Jap Here Kills Self, Fearing Family Died Under Bombs

A 58-year-old Seattle Japanese landscape gardener, despondent over American bombing raids on the Japanese Island of Kyushu, where he had sent his wife and four children just before the war, ended his life by leaping from the Dearborn Street viaduct about 7:30 o'clock this morning.

The man, Kichigi Osako, who had returned here only about a month ago, had shown his despair more and more each day as he read in the newspapers by raids of big flights of B-29 Superfortresses on his homeland, friends said.

Foster Son Lost in War

Only last night a group of friends had met and decided they would send him to a hospital for treatment because of his mental depression.

The Japanese lost a foster son in Italy, where he was fighting with American troops. Another foster son still is with the Yanks in Italy.

The Rev. and Mrs. Thomas J. Machida, 1311 E. Spruce St., with whom Osako had lived since returning here a month ago, did not know of his suicide until reporters visited their home this morning. They believed him still in bed.

Feared Family Died

Osako, a former landscape gardener here, was convinced his family could not have survived the bombing raids on his home province of Kagoshima, on the southern end of the island, the Machidas related.

"We tried to tell him they were civilians and stood the same chance of escaping as we would if this country had been bombed," Mrs. Machida explained. "But he insisted his family was gone and nothing was left for him," she said.

Acting Coroner C.L. Harris said passerby first saw Osaka trying to jump in front of passing automobiles on the viaduct, apparently hoping to be struck and killed.

Failing in this, the man suddenly ran to the railing and plunged over.

Osako came to this country 37 years ago, Harris said. He was evacuated from this area in April, 1942.