CO129-590-24 Situation in Hong Kong 25-4-1905 - 25-4-1905 — Page 66

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All

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assistance. They saw the Gendarmerie and then assured us that nothing serious would happen but that we may be inconvenienced for a few days until the passport had been verified. Within half an hour after they left us at the hotel, we were arrested. No charges were preferred against us and we were not permitted to communicate with the outside world. un 1.7.42 we were questioned, but the questionnaire dealt mainly with our family history and our social position in Hong Kong. 1 was told that we were shadowed all the way from Hong kong and that our actions had been suspicious. challenged this allegation and asked them to produce their witness for my shadower for questioning. At this challenge they promptly dismissed the subject and asked further questions which had no bearing as to why we were arrested. un 2nd July our luggage was closely examined and we were then informed that our case was very serious and that we were to be transferred to a higher court viz. Military Court (

)., un

3rd July we were tranferred to this court and were kept separately in cells whose area was approximately 40' x 10' and held 50 prisoners. I was forced to sleep on a space next to the open latrine. The conditions inside were filthy, full of rats, bed bugs, ticks and lice. We were given four mugs of water per person per day which we had to use both for drinking and washing. For food, we were given red rice, only no meat, vegetable or soup were supplied.

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Un 4th July and 6th July we were questioned again, at the end of which we were told that they had no case against us but that we had to be kept in custody pending the tranfer of Miss Chow to their organization for questioning. I tried to contact Captain Hemingway but my letters were censored.

un 16th July we were pemitted to collect some clean clothing and managed to see the Trial Judge Mr. Kwok who on seeing our sores insisted that Vivienne should be sent to hospital. We had, all three, contracted impetigo and scabies and medical aid was denied us. I had in my luggage some sulphalinamide and disinfectant, but we were not allowed to

In spite of have it is case we attempted to commit suicide ! the Judge's order Vivienne was not sent to hospital until 23rd July. un 25th July Captain Hemingway was permitted for the first time to see me. He informed me that we would be sent to Chungking within the next few days.

Un the 29th July we were released only to be detained again within half an hour of our release.

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On

Un 2nd August I developed fever, my sores had spread all over my body so that I could not walk, sit or lie down without pain. I applied for tranfer to Hospital, but I was not sent there until 7th August. On 20th August we were placed on board British Military Mission truck bound for Chungking, but

The were taken off at To Chiu (

) on 21st August. conditions at this prison were very much better than those at Kweiyang here we received very good treatment although rations were restricted to plain rice and vegetable soup. 24 th August we were questioned by Mr. Lee( ) of the Military Affairs Council and were asked identical questions to those at Kweiyang. We were told that we were s till under suspicion on account of Miss Chow's activities and self confession and that the case would not be settled until Miss Chow had been transferred from kweiyang to Chungking although, in truth, she had been transferred on or about 25th July. In spite of our proof of nationality we were told that our British status had not been established.

For the first time we were informed that a Mr. Y.C.Chang ), formerly of General Motors Corporation, a fellow passenger on the ship which conveyed us from Hong Kong to Kwongchowwan had made a report against us to the effect that

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