CO129-305 - Governor Sir Blake - 1901 [5-7] — Page 520

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Macao and came to my medical hall and said that Yang Chu Yun had the day before come to his place and said that he was determined to carry out the aforesaid plot of assassination and that he had already a scheme in which he wanted me to take a hand. He specially told Shih Ching Ju to come and ask me to go along to Hong Kong.

The following day I reached Hong Kong. While we were in the office of the China Daily Press, Yang Chu Yun came back from No.11 in the Chieh Tze street, a house rented for residence by Japanese, to the office where I saw him. There were a good many people about the place and we signed to each other not to speak of the secret plot.

Subsequently Yang Chu Yun took the party to the third and highest story of the newspaper premises and discussed secretly with me, Shih Ching Ju, and the others, saying that the killing of the officials was really a difficult matter to find men to accomplish. Further, the officials in Canton being numerous, it was impossible to take action against all of them at one time; a very good plan would be to conceal dynamite and effect a number of explosions all at one time—in this way none could possibly survive (of those affected). He said that I, being a doctor in Canton, was well acquainted with the inhabitants of the city, and, giving me carte blanche as to expenses, asked me to undertake the conduct of the affair.

I said that I was short-sighted, and, moreover, much occupied with my profession, and could not leave my work at a moment's notice. I feared a disclosure and the ruination of the plot. The others said that what I remarked was quite true—they considered the matter again and again, and then Shih Ching Ju said that he had an old family servant named Sung Shao Tung who was capable of doing the business. Shih Ching Ju then took the matter in hand and guaranteed to perform it.

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