Tension Bases as Bulk of the Japanese Forces Withdraw:
Area Now Patrolled from New Depots Established IRST Class Seaman Asamitsu Taminato lies dead, Second Class Seaman Yoshini Deriba and First Class Seaman Yoshitane Yawata are seriously wounded as the result of a murderous attack by gunmen in Haining Road, on Sept. 23. The three men were Innded from H.IJ.MS. Izumo as part of the reinforcements for the Japanese Landing Party here.
Of duty that evening, they were walking with another sailor down Haining Road in the direction of Woosung Rond and had paused to look into a shop window near the intersection, when a hail of bullets was fired from behind them.
Taminato, the first hit, started to run and then staggered across Haining Road to a Japanese bookstore on the southeast corner. where he expired, shot through the heart. The others fled to the same store, the two wounded men being hit immediately after Taminato, It is believed that four men were the assailants. They are alleged to have fired from an alleyway a few yards from the intersection. One Chinese in coolie clothes, alleged to have been one of the four, was arrested by S.M.P. Special Constable McAllan. assisted by bystanders. He was immediately taken to the Chapoo Road sub-station of the Japanese Naval Landing Party for questioning.
The Landing Party almost immediately were on the scene and a strong cordon of men was thrown around the area, extending from Miller Road on the east to beyond Chapoo Road on the west, and from Quinsan Road on the south to Range Road on the north. All traffic in the area—trams, buses, motor cars, and pedestrians—was stopped and all occupants of houses in the district kept in their own premises. A house-to-house search was started which was kept up until the early hours of next morning.
A definite casing of the tension in Hongkew was observed on September 24, but the Naval Landing Party and bluejackets continued in virtual control of the district, with sentries posted at all strategic points and heavily armed patrols riding through the streets continually. Japanese armed power also was displayed in Chapel, whence a small exodus of residents took place. Regrets were formally expressed by Settlement and Chinese officials. The investigation of the crime was continued by the Naval Landing Party.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.