1926-03-23 — Page 5

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THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, TUESDAY, MARCH 23an. 1926

SCHEME TO THROW BOMBS IN HONGKONG.

DASTARDLY PLOT BY STRIKERS REVEALED.

CHINESE FITTER SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS' HARD LABOUR.

4

TWO WOMEN ON TRIAL AT THE MAGISTRACY.

A startling story was related at the Central Magistracy yesterday of a scheme formulated by strikers at Sbum Chun to throw bombs di a "powerful and dangerous type in Hongkong, following the failure to bring Two of these about another strike in the Colony at China New Year.

It appeared powerful bombs were brought into the Colony on March 2nd. that the intention was to throw them at Happy Valley. Fortunately, smart Police work frustrated the designs of the plotters. The defendants in the case wore a: Chinese man and two women who were charged with being in possession of two

bombs without a Beence.

The cane was heard before a court of two magistrates. Mr. R. E. Lindsell' and Major C. Willson,

Mr. T. H. King (Director of Criminal Intelligence) appeared to prosecute on behalf of the Police, and Mr. E. J. Arm, strong appeared for the defence of the third defendant (an amah). The man and the other woman were not legally represented..

The bomb was then placed in the tin, resting on a small quantity of oats which had been allowed to remain in the bet tom of the tin for safety. The remainder of the rolled outs were presumably to be placed around the sides of the bomb in

the tin.

Following the transference of the other both to the rattan basket, the male defendant, making an excuse of not feel ing well. left the room. He' did not, re- turn to the boarding house at all, but got into police custody later the same day

about five o'clock.

The case against the man was dealt with: DÉTECTIVES DISCOVERY. first. He pleaded guilty, stating that the Soon after twelve o'clock on that day Lomba were brought to his mhicle at a the principal Chinese detective went to boarding house. He was sentenced to the hoarding house and booked room No. ive years' imprisonment with hard labour, iron the first four and also another room The case against the two women com. on the floor slaye. In rooin No. 14 he indheed after the man's case had een stationed two estectives and he and disposed of.

Mr. King asked the Court to take his opening of the case as applying to the cases of all defendants.

CASE OUTLINED, Outlining the case Mr. T. H. King said the arst defendant was a man who had worked for many years in Hongkong as a fitter. Fle worked here until December 29th, when his services were dispensed with hy his employer on account of slack ness of trade. The defendant then got under the influence of a mah who was "also a Etter and who had been one of the leading spirits in the strike and boycott. This man had worked in Hongkong for a number of years and went on strike, and had also been in and out of Hongkong to and from Shum Chun from time to time. They had evidence that this man persunded the first defendant to throw in his let with the strikers as he was unem

ployed. The first defendant acceded to this and paid several visits to Shum Chun.

STRIKERS SCHEME

strike in the New Year bad failed.

another delectise went to the room on the second floor. Soon after the first defendant left the floor the two detectives on the first Hoor saw a policeman and a revenue officer coming up the stairs. cpnsequente of information from them, the principal Chinese detective was called from the Boor above.

DEFENDANT'S STORY. Put into the witness-box, the first defen daat gavo evidence bearing out Mr. King's statement regarding his visits to Shum Chun and the arrangements made there" for the transference of bombs to Hong- kong..

Continuing, he said that he returned to Hongkong on March 1st and booked a room at the World Boarding House. It had been arranged that the second defen- dant should visit him there and bring the bomba

12

THE UNREST AT CANTON. GENERAL CHIANG KAI' 'SHER, AS

DICTATOR.

[FROM OUR CHINESE CORRESPONDENT.]

The unrest which has been prevailing, in Canton for some time, dus principally to the conflict between the Left, or Red, and the Right, or anti-Red, Wing of the for dominance in the Kuomintang Southern Capital, reached u crisis on March 20th, when General Chiang Kai Shek, the Kuomintang or Red Ariny He went to the boarding house the fol dictator,

nction commenced drastic lowing day, on March End, and he then against anti Reds whom the Reds term bad a rattan basket with him, which dohcounterrevolutionarics." The anti- tained nothing else but clothing. The feds commenced "skirmishes” säveral second defendant came to the boarding weeks ago by issuing circulars question- house the same day about noon and was ing the security of the Kuomintang Con- accompanied by the third defenfant. He tral Bank and personally attacking had never seen the third defendant prior General Chiang and the Reds generally.

