蔡公時(shi)(1881—1928),江西省九江市人(ren),幼(you)習經(jing)史,1902年組織慎所(suo)染齋,明為講學,實則宣(xuan)傳革命(ming),很(hen)快被查(cha)封,后赴日本留(liu)學,攻讀于東京(jing)弘文學校(xiao),并(bing)加入(ru)中國同盟會,并(bing)以《民報》為陣地(di),從事反對帝制、建立共和的(de)革命(ming)宣(xuan)傳。
回(hui)國后,于1904年隨黃興、譚人鳳等(deng)人入(ru)粵,參與欽(qin)廉之役,失敗(bai)后出走越南,后輾轉返(fan)回(hui)江西,任法政(zheng)學堂教(jiao)授(shou),秘密(mi)進行革命宣傳;1913年,二次革命失敗(bai)后,復赴日(ri)本(ben),入(ru)東京帝國大(da)學政(zheng)治(zhi)經濟科(ke)學習。
1917年后(hou),任廣州護法(fa)軍政(zheng)府(fu)大元帥府(fu)參議;1922年,任第五(wu)師參議,后(hou)改任秘書;1926年,任上(shang)海工統委員會委員;1927年5月(yue),任金陵關監督等職。
1928年春,任(ren)國(guo)民革命軍總司令部(bu)戰地政(zheng)務委員兼外(wai)交(jiao)處主任(ren),隨軍北伐;5月1日進駐濟(ji)(ji)南,任(ren)國(guo)民政(zheng)府(fu)外(wai)交(jiao)部(bu)山東(dong)交(jiao)涉員;時(shi)日本政(zheng)府(fu)為阻止英美勢力向中國(guo)北方(fang)發展,借口保(bao)護僑民,派兵侵占濟(ji)(ji)南。
5月3日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri),日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)寇尋釁挑起(qi)事端(duan),肆意捕殺中(zhong)國軍民(min),制造了震驚中(zhong)外的“濟(ji)南慘案”;是日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)下午,日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)軍將位(wei)于濟(ji)南商埠(bu)經四路(lu)小緯六(liu)路(lu)的山(shan)東交涉公(gong)(gong)署包圍,此時(shi)(shi),蔡(cai)公(gong)(gong)時(shi)(shi)剛接手(shou)交涉公(gong)(gong)署工作;晚9時(shi)(shi),日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)軍50余人持械進入交涉公(gong)(gong)署內,威逼工作人員(yuan)交出武(wu)器;蔡(cai)公(gong)(gong)時(shi)(shi)挺(ting)身(shen)而(er)出,說“我(wo)們系外交人員(yuan),不(bu)(bu)攜帶武(wu)器”;日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)軍置國際(ji)公(gong)(gong)法(fa)于不(bu)(bu)顧,蓄(xu)意撕毀國民(min)政府旗幟青天白(bai)日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)旗及(ji)孫中(zhong)山(shan)畫像,強行搜掠文(wen)件。
為(wei)避免(mian)事態擴大(da)(da)(da)(da),蔡(cai)(cai)(cai)公(gong)(gong)時(shi)(shi)婉言要求(qiu)日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)軍(jun)停止搜查,退出公(gong)(gong)署(shu);并請日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)領事前來(lai)洽商,但均遭拒絕;隨后,日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)軍(jun)以(yi)暴力手段將(jiang)(jiang)交(jiao)涉署(shu)人(ren)員(yuan)捆(kun)縛;蔡(cai)(cai)(cai)公(gong)(gong)時(shi)(shi)據理(li)力爭(zheng),日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)本(ben)(ben)軍(jun)官(guan)惱羞成(cheng)怒,命令日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)本(ben)(ben)兵(bing)也(ye)將(jiang)(jiang)蔡(cai)(cai)(cai)公(gong)(gong)時(shi)(shi)綁(bang)縛起來(lai)。蔡(cai)(cai)(cai)公(gong)(gong)時(shi)(shi)忍無可(ke)(ke)(ke)忍,便怒斥道:“汝等不(bu)明外交(jiao)禮儀,一味無理(li)蠻干(gan)!此(ci)次(ci)貴國(guo)(guo)(guo)出兵(bing)濟(ji)南(nan),說是保護(hu)僑民,為(wei)何借隙尋釁,肆行狂(kuang)妄,做出種種無理(li)之(zhi)舉動(dong),實(shi)非文明國(guo)(guo)(guo)所宜出此(ci)!