MOORE, United States Vice-Consul to R. B. Van Valkenburgh, United States, June 17, 1887

Mr. Moore to Mr. Van Valkenburgh

Sir: I regret to have to inform you that on the morning of the 14th instant, between 1 and 2 o’clock, an American seaman was found murdered in one of the streets of the foreign quarter at this port. He had received a severe cut across the back of the neck, which, from its appearance, had been caused by a Japanese sword. From the testimony taken at the inquest on the body, it was found that he was a sailor from the American bark Valetta, named George Bunker; that about 11 o’clock the night before, he had left a public house in the settlement, saying he was going on board his ship, but was found by some sailors from H. M. S. Serpent, who were returning from the city about two hours afterwards, lying in the street quite dead, though warm. They procured assistance and carried him to the house of a British subject near by. It also appears that a man answering to his description was seen at one of the tea-houses in the city, according to the statement of a Japanese woman, about 1 o’clock,, and that he only remained a few moments. The man left the public house alone, and, judging from the position in which the body was lying when found, must have been cut down while returning from the city. I enclose herewith copy of the doctor’s certificate and copy of the verdict given at the inquest.

No motive can be assigned for the crime, nor has anything yet transpired to give a clue to the perpetrator. The testimony shows that he was sober when he left the public house.

I promptly placed the matter before the native authorities, requesting them, without delay, to take the necessary steps for the detection and punishment of the guilty party, and at an interview with the governor to-day he expressed his profound regret at the murder, and informed me that as soon as it was made known to him he sent officers to the several public places in the native city, and to the different villages in the vicinity, with instructions to be vigilant in their endeavors to find the assassin, and that he would do all in his power to find out and punish the murderer. It is known among foreigners here that on the same night a Japanese woman was severely wounded in the city, by a sword in the hands of a Yaconin. The governor, when questioned about this, said he had not been informed of it, but his interpreter told me it was true, though it had not been reported officially.

I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servant,

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I certify that I have examined a corpse lying in an outhouse on these premises, and find an incised wound extending from the right ear across the back of the neck to the left ear. In the course of the wound the soft parts are all clearly divided. There is also a piece of the inferior portion of the occipital bone sliced off, and the spinal cord divided between the first and second conical vertebrae.

The wound is sufficient to cause instant death, and appears to have been made by one cut from a heavy sharp instrument.

JOS. J. LOWERBY, M. D.

True copy:

Verdict given at an inquest on the body of George Bunker, held on the 14th day of June, 1867, before D. L. Moore, United States vice-consul at Nagasaki, acting as coroner, and a jury, composed of Messrs. J. U. Smith, Robert G. Walsh, and Captain Henry Brown.

From the testimony we find that deceased came to his death by a wound inflicted on the back of the neck with a heavy sharp instrument in the hands of some person to us unknown. And we are further of opinion that a wound of this nature could be caused only by such an instrument as a Japanese long sword.