He had seen the second It is said that the anti-Reds went so lar to this visit. defendant previous to seeing her at Shui on March 18th as to attempt the life of Chan, this other occanoa being at Canton the Red dictator. about four years ago. The second and third defendants had a leather suitcase with them when they visited him at the boarding house.

..

On March 20th, General Chiang Kai Shek, without any order from the Kuo- mintang Executive Committee, disarmed some of the pickets of the Canton Strike The second defendant said she bad Committee in Tung Yuan, or East Gar-

brought twe bombs, and he (witress) telduen, after surrounding and searching the her he had only promised to accept one Strike Committee's headquarters for and asked her why she had brought two, several hours. At the same time, he and she explained the other was for some ordered the disarming of the 4th Regi- one else. The second defendunt opened ment of the lat Corps at Tai-sha-tão, the case and produced the two bombs, The 'regiment had been accused of being which were concealed in some clothing counter-revolutionaries General Chiang, One bomb witness put into the rattan basket and the other was put on the floor the same day, caused the arrest of Captain Li Chi Lung, acting Commandant of the Kuomintang Navy, and took under his

for the time.

Mr. King: Were you afraid they would go off in the room 7

Witness: No.

but I

Mr. Aing: Why not? Witness: I don't dread death, promised to carry out that job.

Mr. Lindsell: Did you suspect they night go off

Witness: No.

Mf. Lindsell; Why not?

own control the Canton Ammunition Factory, after first disarming two com panies of guarda on 'duty at the Factory. It may be recalled that the Marine Corps of some 2,000 strong, formerly command- armed several days ago when it was learnt ed by Captain Aw Yang Lin, were dis-

thas Captain Aw Yang bad secretly left Canton,

anti-Red knowing that his

Witness: It would only go off after they activities had been discovered.

were thrown..

The principal Chinese detective pro-

TO AVOID DETECTION. ceded to room No. 10, where he knocked

Continuing, witness said that thinking on the door, which was not opened at of the distance to Happy Valley and the first, the floor attendant then calling out danger of detection he consulted the for those inside to open the door for the second defendant about it, and after dis- While this cussion it was decided to conceal the police to inspect the room. was going on the detective heard soundshem in an oatmeal tin so that it could of things being moved about. The bolt be carried to its destination without being was eventually withdrawn and the detec detected. With this end in view an out- tives entered the room. The second de queal tin was purchased. After procuring fendant was sitting at a table; while the tin opener the rim was removed from the tin, the oatmeal poured into a hand. third defendant, an amah, was reclining kerchief by the second defendant and the When witness The principal Chinese detective told the bomb placed in the tin. amah to get up, and when she did so he left the room he took nothing out with

him. He

was detained at the Central

on a sofa.

In the meantime the "Red militarists standing by the present Kuomintang regime in Canton had also taken control. of the Chinese Section of the Canton- Kowloon Railway, the Canton Telephone Exchange, the Kwangtung Telegraph act other important Administratice, communications.

As is usually the case in factiooni.com. ficts in Canten, the last set of officials to have control of funds will be the gainers and those holding empty and unsecured government bonds, the losers. The first day of the unsettled conditions in Canton, March 20th, saw a drop of 12 points in Central Bank notes, some smaller shops refusing to handle them altogether.

Since March 20th censors have

Excepting the inconvenience caused by hesitation to accept Central Bank notes, there appeared to be no other trouble in sight. appeared again in the Canton newspaper offices and while they remain, all Canton newspapers will be practically edited by. the Kuomintang Publicity Bureau.

I found behind her a rolled oats tin with Police Station later the same day, baving delay on mails and telegraphs and the

kerchief with rolled oats which had pre- a humbs in it, and with it he saw a haud-een arrested at the Yaumati wharf about vimsly heen taken from the tin. There p.m. Between the time he left the boarding house and the time he was was a small quantity of oats in the tin.

The two women were put under arrest arrested he did not return to the board

ing house. STAS. and the room left entirely as it Headquarters was telephoned, and Chief Detective Inspector Grant and Sub- Inspector Fallon went down to the board. ing house. There they found the rattan basket containing the other bonis. Both the rattan basket and the leather suit case were unlocked 'when found.

