T
HE days thom- selvos form no part of a nor
THE · CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 1958.
LAST DAYS OF SHANGHAI
Je"
or tried
10
at the
L
By JOHN LUFF
the second mo back door, or on the service sailed the seven scon, I stood poning as the soldiers approach-
hmais. the and Cazed for door, or stationed in a
R ring cognised iny cable trunk re
long Blein wonderful newn, i should not glasses, We waited for chricks buvo to sleep in that huge te log from above as some lented dormitory, for Jurdine's persons of guilt were appre· had arranged for one of the
ended, and perhaps läken officers to give up his cabin way to die.
10
mal experience. The administration under when an Englishmen entered, deze different languages. All Ho was a seedy looking i tried to appear as if no polles- a men stood upon the stairs with which we moved, the divit. Suddenly he saw
man he knew and went up his revolvers drawn, ethics imposed upon table and sat down. After they ignore the policeman
hack spoken, us have no parallel rose and shouted; "Get out of stairs, or watching from in any community No che asked queilleen, but around the building. Trembling was holated aboard. And more outside the now Com-ster in the day. I saw the Eng hands reached for
Helman who had theated at asked him what was the mele. munist states.
The week before, the lost soul' had got as far as the nilp, Fantastic as it seems, you anul
was having his luggage, would have to turn to the ans cient Hebrew criptures to find went well, and he was replac
searched before getting on. Ait a similar situation. By that, in his tolict articing when he mean suck seriptures that de-
was sten to put a tube of tooth- recibe a whole town convicted parte in his pocket. He was of sin, and, too late, returning called Enek, the toothpaste was To repentance. The reader who examined, one curled up inside Jins traced the evolution of the lube was a roll of Amerl- Communist theory from Marx through its various stages under the ordinand priest Stalin, will rendily recognise the atmo sphere 1 am trying to convey to the reader, who knows nos thing at it.
were.
1
terrible.
evidence
un dollars. Ja now be rommel Tientsin, earcted in his hand.
walling for the decision of the high connell. We flew before him, In case, by association, we became spotted with his guilt.
I
High Priest
Then there
me.
4
the
he
The brigade of police ro- formed, and the prisoners were marshalled within the police ranks. There was no need for chains or handcuffs. Fear held them chained as they marched www.y
gone,
ed us.
This late, they let my wife go en bourd, after 3 young Communkt woman lind 'dug her amis into “a for of face cream, The other two European meni were searched by the soldiers, and were allowed Logo on board, but i was made to TC- the We, main. As if anticipating on the approach of the top of the bl
luin, the crowd outside began to howl, and I began to sweat more profusely than the hours in the hot dusty warranted. CH-
:
We roll farewell to all who had done their best to make our stay comforlade, and left for the riverside
where the oile would swing round with the tide, and nose her way to the
We rea
atmosphere
So came the tert day, After what seemed hours,
travelling Who were de procession descrilded
Heinrich Jesten, now became a aire. A Hussian woman, her
Bort of aristocracy. We were hend bent low with fear; an indian gentleman, and another printed out in the esses, we air. The police officer seemed issumed a new respect, we were terribly stern, and I wondered chosen people about to
fantastic voyage bark upon
I turned to look back at the ile was detained, want
which Buished up in another ship. The officers were all world.
along the rail, and the inore hucky yoyagers were lining the rulle looking down on the one left behind. My wife now took her place at the roll. An officer waved, as if to encourage me. 1 think 11 meant, "This hus hon- penod before, Just take it calmly. The young Commualai woman now, look over. Thr police. the soldiers, the Customs emelnis, were her subordinates.
She was a coiled spring of hatred in her shopeless uniform chort lapte hai; which pro- ruded from beneath her cap.
She approached me with n burning haired in her eyes and pointed to the round. I took this to be a gual to open my
od luggage again, and
which did. She threw กา toilet articles in the dust. squeezed out my toothpaste, and- complied my hair oil onto
round.
if American who had drunk Kulity
we deeply of the last of the Ger- that
for being what they were, zo we were guilty heehuge
So it was, that hol May after- noon of 1850, I stood along with some crowd of Europeans und an enormous number of re- fugees from Harbin, to await the final search demanded be- fore we were released.
