!
HOW BLACKMAILERS WERE FOILED IN TIENTSIN.-
POLICE INSPECTOR 'IMPERSONATES INTENDED VICTIM.
OF THE BRENNER CASE. LATEST ECHO
|
THE HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1929.
the affair, and stated that he had been instructed to stand an Daven port Road and when he saw a car with crosses on it he was to go up and ask for a packet. When asked who sent him for the packet he said. that it was a Mr. E. D Shapakidze, living at 37 Cousins Road, and identified him at parade at the police station.
Sensations in connection with the the station. At the station he deui- Brenner blackmailing case a Tened that he know anything, about tain scem to be without end.
After arresting the nine Cau- asians, alleged to have been re sponsible for the kidnapping and holding to ransom of Aaron Bren ner, the police believed that they had the whole gang under lock and key. They were destined to receive shock, for shortly after the po- Ece released their reports they were informed by the Brenner brothers that another letter had been, re- ceived, demanding 840,000 and threatening death to the family if the money was not paid. The letter stated that although the police had arrested a few men the Brennor brothers were not to think that the
Arrest Made.
CORRESPONDENCE.
CHRISTIAN TEACHING.
[TO THE EDITOR "HONG KONG DAILY PRESS."]
Six-May I crave just a little more of your valuable space to reply to "RB"1
It is evident your correspondent does not keep very closely in touch with the Modernist movement, otherwise he would know that very eminent theologians have long ago abandoned the position he takes up regarding the historical value of the Gospels..
1
CATHEDRAL SERVICES.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "HONG KONG
DAILY PRESS."
* ALLEGED NEGLIGENT
DRIVING.
CARS THAT PASSED ON
STUBBS ROAD I
►
Mr. P. M. Hodgson appeared for the defence and asked for particu lafs of the offence.
Mr. E. F. R, Sample" was eum. S.-Whilst one cannot but admoned "yesterday before Mr. E. W. mirs your correspondent's (R.B.) Hamilton for negligent driving oz
alwart support of the Dean and Stubbs Road on December 11, his methods, one can scarcely com- mend him for his logic, since he presupposes the idea that honest criticism
necessarily be venom, by which it is assumed he means "malier," and further having been brought up in a vicarage he claims the right to be in judge of termons.
IT.
must
His premises are all wrong. How does he reason that the writer has been "given into like a spoilt child" since the writer has never- even asked a favour of the church; and the only time he has received anything like a personal overture from the clergy has been when they required a subscription for this or
As for contradictions and Incon asistencies, I can give "R.B." a long list of books written not-by agnos- tics hat by eminent divines in which these little difficulties are **explained away" to the satisfaé- tion of the faithful, but to the further bewilderment of the unphat converted.
The police immediately sent ment to locate Shapakidze. He was not at home, but close on to five o'clock he was arrested on Elgin Avenue. He was brought to the station, but denied any knowledge of the let
business had been settled, as there ters, Police agents at around seven being written by eye-witnesses of his parishoners for the contents of
were still a few others who had something to say in the matter.
"Treasure" in a Post.
Dr. Robinson, a Dean of West: minster, rejects three Gospels as not the events described-but strange to say the accepted, author, Mark, makes, no reference to the Virgin Birth or the Sermon on the Mount, while his account of the resurrec the envelope in which the secondtion and ascension are admitted by threatening letter was received by Christian scholars to be inter-
polations i the Brenner brother. His wife re- turned home just at the time, and" Shapakidze informed her that he had been arrested, but said, "Don't worry, I'll be out to-morrow."
He is being held by the B.M:C. Poliec authorities.
'clock took Shapakidzo with them to search his room at 37 Cousins Road, and found there some plain white envelopes, of the same size The letter, signed "The Gang."quality and other characteristics as went on to say that the money was to be deposited in a hole specially made in a cement lamp post in the French Concession on Saturday night, November 30 and a drawing was given of the lamp post and the hole shown by an arrow, with the figure $45,000.
This letter was handed over to the French Polica, authorities and a trap was set. A dummy package was placed in the hole in the lamp post and a watch kept that night. Although a young Russian was seen approaching the lamp post," twice he was not arrested as he did not touch the package.
Marked With Crosses.
Agents of the French Police later identified the young Russian as the one who had been near the lamy post. twier It was also learned that he had applied to the Ameri can Censulate General for a visa to go to America.
Shapakidze had been in Tientsin for over a year and on and off has been acting as police informer. In
the arrest of a few of the men and to the discovery of the flat in Bureau street where Aaron Bren- ner had been hidden.
The day after, the Brenner bro-the recent case he had been of valuc there received another letter, this to the police, giving information time stipulating that on the three regarding the whereabouts of sus- days. Monday Tuesday and Wed-pected men. It was he who gave nesday, December, 2, 3 and 4 Aaron the police clues which led to Brenner was to ride in his motor- ear down Davenport Road, between the Empire Theatre and the French Park, each day between three and four o'clock in the afternoon Ho was to have the packet of money in his hand, in plain view, and the windows were to be let down so that the interior of the car could be seen, and nobody was to be hidden in the car. The car was to be mark- el with crosses, one on each side of the bonnet, and one on the door of the car on the driving wheel side. The car was to proceed at the slow rate of five miles an hour.
