CO129-401 - Governor Sir May - 1913 [5-6] — Page 30

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3.

Police made on the same day seizures of forged notes at the Tokio Hotel and at the Mumeya Photographic Studio, Queen's Road Central, the residence of No. 6 (Fukuzo Sano). It transpired that the first five named had arrived in Hongkong from Yokohama on the 17th. December and had conveyed the notes with them in trunks and bags.

4.

Through the courtesy of the Japanese Consul-

-General information was obtained on the 23rd. of December to the

effect that two Japanese named K. Nakazawa and Takao Tanabe had

arrived in Hongkong from Yokohama on the 22nd. December by the

8. S. "Awa Maru" and that their conduct on arrival had excited

suspicion. Enquiries were set on foot and Nakazawa and Tanabe were

arrested on the afternoon of the 23rd. December. In the 24th.

December a large basket, intact and full of forged notes, was re-

-covered by divers from the Harbour and traces of a second basket

of notes, in a damaged condition, were obtained. These two men were accomplices of the first six and had brought a second consignment

of forged notes to Hongkong. Agreements were found on the persons arrested indicating that forged notes to the face value of one million dollars were to be printed. The Police recovered in all notes to the value of $679,040 and it is surmised that notes to the value of $200,000 were thrown overboard from the S. S. "Awa. Maru" and are still at the bottom of the Harbour.

With further information then obtained, the

5.

The notes were made and printed at the Ozawa Printing Press, No. 51, Midoricho, 4 Chome, Hongo District, Tokio. and conveyed to Hongkong as personal luggage. There is no reason to believe that there had been a previous consignment.

6,

-

The case was heard in the Supreme Court and concluded on the 8th. ultimo. Seven of the defendants were found guilty of conspiracy, two being sentenced to 3 years imprison- -ment with hard labour (the maximum penalty), four to 2 years imprisonment with hard labour and one, whom the jury recommended to mercy, to one year's imprisonment. Against the eighth defendant who contracted diphtheria just before the case came on for hearing and who it appeared was a servant to one of the conspirators and

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