We were rinners, either of commission or omission. We ~wera-guilty of being in Chian
war the tall Now they had- we were guilty of standing six
too breathed more freely, and with feel high; we were
ufter callousness, escape having hughty looks;
the from dunger brings to us nil, were guilty of everything we mon brews, potest berry,
secret of some long forgotten, we found the joy of being alive. When the tall Do it to them, shoot them, ques- Just an an ancient Hebrew brew-master.
tion them, do it to my brother, prophet would rage with repurg. Amerlent was rearched, he re-
the my wife, my mother, but leave ing tongue against a civilien- rented the famillerity of
Iligi ubove, the oir was tion he had never seen,
and questing hands, so he lashed me alone.
None dared ask what crime yellow and hot for a wind was denounce its gods and its people out.
committed, He was the showpices of the they
The blowing from the Gobi Desert. awful Scraps of ground sheels Were wer town, for he had been led from very mention of that we
We what we were. There was The nearebing ground hand action would, by its ulternnery placed on the ground, and
with had to tip out our The most we gave big je mrminate the speaker
wall for the Inspectors to give a surreptitious nod, for he the sin of its iniquity,
us the signal to depart. fut in the whispers over our bad, as it were, struck down
heard. These four priest at the high aBar, and the beer, we mark of death was upon him, wicked people, there unmention- foul sinners, had been Yet with it all, the days passed ably pleasantly Housh. Divoreed playing Mick Jong. But the State con can be merciful, and in such from me. In no senso
was asked and selous of Ilving in a real world, raises Inercy
for my mercy was found. The worst ambillous of nothing. destiny was no longer a thing that happened was, the guilty
They emptied the wretched person owning the set had to of to was far beyond a poliver which I had any control,
their Langible take one piece every day, and remainders of tleal creed or economie theory I lazed the idle days away. The
Marx, Lenin, and Stall, were Tientsin Club, and the Tientsin surrender it at the pollce station wealth onto the ragged ground-
way, and we had not tokën 1. The sackcluth and ashes af re- for that pentance were there who would don them; parin was obtainable for the who would throw themselves, at the mercy sent and with leary, ent fers themselves herelles, if only sccidental ones. The phrase, "The Truths of Marx ism" showed that the new ww
the now trinity. And now 20 now star of hope had risen in the East to bring the son of new life to China. C was aware of breathing an air that was apocalypuleni. The Trava were being turned. the scis were being broken, and strang- forces were being released upon
ruffs. WHY
n
cunun
God knows why they spent so much time with the poor Harbin refugees. In scraps of clothing, is add as any worn by the Pied Piper of Hainelin, they carried 11 their wealth In miserable nitered racks, and lon old haversucks.
a
She
the
By now, the heat and the dusiy atmosphere had made me a bli dizzy, and I was dying fo
drink, I wanted to scream, "What the hell are you looking. *?" but I knew that was what she was waiting for me to do. . She then ordered me to taite
Outward Bound
the earth, and the explains and-use Club, at the request, kinga of the old capitales. world would cry for the man Jardines, placed such facilities town from their realdence.
Ining to full upon them 12.0! cover them.
Own
of at the greatest distance in the
Another night, while reading while an enormous as su xisted, at my disposal, I sal and read strange henks in my roum, and not counting for me. The Channings," by Mrs the passing hours, there was Henry Wond. I chose that be knock at the outer door, and read, inniediately the police burst use the opening laes The sweet hells of Hestonleigh to my sitting-room, 1 Cathedral were ringing out in from the cosy chair, and placed the summer's afternoon." I read my hook on top of the pile of of the misfortunes of the books....1-hud-borrowed from the Chenning Camlly, and in that far Tlentsia Club library. away Victorian England,
they
rose
would commilt Bn #gainst the was-to-read-of-a-sweet-pleasant--yul. courteously, they demanded The Ordeal
Sinic, action of which he was un- Aware7
but was there a sinful
A Lost Soul
Had he spoken at the wrong:
at #
-
the
They made me a temporary member of the Tiontsin Club,
IN CHARLOTTE STREET ALEC DE ANTIQUIS WAS SHOT— CHANCE VICTIM OF ONE OF LONDON'S MOST SENSELESS
CRIMES
THIS
began the great Soho manhunt
LONDON DRAMAS
struggle in the shop and three men in masks ran out, They to open the ease, but my delay
Then, inexplicably, he fired shot which went through a gloss panel and embedded Itself in the wall of the pledge offlce.
of tho It was the downfall mid. All secrecy had gone, and the three had, met unexpected Empty-handed-but
resistance.
for their guna-they dashed to the car,
Its path was blocked by 2 lorry, Panle set in. Around the car a crowd was gathering. They abandoned the ear and ran up ; Tottenham Street.
