"Above all, Mr. Hattori's death was most impressive. … He lay towards his enemy with swords in his both hands, his arms and legs outstretched. … He was dead, bleeding from more than twenty wounds at his head, shoulder, both arms and stomach, and his complexion still looked alive" (testimony of Masatake KOYAMA, a statesman of the Kuwana clan, who witnessed the scene after the incident).
「就中服部氏の死状は最も物美事【もののみごと】である。‥‥手に両刀を握ったままで敵に向かって大の字なりになって斃れて居られた。‥‥其頭額前後左右より肩並びに左右腕腹共に満身二十余創流血淋漓死して後の顔色尚お活けるが如し」（事件後の現場を目撃した桑名藩士・小山正武の証言）