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reputation was not of the best and that, immediately
on his return to Shanghai, he had started attendance
at a gambling den in Gordon Road, where he was evidently
being watched, and he expressed the view that Mr. Wu had perhaps been taking unnecessary risks. Mr. Li
who fully realized the dangers visualized by Mr. Rogers,
advised the managers of the three banks to take every
precaution and especially to keep silence.
6.
The Commercial Counsellor subsequently
obtained an account of the affair from Mr. R.R. Smith,
a director of the Yee Tsoong Tobacco Distributors,
Limited, by whom he had been informed some time pre-
viously that the Director-General of the Inland
Revenue
Administration had been kidnapped, although
it was not then realized that Mr. Wu was the Chairman.
of the Ningpo Commercial and Savings Bank, or that
the kidnapping might be for purposes other than
ransom. Mr. Smith, who has been, owing to the
activities of his company, very closely in touch
with Mr. Wu, explained that the latter is an exceedingly
wealthy man, and a prime favourite and protégé of
Madame H.H. Kung, wife of the Minister of Finance,
and that when the previous Director-General resigned
on Dr. Kung's assuming office, Mr. Wu accepted the
post for reasons of "face". Mr. Smith added that
Mr. Wu had been educated in Japan.
177.
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