There he inet another fitter and also the second defendant (one of the women) and another man. The three of theas, under the leadership of a fitter, formulated a scheme to throw bombs in Hongkong, after the attempt to bring about a second On February 7th the first and second defendants met together in Shum Chun

The original bits of tin taken from the and made arrangements for bombs to he

room at the time, corresponded with: the delivered to them in Hongkong. The first defendant was të come to Hongkong ärst rim of the tin which it had been taken and the woman was to enme afterwardsfrom. and bring the tombs. They were to he delivered in a hoarding house. The first defendant entered into the scheme, but he arranged his actions so that the ex: plosion which he was to create with his bomb did not take place.

Mr. King, here said that he mentioned this because it was the custom for board- ing house attendants to carry luggage up to rooms, but in this case it was not done. "the amah retaining possession of the suit-

ense until the room was reached.

The second defendant had a smali hutch of keys, one of which fitted the ease.

The prisoners and the bombs were taken to the Central Police Station, and the humbs. were kater examined by the nanlyst..

Armstrong,

Mr. Cross-examined by witness said when be returned to Hang kong on March 1st he met the second defendant by appointment near a cinema as Yannati and told her he had engaged a room at the World Boarding House and that she could visit hins there. He did pot ask her if she had the bombs with her as he was afraid to ask her that He had made an question in the street. arrangement with her in Shum Chun to meet him at Yaumati Second defendant had no one else with her at this meeting. So far as he knew there was no one else to come in connection with the bombs except himself and the second defendant. The second defendant did not mention. that she had another woman with her When he saw the two women at the boarding house he took the other woman

Mr. Armstrong: Did you not imagine

Some 30 wounded Hunanese mercen aries have arrived at Cantor from the

North River districts during the last few days, but so far there has been no news of serious trouble.

During the disarming process in Canton on March 20th, when the city was pat under extra military vigilance, districts outside the city were greatly excited and, for nearly an hour, incoming and outgoing trains on the Canton-Sumshui and the Canton-llankow lines were held up, while the service on the Canton-Kowloon Rail- Way was suspended, except for military purposes.

The Strike "Committee in Canton issued the following, statement:-

"On account of the stoppage of communications due to military actions to-day (March 20th), all departments. of this Committee were compelled to cease functioning and the Conference of Labour Representatives was alsó unable to meet and had to suspend operation for time. Now arder has been re- -stored, all questions having been settled, and consequently all departments have resumed business. Realizing the anxiety experienced on the part of all féllow workers, this statement is issued to them for their information."

The two women were. arrested about

A DANGEROUS TYPE. one o'clock on March 2nd in room No. 10

This examination revealed that the of a boarding house near the New Western Market. At about 9.20 the same day the bombs were of a very dangerous and to be an amah attending the second de niale defendant had been to the hard-powerful type. They were filed with fendant, and in fact the second defend- ing house and arranged for a room, this wads of gun cotton and nitro-glycerine, ant did say that this woman was her

about six ounces; while the total weigh amah. room being No. 10 on the first floor. He of each bomb was about or lbs. In THIRD DEFENDANT FRIGHTENED, brought with bin a rattan basket, which was carried up to his room by one of the addition to the gun-cotton and nitro- The first Sycerine, the bombs were also loaded hoarding house attendants. defendant remained in the boarding house, with chipped granite, which would have it would be dangerous to introduce a and about 11:00 the same morning two shrapnel effect when the botal explod third party into a conspiracy like this?" Witness: It was only arranged that women arrived and enquired for the first ed: while there was also in them a wit defendant. They were shown up to his ture of arsenic-sulphide and potassium of two should be in it, but I could not help

chlorate.

The analyst described the the third defendant being brought. room by an attendant. The third defen-hombs as a very powerful and dangerous

In answer to a further question by Mr. dant (the other woman) was carrying a

General Chiang Kai Shek has not been type of bomb. The hombs were of the Armstrong, witness said that when the leather suitcase. Both women went up concussion type and did not require a second defendant mentioned about the satisfied with the activities of the Strike stairs together, and the amah still con

detonator to explode them. When drop bombs at the boarding bouse the third Committee for some time, and the pickers tinued to carry the suitcase,

ped on to a hard surface after being defendant appeared to be frightened. have been a problem to both himself and thrown they would explode.

