A military officer, Yang Kuang-_ sung, who claimed to be an peared again in the Provis Court, last Friday, bet Kinng' and Mr. C."E.
ynsul's Deputy, on charges of attempted extortion' by sending threatening letters to a number of wealthy Chinese, At the first hearing he wa The second necused, who came to Court voluntarily, said that a student came to his shop and painted the posters, afterwards leaving them outside the shop. The contents of the books were taken from the daily. id that all the is were doing their best to ke: p down the' anti-forei feeling and ko asked that example te made of the occured in the ease.
A we: k's remand was ordered, charged with sending a threatening ie, 85 Yusvuen 000.' Complainant was instructed to carry a hat-box in Canton Road, as the police were informed de-tactives took a hand in the case and to the Police Station, A bribe of $50 to a detective, proising him a further sum and his stance in ridding the place of Communists and bandits because is connection with the high mili ary authorities.
During the period of remand, accused was taken to 4 house in Eh: pei, and there, in-a° telephone book, were discovered further letters a dressed to prominent Chinese, de. manding in each case the sum of $10,000, together with a list of the letters already despatched, chops, paper, ink, ete. The list' showed that letters had been sent to the following:—On April 27, 29, and 30 to Lee Yue-sing, 86 Vu-yuen Road: fon April 26, 28 and 29 to Li Zie rung, 209 Moulmein Road; on May Aub-sung, 190 Moulmein. Road; and on May 1 to Lee Kuei sang, 265 Darroch Road.
Accused was sentenced to nine! years and six months' imprison ment, and was deprived of his civil rights for 15 yearc. The bribe money was ordered to be confiscated.
A pang of 14 kidnappers, two of whom were women, appeared in the revisional Court, "n Tuesday, for sentence of death was 9 wight, while fear othe were given 10, 12, 7 and years' imprisonment, respectively, and the other two were relented.
Six of the accused were arrested ina raid at 1114 Baikal Road, when three pistols and a quantity of jon were found. Acting on information plied by them, four other members of the gang' were taken into custody at 214 Hardoon Road, bat only after shots had been exchanged. A search of the pre:
revealed a pair of ley irons, and a man who had been was also released. The victim hal been kidnapped by the gang in mistake for his master 20 days previous to his release, and he stated that his master had len kidnapped on a previous occasion and that had paid the ransom. The other four members of the gang were arrested in the Yih Ping' Shang Ietel in Thibet Read, where they had secured a room for the purpose of conducting: negotiations for the ransom of thei victim, From instructions contained in the, threatening letter, a representative would meet Mr. Yang between 8 and "lw tne het day a way crossing on the Great Western Road, und there was n request for a sum of money to be brought alonge by Mr, Yang. Strong suspicion rested on the first acevsed, who Wax Mr. Yang's riesha coolie, $0 he wns told to entry out the Instructions mentioned ju the letter. The Police kept a close watch on his movements and, when he went to the Great Western Road crossing, he was seen to meet the second accused. They were not arrested then, but allowed to go away, as the Police wanted to effect the arrest of the other members of the gang.
The Aceuseds! Story The first accused retarned home and told Mr. Yang that he had cen the writer of the loiter and had agreed to see him again on the next day, and further that he had alo {come to an agreement to take $21 000 instead of the $50,000, the sum previously asked for in the letter. The next day accused was given parcel, which was supposed to con= tain Bie. money, and when arrived at the railway crossing hof{ Again. was met by" she coond accused, to whom he handed. the parcel. " Both were then arrested, and admitted their guilt. They. said that they were going to kidnap Mr. Yang, and that four other men were involved in the affair, Before carrying out the attempted kidnap ping one of the gang purchased two Pistols in the French Conecexio: and hired a motor ear from a Swatow Rond garage.
'The first accused said that he had met a former employee of Mr. 'Yang's, who had been with him fo ight years, and that this man asked him to help kidnap his employer. He' promised him money for his help, but said that if he refused ho would burn accused's heme in the country.
The second accused said that the first accused had told hits that hie master had received a threatening: letter, and arked witness to helps him. First accused further told him that his master wanted to eo: ne to an agreement and asked him to to the Great Western Read Crossing, where en the second day. hho was arrested. Witness said {hat fon the first' day, the first accused had not turned up bat that he had soco hit later in the day in Hoopeh Road.
'A two week's remand "was ordered.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.