The arrest of an alleged Chinese spy in the vicinity of the Astor House and subsequent developments in the Astor House lobby at noon yesterday, were cause for more than the usual Saturday tiffin gossip during the cocktail period. The Japanese after escorting their prisoner to Hongkew police, station, removed him to their headquarters for further investigation, It will Lo recalled, that as from Friday, the police" and marines have had a working agreement whereby the former will search any Chinese designated by the marines as being, a suspect. At Hongkew Station, sufficient incriminatory evi dence was found on the man, whose name was Wong, which led the police to refrain' from protesting Against further action by the Japan-ere.
Of more than passing interest the fact that in the Astor House lobby, the Chinese asserted that he was an American although he failed to stres station, Instead, at Hongkew, he demanded that he be privileged to telephone Mr. E. S. Cunningham, U.S. Consul-General, or Mr. Blackburn of -H, M. Consulate-General. Yesterday afternoon the American authorities investigated his asser-that he was an American cit Tight had arrived at Interrogated, accused said that at the time of his "arrest", near the Japanese Consulate-General, he was calling at the American Consular building, it being recalled that this, building was razed some months ago.
The affair began shortly before noon yesterday, when Japan patrols attempted to seize the Chi nese on the pavement near the Con~ sulate, He ran of and managed to enter the hotel lobby, both Japanese police officer and a for~ eigner, behind "him. A. commotion ensued between the officers as to the matter of procedure, the Japan ese demanding that he should be permitted to escort the prisoner to the., Japanese Consulate-General, but the foreigner insisting, that he must go to Hongkew station first,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.