'A gang of 12 alleged kidnappers and their accomplices, whom the police credit with having been menace and a cause of complaint to the Cantonese residents in the Hongkew district, and who were arrested after their alleged kidnapping of Siang San-see from his home on Range Road, during the course of and subsequent to a sensational raid at 377 Ward Road, fon November 26, had their final trail on Thursday at the Provisional Court They were remanded for! sentence. Acting Superintendent Conduit had charge of the investiga. tions and Mr. P. W. Goldring pro-secured.
In the original raid eight persons were arrested and three pistols seized. Information was then re. ceived which led to the arrest of two others, one of whom was taken {into custody in the French Concession. Several weeks later two! others fell into a police trap, whilst telephoning to their victim's brothe>, from whom they demanded a ransom: of $100,000. Complainant was rescued from the house at 977 Wand Road.
In giving evidence, complainant] said that he was dining with a friend in Tuli Ching Li, when thre> men, all armed, who said that they were Nationalist. officers, knocked and demanded admittance, having, as they added, a warrant for his arrest.
Siang accompanied them to the mouth of the alleyway, where he saw two lookouts. He was bundled into a motor ear and taken to an \ddress with which he said he was} not familiar.
In the first of three letters which the gang sent to relatives, they informed them that owing to the loss of several men, and $10,000 paid out in expenses, they would hhave.to ask for $100,000. Of this were agreeable to the relatives they were to place a red paper at a certain spot. Although the paper! was put there as demanded, police on watch caught no one.
Telephone Call Traced A second letter suggested a telephone call, and Mr. Conduit arrang-after similar arrangements were made, the police party consisting of Superintendent Conduit, Det.-Sergt. Satula and Chinese arrested two more men in another hotel on Thibet Road.
Considerable weight was attached by the police to the fact that although both denied that they could speak Shanghai dialect, stating that they were Cantonese, through trick it was proved that they could. Boys from the first hotel identified the men as using the room from which the call was made. One of these accused lived in the house adjoining complainant, and in the house the police found paper identical to that used in writing the letters.
At the conclusion of the evidence on Thursday, Mr, Golding pressed
composed of men and women, fora conviction forthe entire gang, chauffeurs and soldiers. Counsel objected when each of four lawyer: representing 12th accused, informed the Court that they wished to After all had addressed the Court, it having overruled Mr. Goldring, the latter in conclusion, intimated that 12th accused must be guilty if he required four lawyers to establish his innocence.
They will be sentenced next weet:,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.