It was
at this unfortunate second that! Alec de Antiquis rode his motor cycle across tho Junction of Tottenham Street
Street. and Charlotte
Ho appeared to ewervc. and then sland up in the saddle or about to get off. Geraghty, at point-blank range, fred at him, de Antiquis died on the, way to Hospital,
Mr Charles Grimshaw, a-sur- voyor.. saw this happen and tackled either Jenkins or Пolt- ho could not, later, be sure which, They rolled on the pave- ment. A gun slithered into the road. Then Geraghty came Mr Grimshaw was kicked threatenedt: "Keep off."
up, and
The raiders disappeared · up the street.
Third mistake
سران
-------- A moment later there was a shot. Then sounds of a-About-2:10—Mr Albert Grubb was turning his taxi down Tor-
men rington Pince. Two peared running.. Ono jumped on his running board. Mr. Grabb brushed him off, The two men then ran into Brook House,—0— block of offices.
They reached the corner of the street. There wils. another shot, A motorcyclist fell into the rondway
bustness. He was murdered he rode home to his wife and six clifidren in Cuiller's Wood.
by JOHN
WATERMAN
sheets, and the search began. off my coat, I did this and she Every rag was turned over emptied the pockets onto the
MAN stood looking in the window of Jay's the of ground, But I had only crowd lown onlookers from the
number of
Jewellers on the corner of Charlotte Street and Hongkong sembled And fought for the dollars the low permitted. There was no union, no read
Tottenham Street. It was his wife's birthday in a few front rank behind the chicken The schoolchildren had given days. As he peered for a possible present along the comradeship. The consequences
wire which imprisoned us. At me a new travelling case. were too enormous for any man
last the refugees started packing bad a zip-fastener, but the pin the window, sliding to a stop behind him: The driver unredeemed pledges his eye caught the image of a car to associate himself and his
their rags in their sacks, and vious zearches had caused a silk household with any other group.
walk up the Zuna scurt to become entangled in went inside. True we drank herr together,
belan plank to the ship..
the zip. With my hands shak- we took coffee at Kiessling' nel
Now the crowd was exclted. ing. I made a clumsy attempt Bader's, but everyone Wis
I asked to whom I was in Hero came the fun. private bundle of worry anch
reened the verfest mountains debled for the honour of this packed against the chicken wire infuriated her. In her fury, sho anxiety, a searcher of his own
fem malehills. Treig dozens 1 ain, visit, but they were under while we stood in a row wolt- ore the zip away from the case, soul, en examiter of his
fool of such books, and all I asked no obligation to reply. Firmly, log for it.
and then turned my bug upside None but a conscience,
dawa, and shook everything puint- England where men can meet in they search my rooms.
over the ground, And beer the twilight,
flows, ed out that my wife was sleep- First come the authorised
Now everything seemed to This was how, shorty afler con! from a cask, and to the ing in the next room, and that Custom Omelals. Leng familar- have turned liquid in front of 2.30 on April 29, 1047, Alec de
It was
here that Geraghty. roft plow of the darts, I could she would be frightened to find ity with procedure had
made my
eyes, I turned round to Antiquis inet his death. He was
"made his third and ultimately lalk and say what i liked about her room invaded by the police, them expert at their job. They look at the ship, but I could not 94, a motor engineer on a trip
Incriminting mistake. Geraghty the government or Prime Bul by This time se hud were soon finished. They were make out the faces. All I could to town to collect spares for his
it was who had fired the shot Minister, without the fear of awakened, and was calling out, thorough, efficient but altogether see were the faces of the mob
that relied the alarm, Geraghty the Inndlord calling the police. asking for an explatiation. As courteous. They chalked their watching my tlal by ordeal. time? Had he laughed
Holt. TERENCE. PETER ROLT, it was who had shot de Antiques I determined would return calmly as I could, i sold the signa
cases, and we procession? Wes Bhern
o warehouścmun, had once been. Now, before escaping, he bund- 1, book
The young woman approached somewhere that was now on Ce to England, and never leave police were in making a routine awaited the lust document
me again. This time I had to
bound over. He was questioned, led his raincont up and lost it Was his again. I would become a sort of visit.
