The Miner and Workman's Advocate. — 1865-02-04 (London, England)

THE MURDER OF TWO BRITISH OFFICERS  AT JAPAN.  The following account of the murder o+l two British officers in Japav, is taken from the Japan Herald of Xo, veraber 26 :  The particulars of these last barbarous, murders, solar as the circumstantial evidence which has yet been produced and followed up can enlighten us, may thus be condensed, out of the evidence given at the coroner's inquest On the nsorning of the 21st instant (Monday), 'Major George Walter Baldwin and Lieutenant Robert Nicholas Bird, both of the 2d battalion of Her Britannic Majesty's 20th Regiment, left Yokohoma on horseback for an excursion to Karnakura and Diaboots. About half-past 10 they arrived at Enosima, which place (after exchanging courtesies with, other excursionists they mot there) they left about twelve o'clock, with the intention of proceeding to Diaboots. The same night information from the district authorities was sent in to the Governor of Yokohama, that two foreigners had been assaulted at or near Kamakura, that one was dead, but the other was yet alive. This information haying been communicated forthwith (about two o'clock in the morning of the 22d, Tuesday) to the foreign Consuls, Dr. Lindan, the Swiss Consul, Mr. Von Brandt, the Prussian consul, and various parties of other foreign residents, started at or about four o'clock towards the place indicated, Lieutenant Woods with a party of mounted artillery, and Mr. Lachlan Fletcher, interpreter to the British Legation, being ordered to proceed thither in all haste. A little after daylight they arrived at "the three-fold road leading from the Great Temple, Hatchuma, where it divides into three smaller roads, one leading to Daiboots to the right, the second straight on to the sea, and the third into the tountry to the left." Near this spot and between a miserable tea house and a hut for horses, in two small sheds of mats propped up by bamboo, and , disposed on math laid on the ground, were found, most ' horribly mutilated, the bodies of the two unfortunate gentlemen, the pistol of one of them—one barrel of. which appeared to have been recently discharged-:-by his side, that of the other only partly drawn from his belt.. All the inquiries made by Mr. Fletcher failed to *gent any infermation. No one knew anything but that there the bodies were, and that one of the deceased—the younger one, who said his name was Bird,—bad lived for several hours. The bodies were brought in by water, and the ara yots a fh l.iltah nadt f" an inquest was-held. The deceased were buried with full military 'honours on Thursday. We noticed there the English, French, American, and Dutch Ministers, and the Consuls in full uniform; the Governor of Kanagawa and suite; tnhaettihooe nationalities fia ichietar sireb!, harbour, ufarn, theadl all wteh be officerse e men e wo o fof w m all nationalities of allalitiesin every male resident of Yokohama was there. Subjoined is the verdict at the 'inquest held on the • bodies of the unfortunate officers:—  - That Major George Walter ifaldwitt and Lieutenant Robert Nicholas Bird were cruelly-murdered near the town of ICamakura on the 21stof November inst., about fo-ur in the afternoon.  That from the evidence brought before them the jury have no doubt that this atrocious crime was the act of Japanese swordsmen unknown. The jury further find that this attack must in all likelihood have been made on both sides simultaneously, !ind by a party of five or six ruffians at the very least, but possibly of oven greater numbers. The jury are further of opinion that the Japanese evidence read in Court is utterly worthless, and that there must be ample testimony in the possession of the Japanese authorities, or attainable by them, descriptive of ti. whole circumstances of the tragedy.