Kidnapped in the Markham Road district on September 5, Mx. Kang Pau-tsvng, a wealthy building contractor of 445 Stone Bridge Road, was liberated and back at his home within an, hour as a result of clever work by the police from Bubbling Well, station.
Mr, Kong was kidnapped outside his house by a gang who seized his motor car, ejected: the chauffeur and fled with their it A foreign lady turned in the alarm and. the con-freedom followed a dramatic chain of events in which closed railway crossing gate, a chance' encounter on the road. and a collision of the car with a tree played a great part.
The foreign lady turned in the alarm 10 minutes after the kidnapping: took place. When she saw ject the chauffeur doon, Road, she immediately tel phoned. Bubbling Well station, short time later three station vel cles, carrying armed men, were patrolling all the outlying road searching for the ear.
'The kidnapping' was carried out! along the usual lines. Having learned of the habits of their intended victim, the gang lay in wait for: him, Mr, Kong, left his house at: 445° Stone Bridge Road, in_ the vicinity of the Markham Road area, about 9.30 a.m.
His chauffeur drove him as usual, Hardly had the machine got under way, when the gang, three in numther," presented their pistols and foreed the chauffeur to pull up. While one of them took the wheel, the others covered Mr. Kong, who crouched between. them, The leader instructed the gang's river: to proceed in a westerly direction, after having crossed the Vusinoss area. Nothing untoward was noticed in the conduct of the occupants until the ear approached Hardoon Road.—Unceremoniously the gang forced the chauffeur to alight and they. drove off, heading toward the open country.
Fortunately for Mr. Kong, the foreign Indy noticed the incident and telephoned to the station from house near by. At once officers re despatched by Chief Inspr. O'Dwyer to the scene. Unable to ascertain anything here, they went westward to Icok for the cat, The ejected chauffeur, in the meanwhile, made his way to Bub-Dung Well station and reported the full details of the matter, The reserves—all wearing steel waist coats and armed—were called out find the station car and two motor mediate action, one 8 with side ears got into im-
In addition, Det.-Sub-Inspr, Crawford, taking with him the chauffeur of Mx. Kong, went out alone in his own car.
The regular station patrols cover-the prescrived routes over the outlying roads, each over a separate and distinct area, and not overlapping. Within a few minutes they were -woll beyond Settlement limits on the outlying roads, That they were not successful in finding the car was a matter. of chance, According to the later investigations, the victim and the. gang went out to Hungjao Road, but on finding the gates at the railway crossing closed and no train in sight, came to the conclusion that they had been closed to prevent their escape. The leader ordered the car to be turned round and to ative to the French Concession, Fortune smiled on. Inspr. Crawford. With the chauffeur he had three men had been seen running in a northerly direction. On the driver's seat a Demon pistol, calibre 32, wag found, with seven cartridges in the magazine and one in the breach, The police believe that in their haste the kidnappers overlooked the pistol.
An additional message was circulated both in the Settlement and in the French Concession, but noth-1 has been heard of the where-bouts of the gang, but later a telephone was received to the effect that. Mr. Kong was safe in a Chinese school, Brought to the station, he could reveal nothing about the gang. Officers also questioned the chauffeur, who Ukewise could not assist them in any way.
In the meanwhile, detectives attached to Sinza station, the kidnapping having occurred in that district, began their investigations under the supervision of Det-Sub-Inspr. White and Det. Sgt. Shields. The family knew nothing of the incident and later the pistol was examine to associate it, if possible, with other crimes. The results of this examination will he known today.
In this connection, it will be recalled, that only week, similar affair occurred and in this case, as well, the police were able to rescue a kidnapped employee of the Standard Oil Ca., because the alarm was given at once.
Yesterday, a high police official re-emphasized, that if the public would ce-operate with them and give information at once they would able to accomplish much more toward dealing with such cases.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.