Disguised Detective.
Protestation of Innocence. Mrs. Shapakidze interviewed stated that she was convinced her husband had nothing to do with it. saying that her husband had told her of all his work in connection with the Brenner case, and that he
that
two men,
was convinced Volkoff and Shornik, had something to do with the case and that he was trying to unearth some evid- once against them. Her husband had told her on Sunday regarding
This letter was handed immedit. "I will never give my neigh- ately to the British Municipal Po- the first letter received by the lice authorities, who fixed up an- Brenner brothers." which had been other trap. On, Wednesday, Decem- handed to the French Police ber 4, at three o'clock, Aist. In authorities, and he had suggested spector H. M. MacKenzie, muffled that a trap he set, but that up in the overcoat and hat of Mr. the French Police authorities would Aaron Brenner and sented in the not allow him to go near the placo Brenners' car, marked as directed, on Saturday night. rede down Davenport Rond very slowly. He had the packet in his band and took care that it could betern. After riding about for some time, at about half past three, a Russian standing at the corner of MacCartney Road made in slight sign for the car to stop. The car was halted and the Russian made a circular motion with his hand, indicating that the car was to turn. The car was turned and drawn up to the pavement.
In the meantime the two threa tening letters are in the hands of landwriting experts. The above arrests followed, so closely on the appichension and confession of Valkoff on the day before that it was at first thought the two cases. were connected, but the authorities are now convinced that they are not.
Velkoff was arrested on Tuesday morning by the B.M.C. police, who laid a trap for him, and later Volk- The Russian then approached the off confessed that he was the writer car and held out his hand for the of several letters demanding money packet, feeling in his pocket as if from Alexander Gutbezahl, Further for a
weapon. Inspector Mac inquiries have proved that he had Kenzie opened the door of the car. been in no way connected with the and the Russian evidently took writing of the threatening, letters fright and bolted. He was caught to the Brenners.-North Ching after a brief chase and taken to
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The Encyclopaedia Biblien." whose contributors are not hostile le Christianity but eminent theolo gians, will provide "R.B." with much of the information he chal- lenges me to produce, but very few lay members of the church ever refer to it nor are they greatly encouraged to.
I do not wish to labour the sub- ject, but here are a fer-shall I sny apparent 1-inconsistencies:-
Love your neighbour as your self-but hate your parents and your brethren-yet whoserer hateth his brother is a murderer.
Take no thought for the mor-
row-but if any provide not for his own, he hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidel.
"I judge no man "" For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement unto the
Son."
Love your enemies--get Christ is quoted as saying he will deny in heaven those who denied him on earth; is that returning good for
evil 1
I know, of course, that all these can be apparent inconsistencies "explained away," hut for that matter so can the whole story which is related in the Gospels-Yours,
rtc.
Hong Kong, Dec. 21.
I.
Surely it is 'fair to assume that one might gauge the mentality of the rienr who uses the letters from his scrap-book and to amuse the bon ton of the vicarage parlour- so much however as the writer may be prone to criticise the Dean he at least would give him credit for being above such a despicable prac- tice,
It is to be feared, however, that the credentials offered by "R.B." do not give him much right to hand in judgment for the Dean Three years in this Colony have given him practically only the sermons dished up by the present" regime, which as he admits are scarcely ans rapproche, and, moreover, his up bringing might also account for his bias in favour of the infallibility of the clergy, which causes him to imagine that anything 171 the nature of criticism is "venom.?.
Regarding the hymns, when it was suggested to the present clergy at the Cathedral that a wider range
of hymns might be taken from the A. and M. Eymn-book than was being used, the reply elicited was, "I think I am perfectly capable of eclecting hymns."
Had such a request been made of the elderly gentleman who was succeeded by the two youngish men," the reply, would at least have been courteous, and again, if out out of the 50 odd new hymns, only three or four are really worth reading or singing, why not have saved the expense and have stuck to the old book, which has over 600, and so spared the feelings of those who have not yet, "been given into like spoilt children."-Youra, etc..
PAUL VLAINE. Hong Kong. December 20.
13
Mr. J. W. Franks, on whose com- apparently had not got its head- plaint the summons was taken, said | fights on. He judged the speed of that at about 9 p.m. on December the car to be about 30 miles per 11, he drove up to the Peak in hour. company of Mr. Clark of the Mr. Hodgson, on behalf of Mr. P.W.D., Mrs. Clark and Mr. Har Sample, stated it was agreed that ris were the other passengers. Mr. Sample did pres Mr. Frank's About half way up, the car poes- l'ear, but not in the manner Mr. ed an Austin 7, the latter having Franks had described. given them the signal. As they The hearing was fixed for Tues- were proceeding up the road, at day afternoon at 2.13 p.m.
The about 18 to 20 miles an hour, they | Magistrate and the two parties were passed at a bend, without say concerned will visit the scene on warning by car No. 1978, which | Monday afternoon.
12
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