一個(ge)會(hui)說中國(guo)(guo)(guo)話的(de)(de)(de)日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)本(ben)(ben)軍(jun)官(guan)冷笑(xiao)道:“你(ni)(ni)們(men)(men)的(de)(de)(de)蔣總司(si)令都不(bu)敢(gan)罵(ma)大(da)(da)(da)(da)日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)本(ben)(ben)皇軍(jun)半句,他(ta)想找我(wo)(wo)(wo)們(men)(men)談判,我(wo)(wo)(wo)們(men)(men)都沒有(you)興趣。你(ni)(ni)的(de)(de)(de)官(guan)兒有(you)多大(da)(da)(da)(da),再(zai)(zai)大(da)(da)(da)(da)也(ye)大(da)(da)(da)(da)不(bu)過(guo)蔣先生(sheng)!"那日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)本(ben)(ben)軍(jun)官(guan)還不(bu)解氣,一巴掌(zhang)摜(guan)在蔡(cai)(cai)(cai)公(gong)(gong)時(shi)(shi)的(de)(de)(de)臉(lian)上(shang),還咬牙切(qie)齒罵(ma)道:“你(ni)(ni)不(bu)要命啦,竟(jing)敢(gan)辱(ru)罵(ma)皇軍(jun),把(ba)你(ni)(ni)送到(dao)蔣總司(si)令手里,他(ta)也(ye)得殺(sha)了你(ni)(ni),再(zai)(zai)向大(da)(da)(da)(da)日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)本(ben)(ben)皇軍(jun)道歉(qian)!“蔡(cai)(cai)(cai)公(gong)(gong)時(shi)(shi)一腔愛國(guo)(guo)(guo)熱血似(si)烈火般(ban)熊(xiong)熊(xiong)燃(ran)燒,義憤填膺,痛斥日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)寇說:你(ni)(ni)們(men)(men)這(zhe)些強盜(dao)(dao)!我(wo)(wo)(wo)早就(jiu)看(kan)透你(ni)(ni)們(men)(men),現在我(wo)(wo)(wo)以(yi)一個(ge)中國(guo)(guo)(guo)人(ren)的(de)(de)(de)身份痛斥你(ni)(ni)們(men)(men)這(zhe)幫強盜(dao)(dao)。日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)本(ben)(ben)軍(jun)官(guan)獸(shou)(shou)(shou)性大(da)(da)(da)(da)發,命日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)本(ben)(ben)兵(bing)揮(hui)動(dong)刺刀將(jiang)(jiang)蔡(cai)(cai)(cai)公(gong)(gong)時(shi)(shi)割耳、切(qie)鼻。頓時(shi)(shi)鮮血噴流,血肉模糊,慘(can)不(bu)忍睹。日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)本(ben)(ben)強盜(dao)(dao)放聲(sheng)(sheng)狂(kuang)笑(xiao),形同禽獸(shou)(shou)(shou)!那日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)本(ben)(ben)軍(jun)官(guan)原以(yi)為(wei)會(hui)把(ba)蔡(cai)(cai)(cai)公(gong)(gong)時(shi)(shi)嚇(xia)得低聲(sheng)(sheng)下氣求(qiu)饒性命,卻(que)見蔡(cai)(cai)(cai)公(gong)(gong)時(shi)(shi)虎目圓(yuan)睜(zheng),大(da)(da)(da)(da)聲(sheng)(sheng)怒罵(ma):“日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)本(ben)(ben)強盜(dao)(dao)禽獸(shou)(shou)(shou)不(bu)如,此(ci)種國(guo)(guo)(guo)恥,何時(shi)(shi)能雪!野(ye)獸(shou)(shou)(shou)們(men)(men),中國(guo)(guo)(guo)人(ren)可(ke)(ke)(ke)殺(sha)不(bu)可(ke)(ke)(ke)辱(ru)!”同人(ren)聞言皆放聲(sheng)(sheng)大(da)(da)(da)(da)哭,痛罵(ma)日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)寇;日(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)(ri)寇更(geng)為(wei)惱怒,將(jiang)(jiang)蔡(cai)(cai)(cai)公(gong)(gong)時(shi)(shi)拖到(dao)交(jiao)涉署(shu)院內殘忍槍殺(sha),可(ke)(ke)(ke)憐蔡(cai)(cai)(cai)公(gong)(gong)時(shi)(shi)正值英年,未見國(guo)(guo)(guo)家統一,竟(jing)犧牲(sheng)在倭(wo)寇的(de)(de)(de)槍下。蔡(cai)(cai)(cai)公(gong)(gong)時(shi)(shi)在赴任不(bu)到(dao)一天(tian)之(zhi)內,壯烈殉國(guo)(guo)(guo)。?
