The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1919-04-24

have seen with my own eyes. aud
So lhnly vcilcd has been the hos
tlity and insolence Of the lower
class Japanese toward myself and
all the other foreigners that bear
ing i'm mind the repeated assaults
upon white men known TO me,
have gone armed daily for the first
time in my life.
From all parts Of the country
'omc the reports Of the forciblc
disposscssion Of Koreans from their
homes in order that they may be
occupied by the japanese. Military
necessity has been the convenient
prctext under which thousands OF
acres have been seized without
compensation and thousands %
Koreans compelled 10 work with
out pay. And military operations
on a large scale. really are in evil
dence in many parts Of the land
Let US review for a few moments
the japanese cruelty in prosecuting
the Korean Christians. In 1912,
Terautchi. governor general in ko-
rca, arrested i37 Christians, the
leading Christian workers. teachers
and students. The following letter
from a missionary tells how the
japanese tortured the Korean Chris
tians:
seoul Korea. July 3. 1912.
One never knows when a letter
will be opened by the japanese. and
We have felt that, up 10 the present
time, il would only make them
harder on the poor prisoners and
more suspicious Of us than they are,
TO make public many things that
have happened
in the spring the japanese began
making arrests Of our school boys
here in Seoul. Nearly all the grad
yates. who were strong Christian
boys. were arrested from around in
the country where they were teach
ing. They were charged with some
Indefinite plots against the govern
ment. Several Of those arrested and
tried were banished, some were sem
fenced for period Of years in pris-
on. at hard labor, and a few were
released. but all, think. testified 10
having been beaten and tortured in
various ways To make them testify.
Many Of them were perfectly in
nocent, though a few may have been
leaders Of a secret society that may
have had some plans for freeing
Korea some day from Japan. All
that We have ever heard Of tho
plans Of these societies - which
werd mainly composed Of school
boys go was that they enthusiastic
ally. urged every one 10 study and
prepare themselves in years to come
10 be ready TO control their own
government when they should b.
free. OF course no Christian K0-
rean ever had any thought Of muir
der or assassination in mind. One
Of our graduates, by the way. was
beaten TO death in prison at this
time. Another. whom we believe
implicitly, was hung by the thumbs
until he was unconscious seven diff
ferent times. This is the system
Of this beautiful and civilized coun-
try. People during the past year
have been brought mp 10 Seoul from
all over Korea as witnesses, so they
were told. As soon as they reached
Seoul, however, they were thrown
into prison, where they lived on the
cold stone floors, never any heat.
Twice a day bucket Of poor rice
and beans was brought in by a
guard, and handful OF il thrown
at each prisoner. They were not
allowed TO speak to each other, and
in this way they passed several
weeks. Finally they were taken
before Gendarmery Court, one at a
time. The procedure there was that
OF a series Of questions which were
asked about plots TO assassinate the
aforementioned, or plots against
Government. II the boys and men
said they did not know, or denied
the accusation, they were tortured
in various and barbarOus ways.
Sometimes, after they became de-
lirious, they would assent TO every
thing. Then, after few weeks,
they were sent up to the procurator.
There they were asked the same
questions. If they denied the
charges here they were sent back
TO the gendarmes, where they were
tortured Till they again assented..
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