This theory was based on the story by Yasokichi YAMAMOTO who served in the Northern Tohoku Boshin War ("History of Boshin War in Odate", page 93) and on the fact that 'bad example of Takauji' was written in the indictment document of Sendai Shisetsu (an envoy from Sendai) who was killed with a sword ("History of Boshin War in Sendai") (See "The Meiji Restoration and The Great General Staff Seiichiro MAEYAMA" compiled by Yoshihiro NAKAYAMA, [Tokyo Tosho Shuppankai (publishing company), 2002, ISBN 4434013491]).
この説は北東北戊辰戦争に従軍した山本八十吉の話（『大館戊辰戦史』93頁）、斬殺された仙台使節の罪状書きに「尊氏の悪例」と書かれていた（『仙台戊辰史』）ことを根拠とする（中山吉弘編著『明治維新と名参謀前山清一郎』〔東京図書出版会、2002年ISBN4434013491〕を参照）。