A bit of "cardboard called submit to a more humillating Communist Index"
gdmitted-noihing, and also went behind a counter-in-a-discend- - They searched everywhere, our boarding ticket.
search.
free,
painter's atore room at the top of ignorance of what was required; literary alpsy, and sell clothes-
It did not come, but instea, If so, what regs by day, and under the star even under the bed, and then,.
Then suddenly, she gave up. reckoned a sin?
Women screamed, some flat centrated round the activities of
Investigations were then con- Brook House, a hayas if nothing had happened, the police marched in. Once She gave a signal, and the would his penance be? Held for Baht, leaning against
conversation
tened themselves on the pave these men, In more our luggage
sorted Customs man told me I could ment. Windows shat up and the might talk about them: questioning? Gool, without the stack, I would compose sonnets they began a
and anyone who The trial of Geraghty, Bolt. minst
over, our toothpaste and razors go. Ho gave me the Boarding
and Jenking opened at The Old option? There was no escnpic. of beauty, and hawk them along English, This was
me thrown around, OUT usual, but they associated
towels card, but I was in such a state people of Soho jeaned out, Men
Soon, someone did talk. He had new arrived at purgu- with my pega.
Bailey on July 21, 1947, On shouted "Stop them!" some degree of scholar--thrown in the dual. But after that I could not grip it. Then tory, and heaven was on
One evening,, returning to the with a
of Both *Geraghty and But the killers vanished. And the night Jenkins came out the Court Hotel, I saw police ship; perhaps my books had half an hour, the police pro- as a final indignity, the young ship, three miles out in
nongced thrown around the intrigued them, for among the
themselves cordon occan,
satisfied woman trampled over my things, the biggest manhunt of recent Borstal there had been a cele admited being involved in the
bration at a Clerkenwell public crime, Jenkins at books I was taking out with me Some
did not. Is of the Eurapeans were how all scattered in the dust. years storted. In corner cafes
house. Rolt and CHRISTOPHER defence was based on cu clibi. There were fost souls, and we hotel. Four policemen stood
beat down and tried to with steamy windows the ques JAMES GERAGHITY, 20-year- He said he was with his sister deor were certain works of Hegel, allowed to go on board some flew from them. We would not the door, and at the side
and Lenin.
but my broken tloning went on. Among shops old labourer, another ex-Borstel at a factory in Clerkenwell until. nut four of us remained. I: do
repack them, acknowledge them. They roamed were two max. To have turn- Marx,
Aste Spumante ond Inmate, had been among the about 230 pm. and later with have Plentsin longing for someone to ed back would
been know what they wanted, I do The military marched in. The casu would not hold them. All I celing Epenk to. I JA nal recognise madness. I searched my soul. not know to this day, perhaps crowd behind the chicken wire wanted to do was to get on pasta; in the Greek and Turkish
merely them from any former life, but but I had done so wrong, so I it was
routine. Then trirly danced with anticipation, bourd the ship. At the bottom restaurants in the basements but choosing not to came the wonderful nows that They fought for places in the of the one day I heard an Englisan entered.
gangway, in trying to turning out plecu work for the tho cur ship was in. I went down front. ond stood their faces reach for my ticket, while at the rag trade Murder could have shout at one of them, snil tejl enter my rooms, I sat in
look at her. O already patterned by the erisu xame time, hanging onto my had no more filmie setting.
• him
bar, and as casually as I could, to have a keep out of his way.
It was Torrington Place, 300 tuok called for a beer.
splendid cross of wires. Those at the clothes, I lost my ticket which This fantastic episode
yards from where do Anilqula abmost Bealed into the water, me the back demanded a running com- other shilpi She remed to place in Kiessling and Bader's.
a most wonderful craft that ever mentary of all thus was
was shot, that success come, A: A kladly offcini came to DAY
raincout was found. rescue, and I staggered boord.
A
the Around me were We were silikong having coffee guests, who whispered in
EMI
LO
wonderful ship!
YMENA
◊
شب
un our
was
Buill
“Accidents will happen; but there's no-risk of radiation.! It will all clear up in a month--I hope!
of
hap-
on
'Stop them!'
organisera
Rolt
her at nother factory where ho The evidence plied up. Jen asked for work. kins, Geraghty and Rolt were
AITESted.
