Murderer Plays Lead in Film of His Own Crime

Grey River Argus, 15 November 1948, Page 7

Murderer Plays Lead in Film of His Own Crime

[From Denis Warner, N.Z.F.A. Reuter Correspondent] TOKYO. On January 26 this year a mild, elderly little man walked into a Tokvo suburban branch of the Taikoku Bank, and a very few minutes later had poisoned the entire staff of 16. While the little man helped himself to 180,000 yen and went on his way, twelve died in agony on the floor of the bank. Recently at a Tokyo gaol the four survivors at last made a half-hearted identification of the self-confessed murderer, a 57 year-old artist named Sadamichi Hirasawa. The story of his arrest and subsequent confession have not been out of keeping with the standard set by the incredible mass murder. For instance, Hirasawa for the benefit of enterprising Tokyo film producers gave a grisly re-enactment of his confessed crime. Into the set of the Teikoku Bank walked the little man with a health inspectors armlet and carrying a small black bag. It was four o’clock in the afternoon and public business for the day was over. He had come, the murdered told the assistant manager, to ensure that all precautions against dysentr v were carried out in the bank. From his black bag he produced a bottle of colourless liquid, which he said should be taken by all members of the staff. With clever sleight of hand he pretended to drink himself. Then pouring 16 dozes of cyanide into the Japanese tea cups the victims willingly provided, the murderer invited them to drink. “This medicine injures the enamel of the teeth,” he said for the benefit of the sound men in the Tokyo gaol. Then, as the cameras ground on, he directed that the medicine should be dropped on the tongue. The climax came when he commanded: “Now let us drink the medicine as I have told you.” “With powerful electric light played on him, Hirasawa turned pale, his limbs apparently trembling,” the newspaper Asahi reported. Credit for the arrest of Hirasawa goes to assistant police-sergeant Igii. who pursued him on a hunch against the advice—and finally the support—of his chiefs. Igii pawjied his watch and other possessions to find the funds to continue his investigations. While 23,441 other detectives combed Japan from Hokkaido to Kyushu, arresting 8,796 “suspects” in their quest, Igii slowly closed in. Interviewed by the newspaper Yomiuri, the 87 year-old father of Hirasawa reacted in a manner traditionally Japanese. “ I have no apology to offer the world,” he said. “I’ll commit harakiri and atone for the crime.” Meanwhile the Tokyo picture company disappointed with Hirasawa’s own performance in the title role, is going ahead with planes for a drama based on the case. The Asahi commenting on this said that usually many actors apply for the title role but so far none had volunteered for it in the Hirasawa drama. “Who would become a big star in the role of the notorious murder fiend?” the paper asked, but the public, once appalled at the murder, does not appear to have echoed the Asahi’s question. Gifts of food and flowers and I clothes have been showered on the Hirasawa family. Other Japanese papers openly question whether Hirasawa is guilty although even the vial Hirasawa said he used, has been found. A great many Japanese appear to hope for his acquittal.