SLAUGHTER OF KOREANS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18567, 27 November 1923, Page 7

SLAUGHTER OF KOREANS.

; AUSTRALIAN'S REPORT. HORRORS AFTER EARTHQUAKE CRIMES INCITED BY PANIC. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. A. and N.Z. SYDNEY. Nor. 26. Tho Sydney Morning Herald's special commissioner in Japan supplies shocking details of the massacre of Koreans during the few days following the earthquake, when the people Were terror-stricken and order was not restored. Most of the outrages were committed by members of the Japanese young men's associations, maddened by rumours that malcontent Koreans and Socialists were engaged in malign plots. The police estimate that 432 Koreans were killed in the affected area, including 150 in Yokohama. There is evidence, however, thai some Koreans were engaged in looting, and in another case Koreans outraged and murdered a young Japanese woman. One was caught with 30 grammes of arsenic among his loot. He declared it was only salt, and was made to swallow it. His death '— agony proved that he had lied.

At Fujioka 17 -Koreans took refuge in a police station. A mob overcame the police and chased the refugees on to the roof of the building, where all were •speared or shot dead. At Yokohama, five Koreans and some Japanese were caught in the act of incendiarism, and were 'lynched on the spot. Later 30 more Koreans were lynched. At Kumagaya the police were escorting 43 Koreans to a place of safety when a mob surrounded them under the belief that they were insurgents, instantly killing ten. The remaining 33, attempting flight, were chased and all murdered.