report of Hiogo Incident Made
by Commander Creighton to
Gideon Welles in 1868.

The search for precedents as to inter
national salutes. which in times gone
by have been forced by or upon the
and other offences against international
comfy. resulted today in the discovery
in the files of the Navy Department Of
a report to Gideon Welles, Secretary Of
the Navy in the Cabinets OF Lincoln and
Johnson, from Commander J. BIakeley
Creighton, L. S. N. commanding the L.
S. s. Oneida. who witnessed Japans
atonement for an ofense committed
against bluejackets Of the United States
navy.
The following is Commander Creigh-
toms letter to Secretary WeIles, which
is copied from the report of the opera
tions of the Asiatic squadron. from Oc-
tober, 1861. to December. 1853 made by
Read Admiral J. c. Rowan. commanding
Witnessed Execution.
L. s. Steamer Oneida C3rd rate).
Hon. Gideon Welles. Secretary OF the U.
s. Navy. Washington, d. c.
Sir: | have the honor TO communicate
the particulars of the execution of the
japanese official, Tati Zanzutaro. retainer
of Matsdaira Bizen no Kami, who ordered
his troops to fire on the foreigners at this
place on the ith ultimo. This execution
was witnessed by me at the request OF
our Minister General. r. B. Van VaIken-
burgh. and is as follows:
left the Legation at about p. m. in
company with the officers attached to the
Foreign Legation, and proceeded to Hiogo
where We We're met by a guard. who
escorted US to the temple where the exc
cution was to take place.
There was a large number of people on
each side of the street leading to the
temple. and quite a number of soldiers
drawn up inside and about the temple
We were shown into a room adjoining
the japanese officials where we were
asked II We wished to question the per-
son about to be executed, to which We
answered in the negative. They also took
the names OF every official present
After waiting about a half an hour. We
were conducted by the japanese officials
into what appeared TO be the principal
room of the temple. which was lighted
with candles. and in front of the altar
was a raised platform of about a foot
in height which extended across the
room. and we were placed on the right
of the altar. within a few feet OF where
the execution was to take place, with
the Japanese officials on the left
In front OF the altar was a green cloth.
and in front OF that d red one. We were
informed that the execution would take
place on the red cloth. Seating ourselves
upon the mats on the platform We await
cd the execution.
In a few moments the prisoner came
in, dressed in the usual Japanese dress
of personnel rank, accompanied by the
executioner. who was his pupil and most
intimate friend. He walked with
steady. firm step in front of the altar,
where he knelt In prayer. He then arose
and went to the red cloth where he
knelt and made the confession that ''hc
was the officer that ordered his troops
fire upon them when they were trying
to escape" and that 'he was sorry for
what he had done
He then disrobed himself to his waist
and reached out for a knife that was
near him, which he thrust into his
bowels and drawing it toward his right
side, and leaning forward at the same
time. the executioner with one blow
from his sword, severed his head from
his body. This occurred at about 1O:3O
p. m.
The Japanese then bowed to the floor,
on which we all did the same. We were
then asked II we. were satisfied with
what we had witnessed, when we replied
in the affirmative.
After the lapse of fe moments We
were informed that all was over. when.
we arose and took our departure. The
whole scene was one of great solemnity
and very impressive.
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant.
], BLAKELEY CREIGHTON.