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LIFE BITTER FOR AUSSIENew Twist to StoryofMadame ButterflyfBY JOHN RANDOLPHTOKYO (JP)—There’s a tragic new twist to the old and ever-sad story of “Madame Butterfly.”In the 1952 version of the tender love story of Cio Cio San, the victim isn’t the girl from the Orient. It’s the serviceman from the west.The man is a heart-broken former Australian soldier — Frank L. Weaver. Or, as he prefers to be called, Tetsuichiro Kitagawa.Today, Weaver-Kitagawa sitslonely and forlorn in a Japanesejail. He faces a deportation trial in a Japanese court for a seventh attempt to smuggle himself back into Japan to be with his little Japanese wife, Sachiko.seat home again.Life in Australia was bitter. He was unpopular. Workmenwalked out when he was hired. Even his own father wouldn’t j speak to him, he said.SO ON JAN. 21 HE sneaked aboard an American airplane headed for Tokyo, reached Japan and stole away under cover of predawn darkness.Then followed a quick dash to Kure and terrible disillusionment.BUT WORSE fHAN his trouble with the law is his heartache. For he told Japanese newsmen, Sachiko hadn’t waited for him.He said she gave her heart in succession—to two other Australian servicemen at Kure, main depot for Australians on occupation or Korean service. Sachiko is Japanese for grace.Weaver’s troubles began dfter World war II. He made several attempts to stay in Japan with Sachiko because Australia bars Japanese immigrants, even wives of Australians.Each time he was tracked down and returned to Australia.In October, 1950, he was arrested and sentenced to hard labor for one year and finally deported in August, 1951.Now he has appealed to theJapanese pul iC, government andpress, and swears he “hates Australia and all Australians who have intervened in my affairs and robbed me of my wife.” Wandering forlorn on thestreets of Tokyo, Weaver was picked up, questioned and arrested by a British MP. He was turned over to Japanese authorities instead of the commonwealth forces that have handled his case.Weaver-Kitagawa is a popular man in Japan, where everyoneloves a lover, especially a tragic one.Two Japanese lawyers have volunteered to defend him. One is Miss Chiri Buraki. who specializes in western cases.In addition, Socialist Rep.Ichiro Shoji has volunteered toadopt him.Which is more than anyone offered to do for Madame Butterfly.AiWHEN HERE LAST time he renounced his Australian citizenship, adopted the Japanese name of Tetsuichiro Kitagawa, andvowed he intended to become a subject of Hirohito—if only he could say with little Sachiko.But a court-martial was unmoved. The Australian army spidhe had a criminal record besides his illegal entries and did not deserve sympathy. So he wasPLAN MARCH BAZAARPlans were made for a March bazaar at a meeting of the Maple Leaf PTA, Dist. 106. A program was held after the meeting.DR. MAYO NAMEDOMAHA OP) — Dr. C. W. Mayo of Rochester, Minn., has beennamed a director of Mutual ofOmaha, a health and accident insurance company.
Newspaper Details
Austin Daily Herald
Austin, Minnesota, US
Tue, Jan 29, 1952
Page 19
Full Page
Clipped by
Wilmette P.
IL, USA 27 Apr 2023
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