Tales of Korean nobles and American women: Part 1

Emperor Gojong and Emily Brown's marriage in 1903 was denounced as a tale that "suited the vaudeville taste of the rag-time portion of our great newspaper public." Robert Neff Collection

By Robert Neff

In recent years, hallyu, or the Korean wave, has grown from a small ripple into a tsunami. But this isn't the first time Koreans have been an object of interest and attraction by the public in the United States. The first may have been in the early 1900s.

In 1903, Americans were surprised to learn that Emily Brown, a young American missionary woman, had supposedly married Emperor Gojong and become the first American empress of the Land of the Morning Calm. It was a tale that captivated the American public for more than a decade and inspired hundreds of women to write to the American legation in Seoul in hopes of finding a Korean husband.

Horace N. Allen, the American minister to Korea, became so infuriated with the deluge of letters that he issued a statement denouncing the tale as pure fabrication and warned, "There [was] no room in Korea for foreign female nurses, governesses, companions and the like."

Emperor Gojong was not the only member of the royal family popular with American women. When the emperor's son, Prince Uihwa (Yi Kang) studied in the United States in the early 1900s, he reportedly ― despite having a wife in Korea ― proposed marriage to at least four different American women. None of them accepted his offer, but all seemed quite flattered by his attention, while also generating jealousy in some of his male competitors.

In June 1903, while he was a student at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio, he attended a small garden party and found himself surrounded by a bevy of American female students all trying to get his attention. Suddenly, Joseph Stout, a young farmer, sprang upon the young prince and struck him several times in the face and knocked him unconscious.

There was some speculation that the young prince was "making eyes" at Stout's girlfriend and thus brought the attack upon himself. Stout, however, confessed that he was incensed at the idea that American women would fawn over a foreigner "from China" ― he had misidentified the prince as being "Chinese."

Stout was arrested, fined $25 and given 30 days in the county jail. After only serving a few days, he escaped from his cell (he literally walked out) and went rabbit hunting. The Korean government was not amused ― but that is a story for another time.

Prince Uihwa was not the only Korean noble to run into trouble while studying in the United States.

King Gojong in the winter of 1883-84 Robert Neff Collection

In early March 1911, immigration and law enforcement authorities arrested Eugene Hughes in Chicago where he ― despite being "plentifully supplied with money ― was posing as a waiter in Chinese restaurants." Hughes identified himself as a member of the Korean royal family and a student, but officials believed he was part of "a widespread white slave system furnishing American girls to rich Japanese."

Apparently, in late February, a report was made to the Chicago authorities claiming that Hughes had lured "a pretty black haired girl of 20" named Ruth Carter away from her home in Mishawaka, Indiana, for immoral purposes. "The United States secret service operatives in Chicago" alleged Hughes was "a professional procurer of young women" and was working a "conversion racket."

According to them, Hughes passed himself off as Japanese and would attend "churches and Sunday schools and in the fullness of time, [was] converted. During the process he [obtained] the confidence of as many young women as possible [and tried] to allure them into lives of shame."

Louis Adams, an inspector in charge of immigration services in Denver, supported the accusations. He said Hughes was a Korean who posed as a Christian and had been brought to the United States by missionaries. He added that Hughes was "highly educated," spoke "several languages" and apparently was a very smooth talker, as "dozens of letters and postcards from Kansas City [Missouri] girls were found" in his possession.

At first, the Chicago authorities appeared to have enough evidence to support their human trafficking charges against Hughes under the Mann Act, but he was one step ahead of them.

According to United States Marshal James H. Anderson, on April 10, Hughes ― through the aid of his friends ― used a forged order so that he was taken from his cell to another part of the courthouse where he "married the woman he had taken from Indiana to Chicago for immoral purposes. The object of the marriage was to close the lips of the Carter woman, so that she could not testify against him in that case."

He may have foiled the Chicago authorities but he was quickly charged in Salt Lake City, Utah, with another case of white slavery involving a pretty blonde 16-year-old girl named Flake Julian. According to the complaint, Hughes had met the girl in Kansas City the previous year and "induced" her to go to Salt Lake City to live with him. Upon their arrival on Aug. 1, 1910, "Hughes shifted his attentions to another woman" and deserted Julian to his partner, Kwon Ha-rai (a fellow Korean who was sometimes misidentified as Japanese). Kwon then took Julian to Idaho, where they were arrested. The authorities claimed that Hughes and Kwon were involved in several cases of "shipments of girls to the Pacific coast from Kansas City, St. Louis and other middle west cities," to be provided to wealthy Japanese men. Two other young women ― both 16 ― were being held as witnesses against Hughes.

Hughes was soon transported to a jail in Salt Lake City to await trial. Julian was also taken to Salt Lake City to testify against him. In early June 1911, Hughes appeared before Judge Page Morris and testified that he was the grandson of the queen of Korea and was in the United States as a student.

Reportedly, Hughes "intended to plead not guilty to the charge against him, but when [Julian, who was now identified as being 20 years old,] told him she would attempt to save him from jail, he changed his plea to guilty."

Tales of Korean nobles and American women: Part 2

2022-02-14 11:23 | About the past

Hughes was not the only one to stand trial. Two other men, Herbert Gould and William Siegal, were also tried for "white slavery" (their cases did not involve Hughes). All three men were found guilty. Gould and Siegal were sentenced to Leavenworth Prison: four years for Siegal and seven and a half for Gould. Hughes was given six months in Salt Lake City's county jail.

The judge apparently took into consideration the Korean's foreign status and unfamiliarity with American laws and thus handed out a lighter sentence. U.S. Deputy Marshal C.F. Guenther, however, was displeased with the sentence.

"He [Hughes] is a pretty smart Korean, despite his protest of innocence of intention to do wrong…the only reason that Hughes got off with a six month sentence was that the court evidently believed that [Julian] was more to blame in the matter than was the Korean."

Shortly after beginning his sentence, Hughes wrote a "pitiful letter" to Guenther in Chicago in which he professed his love for his wife (Ruth) and begged for help finding her. Apparently she had disappeared from her sister's home in Mishiwaka three weeks earlier.

In his letter he wrote:

"If my wife is doing wrong I cannot blame her, as she has no close relations to care for, but is friendless and helpless, as I am. As soon as I am released I will do everything I can to make amends. If you find her please take care of her and I will hurry to Chicago when I am released on November 17, we will start life anew."

His plea was well-received by some of the community, including the wife of an official in Utah who resolved to go to Chicago to search for Ruth and offered to provide her with lodgings until Hughes was released.

Guenther, however, was not impressed. "I do not believe that he cares a thing for the woman or that he intends to return to her. I believe that his object in trying to locate her is to secure money from her."

Ruth was eventually found and Hughes, when released from jail, returned to Chicago. He and Ruth were divorced and he proclaimed that he was going to move to France, "where a foreigner at least had some chance of being received in good society."

It isn't clear what became of Hughes. He may have moved to France, or stayed in the United States or even moved back to Korea. We just don't know, as his name faded ― for the most part ― into obscurity.

They say every story has two sides and this one is not an exception ― as we shall see tomorrow.

Robert Neff has authored and co-authored several books, including Letters from Joseon, Korea Through Western Eyes and Brief Encounters.