CO129-580-1 Sino-Japanese War- handing over of suspected terrorists to Japanese authorities 1-5-1939 - 24-8-1939 — Page 42

GOPY FOR REGIO

CYPHER TELEGRAM from the Governor of

RATION

RECEIVED

Ang Kong to the

24 AUG1555

Secretary of State for the Col

Colonies.

Dated 23rd August, 1939. Received 11.45 a.m.

99

42

23rd August.

No. 236.

Addressed to the Secretary of State for the

Colonies telegram No.236 of the 23rd August, repeated to Shanghai telegram No.90, Tokio telegram No. 66.

I have received document alleged to be confession of the two young Chinese students to the murder of Cheng Hsie Keng in Tientsin. Statement gives wealth of detail in

corroboration.

It was brought to the Secretary for Chinese Affairs by Chinese member at the Legislative Council who himself is not in direct communication with the writers. Member stated at the same time that offered surrender was conditional on the undertaking by the Government not to hand them over to the Japanese. I have replied that no bargain is possible and that if they surrender or are discovered they will be banished forthwith by this Government unless in the meantime application has been made for their extradition with

I am not in which Hong Kong law might require compliance.

a position to express opinion as to merits of the confession,

Text follows by air mail.