Mr. Allen to Mr. Gresham.
Seoul, April 17, 1894. (Received May 28.)
Sir: Referring to my dispatch of April 6, I now have the honor to inform you that the body of the murdered rebel Kim Ok-kiun and the murderer Hong were brought to Chemulpo on a Chinese gunboat on the 12th instant and handed over to the Korean authorities. The body was brought at once to Seoul, where it was mutilated and parts of it sent around the country. The mutilation took place on the evening of the 14th, and on that morning Mr. Otori, the doyen, called the representatives together and explained that he was under telegraphic orders from his foreign office to remonstrate with this Government against the proposed mutilation. He asked usall to join him, but did not urge it.
It was the sentiment of all that aside from a personal unofficial explanation to the Koreans of the manner in which such acts are regarded abroad, we had better not meddle in this native custom.
I have, etc.,