The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-01-22

Tokio-Charges that the Japanese troops sent into the Chinese district of Chientao, Manchurian commu- nifty. just over the Korean border, in discriminatory shot hundreds Of the villagers without semblance of trial, burned villages, schools, churhcheS and crops, are made public by Can adian missionaries stationed in Man churia and Korea.
 - Replying to these charges, Lieuten- ant Colonel Hata, of the Japanese office stated that the Japanese sol-1 diers had burned churches and obtained that they were being used as centers of intrigue by Korean mal- contents. He said the villages des- troyed were those in which the in habitants had been in league with the outlaws. He declared that the will lagers were executed only after in quiry by the military and civilian au- thorities.
 The Japanese government has sent to Chientao a commission to investi- i gate the conduct of the troops. This | body is headed by Colonel Mizuma- l chi, formerly military e attache at Washington. l One of the missionaries, Dr. s. H. Martin, of Newfoundland, a physician attached to the Canadian Presbyter- ian Mission at Yongjung. who visited | the village of Norabawie on October l 31, two days after the Japanese went | through that district, states: 1 '"The facts recorded below apply to ! the whole district of Chientao, in the l southern part of the provinces of | Kirin, China
 | Japan, under the strongest protest l from China, has sent over 15, 900 men l into this part of China with the seem | ing intention of wiping out of exist | ence, if possible, the whole Christian | community, especially all young men.
 Village after village is daily be- I ing methodically burned and the
 young men shot, so that at present | ing this city that have suffered from | fire or wholesale murder or both. | The facts below are absolutely ac curate:
 At daybreak a. complete cortlon l of Japanese infantry surrounded the
 main Christian village of Norabaw1e
 and, starting from the top of the val ! ley, set fire to the immense stacks ot
 and then ordered the occupants ot the house outside. In each case as
 the father or son stepped forth, he
 was shot on sight, and as he fell on
 great piles of burning straw were
 thrown on top of him.
 "I was shown the blood marks or
 the ground caused by the bayonet
 strove to rise from the flames, ir
 spite of the fact that they had beer
 shot three times at close range. Tn,
 bodies were soon charred beyond rec
 ogniton. The mothers, wives anG
 even the children were forced spec
 tators of this treatment of all tn, grown males of the village. House. l were fired and soon the whole coun try was full of smoke which wa.
 plainly visible from this town Tn,
 Japanese soldiers then spread out ana
 burned the houses of Christian be
 lievers in other villages all the wa,
 down the valley to the main road
 Then they returned home to ceIe
 brate the emperor's birthday.
 i "As we approached the nearby vii
 lages we found only women and chil dren and some white-haired men. Tn women with young babies on thei backs were walking up and dow ? wailing.
 3 I photographed ruins of 1e build l 1ngs, among which were old mel tearing their hair and crying whil J mothers and daughters were recoy !. ering bodies or unburned treasure = from the burning ruins So man ] women were crying and was so an
 gry at what I had seen that I couI
 not hold my camera steady enoug | to take a time exposure
 = We have names and accurate re - ports of 32 villages where murde 5. and fire have been used. One vi = lage has had as many as 145 inhab T ltants killed. Houses have been burr IS ed with women and children in then