Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 January 1904 — KOREAN TROOPS LOOT. [ARTICLE]

KOREAN TROOPS LOOT.

Soldiers nnd Police at I'jcnsyanu Rob Houses of Rich.* According to Seoul advices Uorean soldiers and police at P.vengyang. disguised as robbers, iiave looted all- the wealthy native houses, --FnretgiiiTs are growing very uneasy over the condition of affairs. The natives seemingly are apathetic. An accident on the electric street railway at Seoul, which resulted in the killing of a t'orean, led to rioting on the pa rt of the populace. The inarjjjLeJgtiard at the American legation, however, without having recourse to their firearms, suc--eeeded in preventing the trout de from assuming serious proportions. Although there have been previon.s disturbances in Corea, this is the first mob attack made tints far on the property, of Ameficans. The railroad is owned and operated by Americans. It runs through the heart of Seoul. The guard which made the rescue came from the American legation- It consisted of"1W marines, who were sent some time ago to be on hand for the protection of Americans and their property. A re-enforcement of this guard may be brought from the Philippines. The highest officials at Port Arthur repudiate the published accusations of Russian hostility to the United States because of its Manchurian policy and the appointment of American consuls under the new treaty with China. It is officially asserted that no large re-enforce-ment of the eastern forces is expected at present. The military authorities, howoxer, add that otherwise arrangements arc being made for a large supply of ponies from the province of Chili, for the eossacks and mounted infantry. The demoralization of the passenger and freight traffic on the Manchurian railway continues in consequence of the military activity and there is a great block of freight at Port Dftlny. Takashlma. the Japanese interpreter for the Russian attache, was arrested at Tokio on the suspicion of acting as a spy in the Yogesuka fortified zone. He has been taken to Yokohama for trial. It is alleged that-conclusive evidence has been obtained regarding other suspects, which is causing a very strong feeling against such treachery, which is a capital offense in Japan. The Tokio correspondent of the London Times says letters received there from Vladivostok declare n party of Russian marines landed at Vladivostok on Jan. !> and subjected the Japanese Residents to great violence. The Russians wrecked twenty-four houses, maltreated women nnd inflicted wounds upon aged persons and children. The rioting lasted for twenty horn's. The rioters were accompanied by their officers, according to the letters from Vladivostok, nnd wefo not restrained by tjie civil authorities. Japanese newspapers advocate the withdrawal of all Japanese from Siberia ami nsk what may be expected in the event of hostilities if such things occur iluring pence. The Rev. Dr. George Heber Jones, who has been n missionary of the Methodist Church in Corea since I.HXN, is in New York on n furlough. He says the missions nre dominated by the best spirit of friendliness mid co-operation, with sectarian strife virtually banished. He believes the church property and missionaries will be respected by both sides in event of war. “There is much petty persecution among the natives," said Dr. Jones, “because the conversion of a t'orean often results in a serious dislocation of the chin us well and religious relationships but it i* rarely that one is forced to ii|Misfnsize once he has taken the step of destroying his household gods mid fetiches, and this nil converts do before they are rettignizvd."