日(ri)寇于5月11日(ri)上午舉行“顯揚國威”的入城(cheng)儀式,開始慘(can)(can)絕人(ren)寰(huan)的大屠殺:見人(ren)就開槍射(she)殺,見女(nv)人(ren)就割(ge)去雙乳,亂刀刺(ci)死(si)。濟南(nan)軍民死(si)傷一萬一千余人(ren),濟南(nan)城(cheng)內血流成河,尸橫遍(bian)地,慘(can)(can)不忍睹,舉世(shi)公憤(fen)。
蔡公時被殘(can)忍殺害,激起中國(guo)人(ren)(ren)民的極大(da)憤怒;各(ge)地民眾、團體(ti)紛紛舉行示威抗議,主(zhu)張廢除不平等條(tiao)約,抵制日(ri)貨;美國(guo)、法國(guo)、英國(guo)、新加(jia)坡、加(jia)拿(na)大(da)、菲(fei)律賓、印尼(ni)、馬來(lai)西(xi)亞等海外華(hua)人(ren)(ren)、華(hua)僑(qiao)為(wei)濟南(nan)慘(can)案踴躍捐款,華(hua)人(ren)(ren)青(qing)年學生(sheng)懇請回國(guo)參(can)加(jia)對日(ri)斗爭(zheng)(zheng),采用各(ge)種形式討伐日(ri)本軍國(guo)主(zhu)義,要求嚴懲肇事者(zhe),賠償損失,聲(sheng)援國(guo)內正義的斗爭(zheng)(zheng)。
全國成立“濟南五三殉難烈士紀念會”(何思源為主席),1928年(nian)5月12日,國民政(zheng)府(fu)對蔡公時(shi)等17人(ren)(ren)員(yuan)明令褒揚,國民黨政(zheng)府(fu)要人(ren)(ren)蔣介(jie)石(shi)、李烈鈞、于右(you)任(ren)、李宗仁(ren)、馮玉祥、孫科、宋子文、陳立夫、孔祥熙(xi)、王(wang)正廷等人(ren)(ren)題字贊裱詞。
蔡公時是(shi)民國以來第一(yi)位抗日烈(lie)士(shi),李烈(lie)鈞的題(ti)詞(ci)贊他為“外交史上第一(yi)人(ren)”;馮玉祥(xiang)為他題(ti)詞(ci)“誓(shi)雪(xue)國恥”;李宗(zong)仁題(ti)詞(ci)“民族精(jing)神,千古卓(zhuo)絕(jue)”;于右任撰詩(shi)“此(ci)(ci)鼻(bi)此(ci)(ci)耳(er),此(ci)(ci)仇此(ci)(ci)恥!嗚(wu)呼!泰山之下血未止!”。
藝(yi)術大(da)師(shi)徐悲鴻為(wei)其(qi)創作巨幅(fu)油畫《蔡公(gong)時濟(ji)南被難(nan)圖》。
蔡公時是詩人,早(zao)年(nian)他曾(ceng)寫(xie)過謁黃花崗七(qi)十二烈士(shi)墓的七(qi)律,其中(zhong)“英雄血(xue)和杜鵑(juan)開”、“不抱丹心莫錯來”、“功名都在死中(zhong)求”等句,忠義之氣(qi)溢于言表,讀起來讓人蕩氣(qi)回腸。