During his first visit to Europe in 1872, he wanted to go to the toilet in the train from Marseille to Paris but could not go, so he was forced to empty his bowels on the newspaper he brought from Japan on his seat, throwing feces wrapped in the newspaper from the train window; however, unfortunately it hit a track maintenance man.
明治5年（1872年）の初めての渡欧の際、マルセイユからパリへ向かう列車内で便意を催したもののトイレに窮し、やむを得ず座席で日本から持参していた新聞の上に排便、その大便を新聞紙に包んで走行中の列車の窓から投げ捨てたところ、運悪くそれが保線夫に当たってしまった。