New Britain herald., 1919-12-04
ONLY JAP MASON IN
 ]. s. IS IN THIS STATE
Lusee Yeahsun, Aged 71, is at
 Wallin8fOrd Home

lie at the Masonic home He is the only Japanese Mason in tho United states as far as known. He was born in Japan on November 1S 1S4S. and although taken into captivity several times and four times sentenced to the &allOWs, he relates his trials and eX- perienceS as d matter of fact and said that it seems d dream to him when he brings back to his mind his past life.
 s;cit":i~&': ;.> Death
 His parents were blessed With five children, two daughters and thrcr sons. They Worshiped BuIdha and be- ing in COlntOrta bic circumstances could enjoy life better than most of the people thCro. At the age of ten years NCahsun and another brother were seized by the surgeon army and sen tcnccu to the galloWs. After pleading. for mercy. they were finally spared, and although he begged them to allow his brother to remain with him, this was not allowed and from that day he has not seen or communicated with any of his folks. The people there had no feeling for human life, stated MT. hSlln, and many times while with this army 1 would witness a maSsa ere Of an innocent soul. The trouble at the time was rebellion and one set o1 people known as the imperial army Was fighting the surgeon army The former were composed of d more en- frightened race while the latter were half natives and beaStly in their na- ture. It was Heahsun's misfortune to De Selzed by the surgeon army and while with them made his escape three times but the last attempt he was ordered beheaded at once by the nF ho ed the admiration of the staff officers they pleaded in his behalf and at last the colonel gave orders that he should bo stripped and whipped 15 times with bamboo stick. After receiving this sentence, the blood flowed through his TeSh and the informant remarked that he almost died from this brutal treat ment.
 Escapes to America.
 Finally, Yeahsun made his escape ana hid in a large rye fold then to be recaptured by the imperial army, who were marching on. They suspected that he was a rebel and finally decid- cd that he should again be killed. But again his pleadings were needed and he remained with them fOv sano time. Yeahsun at once noticed thu, change in manner of these people
 
 weapons, cleaning the officers clothes, having life a little better than formerly. But while the march was on, Ycahsun couldn't keep up with them and upon arriving at a seaport town, he met a native woman to whom he related his experience. Her husband was the owner of jewnlry store and she gladly offered to tnk@ nm to her house iu niIiaw anu 1'2',s- missed when the nnHt ship can, n that she wol;lI .>ul'&uaLc tho captain to take him.
 At last the ship did corlc in and Eeahsun Was warmly received as he was to do the crrands for the sailors The captain of this boat was Charles Ii. Barrett of Camden. Maine, a Yale man, his wife being the second daughter of John w. Barber of New Haven who was known as Connecti- cuts historian, being a writer of wide experience. Yeahsun spent five years With the captain travelling to almost every seaport town in the world. While at San Francisco on one trip, the captain curious to lcarN about Yeahsun's life, communicated With d missionary and there was well informed. The captains wife was iL well educated woman and contrib uted many stories to a New Haven paper known as the Palladium. De- s'rOuS to sec China, Shc aCcnmpanied the captain on one of his voyages, together with her s months daughter and while at Hong Kong she contract ed Asiatic cholera, d very fatal dis ease, and passed away, being buried at 1 sea. On the return voyage the daugh- l ter passed away of water on the brain before l she told her husband to bring Yeahsun ! to America and see that he was prop ! crly educated
 At the age of IS years the captain, ] acting as his guardian gave him ! :l ,OOO for his education in a boarding 1 school and from there he went to the Delaware college in Franklin. N. Y. { io finish his studies.
 l Upon entering American schools Ii" l could talk quite tluently, due to th" 1 efforts of the captains wife, who , taught him the alphabet and the Eng l fish language. While in his junior ! year at college his fund gave out and upon the advice of Mr. Larger, of New Haven, he discontinued his i studies and left for New Haven. Thc"r i he was entertained in prominent families and at last decided to learn i tnC printers trade.
 , Norl'ieS Portland Girl. ! When he was 23 years old he went { to Mcriden, where he sought employ ! mcnt with the Mcridcn Republican, i working with that concern for four 1 years, During this time he formed ! the acquaintance of Miss Esther ! Aol gan, of English descent, who was l in the millinery business there. Her
 home was in Portland, Conn. Just before leaving Meriden he was mar l ried to Miss Morgan and then they