Five days later
But when a witness we cali- ed from the Clerkenwell dem ho could go no further than saying that Jenkins was there until On the night of the
after 2 p.m." party. Back at Scotland Yard the about the possibility of raiding Paul Wrighison. had made apparently, they had talked
Geraghty, defended by Mr
An officer helped me to, his mockintosh was quickly--and n jeweller's shop. Five days later statement admitting Aring cabin, and poured a stiff whisky with some disappointment they met again and decided to down my throat. To this day identified: the kind of cont
tha
aimed at Antiquis. He main-
do not know why I was selected that had been issued in hun carry out the rald on Jay's the shot, but sold that be had not as the victim for such an ordreds of thousands to demobbed following day, deal. All I can think was, I was jex-servicemen.
The morning of April 29 was tained that Antiquis got in his
him. Geraghty and. Rolt set out, guns
In addition, the mild and springlike as Jenkins, way and he fired to frighten
the biggest of the party, and maker's name had been TO probably
who would moved. the une
have louise: the best had 1 lost So the garment was ripped my head and gone berserk, apart. Under the lining was That I refused to do. Later stock ticket, After prolonged Chinese oftelai came on hostit research it was discovered that He apologised, and hoped the coat had been sent from a would not leave China with us Leeds factory to Deptford or pleasant memories. He said, the Bermondsey, Chinese were not all lice that woman. I knew that, for. I had seen her before. Once at a trist in Germany I had seen Than she was tall thin, and she had pale blue eyes and falı hair, She had been whipping Jewish female prisoners, she had andresend them in the snow, and had frozen them 'to death:
So the Hainrich Jessen salled All night we lorded up at the river mouth, and the
Today, that night well have Dut been the end of the hunt. hat. In 1947 clothing shops look
precast customers' nnings as a Bon
forged clothing Dons,
next
Set. free
A laborious check of lists from thops in Deblford and Bermond sey began. The identily emerged morning the Captain potired of someone known to be related her nose to sea. We sailed out to Charles Henry Jenkins. some three miles and e bit more CHARLES HENRY JENKINS, to make su7C, And then we2-year-old lightermMIE, had were free. The sun came out been released from Borstafa avenguli flow. A work and a days before the antiquis shoot- bit later, we entered: Hongkong ing.
in their pockets, shortly after midday. They gat on the under- ground at Shadwell..
No case
Mr Wrightson submitted that They booked to Goodze Street Geraghty had no case to answer cud walked from there to Jay's on the question of murder, zho Jenkins dark and handsome, evidence did not show, that da Geraghty a cocky, early version Antiquis was trying to stop the of the Teddy Boy, Rolt looking raiders.
as if he had hardly left school.
When they arrived there were
Mr Justice Hallett summed up!
too many people about to carry "If he (Geraghty) was shoot« put the rald. The trio went to sing at Antiquis with intent · 10 cate lo discuss plans. They resist lawful apprehension and decided to steal a car."
kled him unintentionally I
Two turnings away in Wall Foy that is murder and nothing Deld Street stood a new Vaux-
clos
The jury, nine men and thro a hull Kelt sorted through bunch of car keys he carried, women, wars out for 60 minutes. unlocked the car and drove it They were not convinced by the the shop while the other two pleadings: They did not believe .walked, It was 'ngarly 2.30.00 Jenkins uifbi.
department verdict of Bulldog rotuned » -
Into the pledge WH Jenking Than Rolt, both On Brytember 19, Sherwaty masked, They dumpad the and Jenking were hanged, b counter Ant. apsistapt threw a Pentonville
jool of them, and pressed an Holt, under age was detained alarm buzzer. There was during the King's Pleasure, 'ni ‘dawn. A police launch "curno He was brought in and, ques struggle in which Mr Alfred Today, the only physleni marr out, and from its most Dowdoned. He admitted nothing Stock a director of the drin left by the Antique murdes te a Union Jack,
except that to know the rain was bit over the head with one-inch plu: diplomme where And when I sáw that Hagegat had been lent to a "a man savolver butt.
● bulletihit a piece of wooden in Tattenham Court Road" He At this moment Geraghty paneling. In the ostaa dibuja was out free and shadowed day went in the front door and heldment of Jay's the jewelltrans [and bight
up an "ossistant, Mr. William the sole reminder the okina "V"Tenkini waz - found to be Yesilip Ripnd still and keep London's most mannd erlendss
imaging a 17-year-old called "qulet,” he sath through his mask.
**(London, Expvers Marvior).
Next Week "The Reason for it all