Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1921-01-18
Murde,r.e|i
SailoWaSs' as 8
Official Dispatches Agree
That japanese Sentry Fired +
On Naval Officer With
out Cause.
Probe Will Be Continued

w doiinStoiii jail. l|.~-iSut. w
H. Langdon. American naval Off
GER shot and killed by a Japanese
sentry at Vladivostok January s, was
the victim of all unprovoked attack,
dispatches to the State department
and to the Navy department today
agreed.
The dispatches were based OH
statements elected from the accused
sentry by the japanese board of in
vestigation and court OF INJURY. The
sentry's statements were describe! :!
as agreeing with the ante-mortenl
Story by Lieutenant Langdon in tina.
the sentry was the first. to fire. The
sentry. who previously had nain-
tanned that the American officer fired
first, also was reported as having
told the court of inquiry that he
had discharged his rife by accident.
4 Will Probe Death.
The dispatches to the Navy de-
partment filed by Admiral Gleaves,
comrander-in-chief OF the Asiatic
feet, now lenroute to Niadivostok
with all American naval court of i'll
quiry, added that the sentry had been
recommended for court-martial by
the Japanese authorities. q
While the dispatches were more
complete than any previous ories
and while officials expressed graft
6cation that an agreement had been
reached as to what happened. no
tendency was displayed IN official
circles to relax the determination to
investigate the matter thoroughly,
and for that reason Admiral Gleavcs
will continue to the Siberian port.
State department officials continued
to await a reply to the note sent
Japan requesting an explanation OF
the incident and assurances that it
would not be repeated.
Returning to Ship. :
The State department was in
formed that Langdon. who is de-
scribed as a total abstainer." was
returning to his ship early on jan
uary s, using a fashlight to pick
his way along an ice-covered street.
The sentry was or duty before the
headquarters of the Japanese 1lth
division. -
''The final story and full admis-
sion Of the sentry" the summary of
the report of the investigating board
as, received by the. State department
added. made after thorough in
terrogation by the Japanese board
tot Investigation and court of inquiry
was that the sentry left his post. ran
across the street, three times called
halt and that Lieutenant Langdon
did not halt. The sentry said that
he then took position three PAGES
in front of Lieutenant Langdon with
his rifle held at charge bayonets.'
Lieutenant Langdon then stopped.
according to the sentry's story, and
shifted the electril pocket lamp to
his left hand, groping with his right
hand in the pockets of his over
coat. The sentry asserted that he
himself then took the position for
action and queried Lieutenant Lang
don with the words 'RussianN or
American
Sentry Was Gxcited.
The sentry admitted that he was
very excited, but protested that he
did not intend to shoot Lieutenant
Langdon, but that his purpose was
to seize Lieutenant Langdon's fash
light and compel him to~accompany
him to the guard in order that he
might ASCERTAIN who the lieutenant
was. He declared that he then dis
charged his rife accidentally. He
added that after hei had discharged
his rifle by accident and wounded
Lieutenant Langdon i'll the breast.
Lieutenant Langdon fired two or
three revolver shots at him. 9
Memorial services for Lieutenant
Langdon will be held tomorrow at
the Y. NJ. c. A. building in Vlad-
ivostok.