Witness added that he did not think she the Kuomintang Political Commission,-- Mr. King here remarked that their War had any knowledge of the bombs prior a "fact touched upon in previous corre- spondence more than once. The disarm- ships would recall that a little time back to that moment. there was a bomb outrage in Hunghom. The third defendant, he continued, in ing of some of the pickets will fessen their At that time the police collected some reply to other questions, was sent cut strength to that extent, and there is no fragments of that bomb. Although this of the cubicle to prevent her hearing doubt that the proposed Kuomintang was nothing to do with the present case, what was said between him and the change of policy towards the "anti- The male defendant asked one of the was significant that one of the pieces secchi defendant and she was later told imperialist" boycott and strike may soon. female defendants why she had come so picked up corresponded with the thick from the doorway to go and buy some carly and she replied that she was afraid ness of the top of one of these bombs: rolled oats. The third defendant did not of the police. The suitcase was opened while another piece corresponded with the see the bombs taken out of the suitcase. When she returned with the cats she was and two bombs, which were packed thickness of the cylinder.

The arst defendant would be called to sent out on to the verandah and he did Among some clothing-some the cloth- ing was male sicthing, which indicated Rive evidence, and he would say that not think the eculd see what was taking that it had been used for packing at while he was at Shum Chun he experi-1 place in the room. Shum Chun-were taken out. One of the mented with two bombs, and was actually The principal boarding house attendant women informed the male defendant that shown how to throw them, although at the World Boarding House was called she had brought two bombs, one for him those bombs were not so big as those and gave evidence as to the arst defend and one for a man who would call later sought to Hongkong in the present case. Ant taking a room'at the boarding house The first defendant, conciqded Mr. King, and arriving with a rattan basket. He in the day.

The Brat defendant asked her if she arranged his actions that the particu- also stated that two women called the had anything to contain the bomb in, anilar outrage for which he was to be respon-

same morning to see him and were shown she said she had nct. The first defendant tible did not take place.

up to his room. These women had with Mr. King added that he did not know them a leather suitcase. then sent the third defendant out for a

two women defen- Lin) in thything about the tin of rolled onts (a Sperry

the bombs in it daats, They were strangera in Hongkong érder to pack one Subsequently cre bomb was placed in this and the police had not been able to find, tin and the other bomb was placed in any clue to them here. rattan basket under the bed..

THE BOMBS “ARRIVE.

When the amah returned with the tin

of rolled oats, the rim of it was removed

DEFENDANT SENTENCED.

When the first defendant took the room there was no other luggage in it.

This concluded the evidence at this hearing of the case.

The second defendant intimated that

be carried out gradually, if not at once. The strikers are opposed to being sent to Whampoa to opes the port as first suggested by General Chiang,

Whether or not the anti-Reds will be able to get the support of the workers to range themselves against the Reds may soon be settled.

THE PEKING SHOOTING EPISODE. ACCUSATIONS AGAINST CANTON'S RUSSIAN. ADVISERS.

In

[PEDY OUR CHINESE CORRESPONDENT]

opposition circles in Canton the Soviet Party from Canton, now in Peking, she wished to question first defendant, led by Messieurs Borodin and Seminoff On his plea of guilty, the first defendant and Mr. Lindsell said she be given the (Advisers of the Kuomintang in Canton), so as to allow for the entry of the bomb. was sentenced to five years' imprisop- opportunity to do so at the next bearing are being accused of having started the which fitted the tin easily when this opera- ment with liard labour.

of the case, when he could be taken from agitations in Peking which led to the Before the The second defendant when charged gaol for this purpose. tion had been carried out.

killing of students there on March 18th. rim was removed, however, a room attend- with possession of bombs without a

Their Worships remanded the defend- They are accused also of being reapon- ant was called and asked for a tin opener, licence pleaded not guilty, and a similar ants, adjourning the case for further sible for the student agitations in Canton which was used for removing the rim of plea was entered by Mr. Armstrong on hearing next Tuesday afternoon (March which led to the regrettable occurrence

behalf of the third defendant,

30th). the Lin.

of June 23rd last.

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