Evening star., 1945-09-11
Toto Shoots Self; Feared Trial
CONTINUED From First PageD

critical condition that this could not
be determined
He has what Capt. johnson de-
Scribed as sucking chest wound" 4"
He bled profuSely Capt Johnson
gave him morphine in addition to
the TRANSMISSION and prepared to
move him as soon as possible to the
98th United States Army Evacua-
ton Hospital.
PlaSma, not whole blood, was used.
but Capt. Johnson said whole blood
would be needed to save TojOS life.
Winces at TRANSMISSION Needle.
TOTO was sufficiently conscious to
vince as the TRANSMISSION needle was
thrust into his arm and the chest
wound was SeWed.
Another doctor. 1t. Frank Aquino
Of Los Angeles, assisted Capt. John
son,
Medical Technician Dominic
Santa Croce of Westheld, N. j.,
brought up medical kits.
Capt. Johnson removed the first
bandage which the japanese doctor
had hastily placed on Tojo's wound
but the wound began to bleed so
freely that he had to replace it un-
til he could sew up the opening and
inject the plaSma.
TOTO was moved from an easy
chair in sitting room to bed.
Eooo. Dox@IaGoIl
In bed, he muttered until he was
placed so that he faced a large oil
painting of himself overlooking a
battlefield. with his staff in the
background as he stood on a small
bluff.
In the painting, japanese armored
cars were moving down the hill and
in the foreground was a Chinese
flag pressed into the mud
The doctor placed a large bandage
over Tojo'S heart wound The
bandage appeared to be made of
cellophane
TOTO bent his knees and lay with
his eyes closed.
The bullet from Toios own pistol.
which he had in mis- hand when the
Americans broke through two doors
into his room, passed entirely
through his body.
When the japanese doctor and
nurse arrived, TOTO, who was still
conscious. exclaimed to them:
L want to die"
The doctor. who said he did not
have his instruments, said he did
not know why he was called, and
refused at first to attend the one
time Premier.
Rooms Sealed, Papers Impounded.
The American officers Immediately
after the shooting sealed the rooms
in Tolos fine new country home
and impounded. his papers.
They expressed regret that he
had shot himself, saying that they
merely had intended to take him to
headquarters for questioning
Before he shot himself. TOTO twice
opened one of the big sliding VIM
dows of his house, smiled a hard,
steely smile at the officers, and then
slammed the window down so hard
that it almost broke.
One of the officers tried to display
his credentials through the window.
TOTO ignored them but did exclaim,
Il am Tojo!"
1t was as if he wanted to make
absolutely positive that the officers
knew he was the man they wanted.
AS he stood gloWering in the VIM
dow. Charles CORY, Associated
Press photographer, snapped his
picture
Then the officers and a party of
correspondents moved to the front
door, intending to go in.
At that moment they heard a shot
Officers Kick in Door.
The officers Immediately began
kicking in the door, wasting no time
on the crowd of servants and Japa-
nese police who we're clustered
around.
They broke open the door. which
had f1lmsy lock, and entered the
hall, where another door was locked.
1t, too, was broken open.
AS American officers burst into
the room their guns were in their
hands. Drop it, one called, as he
saw tie gun in Tojo's hand
Puts Gun on Table.
TOTO must have been startled by
the abrupt order, but instead of
dropping his weapon, he let his
right hand sag, then raised it suf-
ficiently to lay the gun on the table
at his side.
Shortly after the shooting the
telephone rang. The Associated
Press interpreter answered and said
1t was call from the War Office.
He was told to tell the War Office
TOTO was ''indisposed."
Tolo, groaning almost continuous
ly, paid no attention to the men
around him.
His head lay on a blue embroid-
ered pillow at the back of his chair.
lt was about 35 minutes after the
shooting that he began speaking as
Domel correspondents and other
japanese crowded around him
taking down his words.
AT one time he muttered Ban
zal!." the Japanese suicidal-charge
order given when battles already are
lost. Then he added the japanese
word for Emperor"
TOTO was dressed in a white shirt,
open at the neck. a pair of olive