Evening star., 1948-12-22
Tojo and Six Aides
Are Hongedin okyo
For Crimes of War
Secret Executions in
Sugomo Prison Take
Only IS Minutes
BY the Associated Press

TOKYO, Thursday, Dec. 90
Former Premier Hideki TOTO and
six other japanese warlords were
hanged today for Japan's crimes
against humanity.
The Army announced the seven
went to their deaths on the gallows
in Sugamo Prison, where they had
been held for more than two-and-a-
half years-during and after their
long trial
Only Monday the United States
Supreme Court closed the last pos
sible door of escape. 1t found it was
without authority to act on the
appeals of two of them, Gen. Kenji
Doihara and former Premier Koki
Hirota, since it had no power to
review the actions of the Interna-
tional Tribunal which condemned
the seven and handed out prison
terms to 18 of their co-defendants.
The Supreme Court today was
asked to reconsider its decision
in a petition filed shortly be-
fore word came from Tokyo that
the seven had been hanged. The
request was made by John G.
Brannon of Kansas City, one of
the attorneys who represented
the Japanese before the court last
week. He said the court had fall
ed to consider the vital question
of whether the President and
military authorities had exceeded
their authority under the Consti-
tution)
No Details Given Out.
The Army gave no details of the
hangings. 1t promised to hand out
more information later to newsmer,
who were not permitted to attend.
In addition to TOTO the other six
hanged were:
Gen. Kenji Doihara, the Man
churian plotter.
Koki Hirota, former Premier.
Gen. Seish Iro Itagaki, former war
minister.
Gen. Heitaro Kumura, chief of the
Japanese armies in Manchuria.
Gen. 1wane Watsui, who COM
manded at the rape of Nanking.
1t. Gen. Akira Muto, chief of staff
in the Philippines.
The first of the condemned men
dropped to his death at one minute
past midnight today u0:01 am.
EST.
Who was the first to die and the
order in which they went" were not
indicated. 1t also was possible sew
eral were hanged at once because
the executions went off fast.
The hangings were finished IS
minutes after midnight.
Clergy Reported in Prison.
A Buddhist priest and two Amer
ican chaplains were repeatedly in
the prison for the executions since
early Wednesday.
TOTO survived his fellow dictators,
Adolf Hitler OF Germany and Be-
nito Mussolinio of Italy, because of
American medical skill.
In September, 1915. as American
troops came to arrest him, TOTO
shot himself with revolver Quick
medical attention and a TRANSMISSION
of American whole blood saved him
for the gallows.
TOTO was the only one of the three
to stand trial. Hitler supposedly
died in the ruins of Berlin as the
Russians closed in. Mussolini was
killed by Italian Partisans.
Col. Marion P. Echols, Gen. Mac
Arthurs public information officer,
apparently was at Sugamo Prison
when the hangings took place.
Capt. H. H. Hawkins, duty officer
said he received his information
directly from Col Echols, who may
furnish the additional details.
Court Sat "a Years.
The seven were convicted of plot
ting and waging aggressive war in
the Pacific and the Far East An
11-nation Allied tribunal sat in
judgment on them for 21s years.
Headquarters has announced that
bodies of the former cabinet men,
bers and military leaders will be
cremated. To prevent enshrinement
Of the war criminals, their families
will be denied the ashes.
The United States 9th Army was
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