At the request of the Hyogo! (Japan) Prefectural Police, the local Criminal Investigation Department is searching for a Chinese compradore of the Deutsch-Asiatis che Bank, 26 Naniwa-machi, Kobé who is alleged to have escaped to Shanghai with a large sum in curvency and bonds belonging to his employers.
According to information from [Japanese sources, the man was a trusted worker and had been with the bank for a number of years.
Discovery of a slight shortage in his funds during his absence on vac tion some weeks ago' led to investigation, which revealed that approximately Y.100,000 in currency and bonds belonging to the bank was missing.
A country-wide search ensued and strict watch was kept by the Japanese Water Police on all outgoing vessels. It was believed that the man was hiding in some secluded part of the country.
The Japanese police, however, have now learnt that the man booked a passage for Shanghai under an assumed name on the str. Empress of Asia, which. arrived here on August 8, and that he subsequently tried to board a boat for Canton. He is known to have most of the mi sing fands in his possession.
Investigations made by the local police have revealed that a Chinese answering to the description of the wanted man did arrive at Shanghai board the sir. Empress of Asia on August 8 He was a tst-lass pa senger. An intensive search has failed to reveal. his whereabouts and. it is thought that he has es: caped to Canton.
Some doubt exists as to the compradore's nationality. The Japanese police think that he was a British Eotject, s born and. eduested Singapore, but'they have no means of substantiating such a Weor Kobe' ing Funds Further details of the sensational fight to Shanghai of the compradore brief occupation by the Com Many' houses, Chinese and. for lof the Kobe branch of the Deutsch-
Asiatische Bank have been received here.
The. compradore's name is C. G. JCheng, and in addition to embezzling proximately Y.100,000, from the bank he was indebted, it is alleged, to a Japanese syndicate to the extent of Y, 85,000. He left Kobe for Shanghai aboard the Empress. of Asia on August 6 and arrived here! on August 8, under an assumed name. His wife and a party of ven accompanied him.
At the request of the Hyogo! (Japan) Prefectural authorities, the local police made arrangements to rest him on' arrival, but he succeeded in getting ashore undetected and boarded a boat for; Canton. With the ce-operation of the Chinese police his arrest is expected within a few days, Mr, Cheng's action has caused al sensation in Japanese banking cit-ides, where he was well-known and respected. He succeeded his father, the late Mr. J. G. Cheng, as compradore of the bank only last year, and it was believed that his in: heritance then amounted to several million yen.
His disappearance is said to he connected with the vicissitudes of the Waiyut Cheesung Ca., an export firm which he financed and contrail led. The consistent business depression, luxurious living, and over con. fidence in manufacturers allegedly led to the bankruptcy of this enter-price, and Mr. Cheng's disappear-_ ance, with the funds of the bank, followed.
Some doubts exist_as to Mr. Cheng's nationality.
Police authorities. thi British subject, having been born in Singapore of British parents, but, their despatches to the local! Criminal Investigation Department they submit no proof of this theory.
It is believed that most of the missing funds are' in Mr. Cheng's Possession, in the form of currency, and negotiable bonds, Just over five tens of gold valued at over half a million sterling was flown from London to the Continent by Imperial "Airways on July 23. The crews of the airliners were armed with revolvers,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.