Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-11-14
RESUSC|TATES FAMILY
OF LATE GENERAL NOG|
Imperial Decree, Recently Issued
ArOuScS Clamor of Public
Discussion.
REFUSED no ADOPT AN HEIR
Left VIII Expressing Disapproval OF
Cust0m-Storm OF Protest Against
Another Taking Over Name and
Title or Popular Hero.

TOKYO. November l3.--No subject
discussion in Japan in recent years
than an imperial decree legally rcsusci-
tating the family of the late General
Nogi, the hero Of Port Arthur and the
idol Of the Japanese nation. \ storm
OF protest has risen from all parts
Of tho empire because of the fact that
General Nogi. who committed nara
kiri with his wife on the night OF the
funeral OF Emperor Mutsuhito, left n
will expressing his disapproval OF the
custom Of adopting heirs in Japan. and
requesting that his family become eN-
tlnct.
General Norrs later life was sad
dencd by the loss Of his two sons In
the war with Russia lie was CON
stantiy requested by relatives and
friends to adopt IN heir in fulfllm"nt
OF japanese custom, aud thus to con-
tinuc the succession OF his house.
Noci. however. refused. declaring that
TO his mind the practice OF adoption
had worked very badly. and often had
resulted in bringing discrcdit 20 the
family. lie preferred that his own
house, which had been given tho rank
OF nobility by tho Emperor. should be-
come extinct after his death.
This desire was contained very
explicitly In his last testament,
In which ne declared the ,ombs
OF tho family ancentors should
be cared for by blood relations so long
as any Of them survive, and not by
others"
lie gave directions that his body
should be contributed To 4 medical
r1ll frv toe ",,.1.
lief tina; his wife would surviv" him.
Count Eoci concluded his VIII with
the words: The name Of the house
OF NoSi VIII be retained during my
wifes lifetime. and after tina, it is
my earnest hope that ms family w!i!
b" cNtlnguished."
NEW COUNT NO.I RECEIVES
THREATENING LETTERS
Tho successor 10 Count Norl Is rot n
blood relation lIe lis Motosato Mori,
younger brother "a Niscount Motoo
Mort An imperial decree ordering MIR.
Mort 10 take o.cr the house of the late
General EoEi. NJ we'll as tho title of
count. WAS issued on tho third annivcr-
sary 81 tn. suicide Of the hero OF Port
Arthur The fac, tina, the now head
of tho house has already made appli :
cation for the family relics and No
'norials has heightened public feeling
on the matter. Tn" new Count Eogi Is
receiving an endless stream Of anony-
nous letters. some threatening and all
protesting his succeeding TO the name
OF Nogi IN defiance OF tho wish OF the
great soldier.
The question occupies the forciuo st
piaco in the press, which quotes many
iur'S's a holding the step illegal Ii;
IS likely Mat the question will! come
M IN tho next session or the Diet The
former head Of the Mort house wac n
daimio OF Choshu clan. or which tho
late Count Nogi was u mcmbcr and
inns - one reason, why man OF the
present generation ives selected The
crtir" controversy Is OF :, special in
tcrest because II shows that public
opinion in Japan now Garcs 10 criti-
cize even decree of the Emperor. In
former days criticism OF IN Imperial
odict would have been regarded as en-
'trcly dlsloNal and impossible