MURDER A FINE ART.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 212, 13 September 1901, Page 1

MURDER A FINE ART.

JAPANESE PRAISE THE SKILL OF AN ASSASSIN.

Tokyo July 4. The assassination of Mr Iloshi throws

into prominent relief the difference of point of view regarding this crime between the Japanese and the Western people. His murderer, Iba, was a teacher, and felt called upon to kill his victim to save the students from Hosbi's corrupting influence. Before committing- the murder he wrote to his wife :—“ I pray you think of mo as a dream. Desiring not to bring any trouble on you, I now divorce you. Live comfortably at the charges of your son-in-law. Though the house of Iba falls, I feel no guilt towards my ancestors, for I have achieved my purpose.” A fine Pagan ring about this that carries one back to old Japan. The Press considers it such, sees in Iba another Brutus, and refrains from denouncing the crime.

Hoshi’s friends, too, who assembled around his bier the night after the assassination, had no hard words for his murderer. They praised his splendid swordsmanship, the skill that could deliver six blows so rapidly that those around the striken man knew not what had happened. With critical coldness these statesmen of Japan discussed assasssination as a fine art, and recounted their own experiences.

“ When Arbara tried to kill me twenty years ago,” said Count Itagaki, “ I saw at once that he was a mere greenhorn at the work. Why, his conduct was simply disgusting ; more like that of an indifferent actor in a country theatre than of a man who meant serious business. He tried to pink me all night, but he made the mistake of leaving too much space between himself and me.

“ Moreover, he did not seem to know how to handle his weapon properly, Hoshi’s assassin, you see, must have been a trained hand and a splendid swordsman.”

Count Okuma, ex-Premier, and at present leader of the Progressives, had a hard-luck story to tell (not at this particular meeting, though) about the barbarous way in which he had been attacked some years ago by a would-be assassin but successful suicide, who threw at him a bomb that blew off one of the count’s legs. Although the general opinion is that Mr Hoshi is in some sense to bo pitied for bein'* cut off at the entrance to a brilliant career, there is also a strong feeling thathe should feel highly flattered at having been done to death in such a masterly manner by a man who belongs to a family of hereditary swordsmen of Yedo, and who used on the occasion an old Japanese weapon of great value and antiquity.