New-York tribune., 1921-01-13
u. S. to Ask Why
JapaneseKilled
Naval Officer
Inquiry Begun Into Death
sof Lieut.. Langdon, Who
Before Dying, Said Sentry
Shot Him From Behind
Had Told His Nationality
Nipponese Consul General
at Vladivostok Calls to
Express Profound Regret

WASHINGTON. Jan. 12.-Intentior
ofethe American government to make s
careful investigation Of the Yata
shooting by Japanese sentry yester.
day a. Vladivostok of Lieutenant w. H
Lsfgdon. chief engineer of the Ameri.
cap cruiser Albany. was evidenced ir
action taken tonight by two depart
ments Of the government.
The State Department, upon being
informed Of the bare details of the
shSoting of Lieutenant Langdon IN a
report from Consul MacGowan at
Vhdivostok, directed the consul to for
wsrd more complete report.
The Navy Department received two
reports of the shooting from Admiral
Albers Gleaves. commander in chief Of
thy Asiatic fleet, who said that he
pWnned to leave at noon to-day aboard
the destroyer Elliott for Shanghai
where he will board the cruiser New
Orleans and proceed to Vladivostok to
make an investigation.
yp@spatches to both departments en-
ghesized that Japanese officials at the
kSssian port were showing every evil
d@eo Of regret over the shooting.
C6nsul MacGowan reported that the
Japanese Consul General had called
upon aim and expressed his "profnund
regret" Admiral Gleaves in his dis
patches said the japanese officials were
much concerned and had made frequent
eAus offering every assistance within
their power.
: Japanese Express Regret
The State Department announced its
receipt of the report from Consul Mac
Gowan in the following statement:
The shooting of Lieutenant w. H.
Langdon, an engineer officer of the
AHerican cruiser Albany, at Vladivos-
tok by japanese sentry on January 8
WIS reported to the Department IF
State to-day. The telegram, which was
Vladivostok, reported that the Japanese
Consul General at Vladivostok had
called on him to express his profound
regret"
admiral Gleaves in his first report.
received at the Navy Department late
in the day, gave preliminary details as
to the shooting of Lieutenant Langdor.
He reported that the lieutenant was re-
turning to his ship, and was in front
oEIapanese division headquarters, near
the arch on Peter the Great Square,
WHeH SnOC, MS ueaLn occurring few
hours later. The Admiral in a second
report, received tonight, said:
Japanese officer reports as follows:
"'Sentry claims his suspicious were
aroused by seeing foreigner flashing
a hand lamp; that he ran across the
street and called to him to halt, aud
THAT as he came near the foreigner
fired one revolver shot at him; that he
fired his rife, and then the foreigner
fired two more shots, and sentry fired
one more shot. Sentry claims that he
ren back for the guard, but that the
foreigner had gone when sentry and
gNard returned
Z Statement by Langdon
zLangdon's statement is as follows:
e'That he was returning to ship, using
hand lamp, and when he was on the
sidewalk on the side opposite to the
japanese Division Headquarters the
sentry ran across the street, taking the
position charge bayonets" to the left
and about six feet in front of him; that
he halted until the sentry said "Ameri-
kanski." to which he renlied that he