Please wait. Contacting image service... loading

Article text

YAMASHITA IS
FOUND GUILTY
Death Sentence
Pronounced
MANILA, December 7 (A.A.P.).
General Yamashita was found guilty to
day as charged, and was sentenced to death
by the American Military- Mission..
Standing before the bench,
Yamashita heard the verdict read
by Major-General Russell Rey
nolds, president of the Military
Commission:— :
"This commission finds that a
series of atrocities and high
crimes were committed by the
Japanese armed forces under your
command against nationals . of the
United States, its Allies, and de
pendencies;
"That these were not sporadic
incidents, but often methodically
supervised, by Japanese officers
and non-commissioned officers:
"You, during the period, in
question, failed to provide- effec
tive control over your troops as
required by the circumstances;
"Accordingly, on secret ballot,
with two-thirds or more of the
commission cbncuiTlng, the com
mission finds vou euiltv as
charged and sentences you to
death by hanging."
Yamashita's shoulders sagged,
but he straightened quickly and
made a curt bow to the commis
sion.
Before the verdict Yamashita
told the court: — "I wish to stand
here to-day with a clear consci
ence and swear to God I am inno
cent of these charges. I wish to
express gratitude to the United
States officers of defence, who are
brilliant: and upright officers." I
wish to thank the commission for
a fair trial."
Will - Appeal ;
Defence counsel has indicated
that Yamashita will appeal to
Lieut.-General W. D. Styer, com
mander of the Army Forces in the
West Pacific who Convened the
Commission, and then, if neces
sary, to General MacArthur as
Allied uommanaer in one t-acmc.
He will carry it on to the United
States Supreme Court to where
an appeal was cabled on Decem
ber 3.
Pending these moves,, the de-
fence intends to take advantage,
of every possibility because the
case sets precedents for interna
tional law.
Mrs. .Yamashita, in. Tokio,. a
few hourr. before the verdict; said
she declined friends' suggestions
that she should appeal to- Mrs. -
MacArthur, for "help -and justice-
for my husband."
"Tile American method of Jus
tice is admirably fair," she said.
"I am pleased with it. I thought
my husband would be tried be
cause he was hi command for a .
long time at the front."
A message from Tokio says
Joseph P. Kcenan, General Mac-
Arthur's chief staff counsel lor
the trial of prominent Japanese,
such as Tojo, Kido and Konoye,
has arrived in Japan with a staff
of 38 assistants on .the eve of the
fourth anniversary of the treache
rous attacks acainst Hawaii, Sin-
c. lAvvd i, vv uac
and Guam. He will immediately. -
undertake the task of preparing .
lor the war crimes trials.
Commercial .. .. .. Page 4
Sporting . Page. 5 '.
Literary Supplement, Pages 7, 8, 9
Women's Section .. Page 10
Classified Advts. . . Pages 1 1 to 22
Classified .Adyts. Index . . Page 3
$