Korean criminals make Americans grow more vigilant despite Joseon curfew in 1885

A large group of Koreans in the market became the prey of Lowell's camera and have forever been immortalized. Image by Percival Lowell in 1884. Robert Neff Collection

By Robert Neff

When Percival Lowell, an American, wrote about his stay in Seoul in the winter of 1883-84, he frequently mentioned the curfew that was imposed at night and how it contributed to the safety of the city's residents. One night at midnight, while sitting alone in his room, he poetically described nocturnal Seoul:

"Of a sudden, across the deathlike stillness comes the boom of the great bell. It cannot startle anything so dead; it only intensifies a silence it is powerless to dispel. There is something weird in it, as it finds me the only one to hearken to its sound. It marks, I know, the middle of the night; and then it is lost again in the universal hush. At intervals, as the hours come round, I can hear for a moment the tinkle of the watchman's bell, and the clank of his chains as he paces his beat within the courtyards; and then all is once more quiet, and the city seems its own vast tomb."

Although Lowell was an American and thus seemingly a proponent of individual freedom, he was rather positive about the curfew:

"It is thought expedient that all the common people shall remain within doors after dark; by this means thieving will be rendered impossible. If everybody is kept at home, the evilly disposed will, of necessity, be included. The plan works admirably in both directions: on the one hand, there are no thieves aboard; and on the other, all the houses are guarded."

There were spots in Seoul where one could find a degree of solitude. Image by Percival Lowell in 1884. Robert Neff Collection

Of course, it should be noted that Lowell's apparent appreciation for this restriction of personal movement may have been colored by the fact that he was exempt from it. As a foreigner, he was able to wander the streets at will. His observations of the perceived safety of Seoul's nocturnal streets are also at odds with those of his foreign peers.

In March 1884, one foreign resident wrote: "Robbery is rife everywhere after dark, and it is as much as one's life is worth to walk through the streets after nightfall." He added that the Korean government had "the least hope in staying them [the robberies]." Others also echoed his sentiment noting, "The capital is infested with thieves whom the authorities are doing their best to arrest" and that the curfew was being enforced with more vigor in order "to facilitate the arrest of the robbers."

The Korean constables or watchmen had a rather interesting way of deterring crime. Traveling in pairs, they roamed the streets with a lantern and bell. The lantern was used to guide their way through the dark streets and the bell (which never stopped ringing) was used to "give any thief that might happen to be about due warning to escape." Lowell opined that providing thieves with this warning made the Korean constable's occupation "less exciting, if slightly more onerous; for any thief who waited to be caught under such circumstances would be not only a knave but a fool."

Chinese soldiers also patrolled the streets in some sections of the city but, according to one writer, it was commonly believed they were "chiefly instrumental in despoiling the [Korean] citizens of their property."

The American legation was frequently a target for thieves. Ensign George C. Foulk, an American naval officer assigned to the legation in Seoul, frequently mentioned thieves in his letters home. In July 1884, he stepped out of his room for a short time and when he returned found that his gold watch and chain had disappeared.

A Korean jail in the 1880s or early 1890s. Robert Neff Collection

On July 18, thieves brazenly broke into several buildings on the legation compound stealing many pieces of furniture and, even more alarming, Foulk's service revolver. Even the front gate's bell was stolen.

He was not the only one within the legation to suffer losses. Rose Foote, wife of the American Minister to Korea, had some jewelry stolen from her room. Fortunately for her, the thief dropped the majority of the jewelry (worth about $8,000) on his way out.

According to Foulk, "A common trick [by Korean thieves] is to cut a hole and come down through the roof" but when they robbed the legation of furniture they had cut a hole through the building's mud and stone wall.

He lamented that the loss of the goods was "final as in this country stolen things rarely ever are seen again."

Of course, complaints were made to the Korean government which expressed a "great deal of real sympathy" and a guard of soldiers were sent to help protect the legation but Foulk derisively declared them to be "worse than useless, as they too would rob as quickly as anyone else."

While the intrusions were extremely annoying, they were generally not deadly for the victims as Korean burglars rarely committed murder. However, robbers could be killed if caught on the premises. If a man was arrested and found guilty of stealing more than $20 dollars' worth of goods, "his head [was] removed, not cleverly clipped off, but hacked off with a dull knife, the usual style of decapitation."

The four American men at the legation took it upon themselves to patrol the compound at night armed with rifles and revolvers. To his parents Foulk wrote: "I hope to shoot someone yet in order that the example may stop further robbery."

In 1885, Foulk was placed in charge of the American legation until a new American representative could be sent to Korea. He was still very concerned about crimes committed against foreigners in Seoul and in July made a proposal to the other legations to form a police force. It isn't clear if it was to be an international force or an additional division of the Korean authorities but, despite the proposal being favorably received by the Japanese legation, it doesn't appear to have developed beyond the proposal.

Exasperated by the ever-increasing lawlessness in the capital, Foulk issued several notices in December to the Americans residing in Seoul. In one of these notices he declared:

"A number of cases of robbery and attempts of robbery by Korean thieves, at night having occurred in this vicinity recently, and in view of the lack of police protection afforded American residents in Seoul, I have taken the necessary steps to admit of the use at my discretion, of the legation guard of Korean soldiers to protect the homes of American residents in this neighborhood. I have given directions that the compounds of your homes shall be patrolled by soldiers in groups of two each, occasionally, during night and day."

His act wasn't only to deter thieves but also to demonstrate to the Korean employees and the general public that Americans and their property would be protected at all times by the American government.

He cautioned that "this arrangement be regarded as applicable only to American residents + therefore confidential."

This added protection came with a cost. He asked that each American compound submit 1,200 cash (Korean currency ― worth about 70 American cents) each month to help pay for lanterns, candles and oil needed by the patrol.

Foulk further instructed the American residents:

"The legation is to be regarded as the headquarters of the patrol and the head of authority. Servants in the several compounds are subservient to the patrol in all respects, so far as the duty of the latter is concerned. It is suggested that full liberty be given the soldiers to move about the compounds at any hour that they may be fully acquainted with it."

But not all thefts were committed by outsiders ― some were committed by those who worked within the compounds. In another notice Foulk wrote:

"Complaints of robbery by Koreans employed by American residents cannot be entertained at this legation unless the names of such Koreans, with their address be given. It is therefore suggested that American residents acquaint themselves with the names and addresses of Korean servants, coolies, +c, employed by them."

Despite Foulk's best efforts, crime continued to plague the American community in Seoul throughout his tenure in the legation. Seoul's nights continued to be haunted by thieves, tigers, and leopards and, according to some, ghosts.

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