Shanghai, Aug. 19.
PAIR of bold assassins riddled Supt. Loh Lien-kwo, a leading Chinese detective officer of the Settlement Police, with bullets outside the Central Hotel, Canton Road, at 2.45 o'clock yesterday afternoon and then escaped by. running into Hoopeh Road.
Supt. Loh, who was one of the most influential Chinese in Shanghai died almost instantly from wounds in the head, chest and shoulder, and was pronounced dead on being admitted to the Lester Hospital. His chauffeur was wounded in the -arm, losing a considerable amount of blood, and is now in the Lester Hospital in a serious condition.
Pro-Japanese clements are suspected of having perpetrated the daring crime.
Tt was the first instance in the history of the Municipal' Police which a high-ranking officer had been assassinated, and im~ mediately the news had been flashed to Headquarters a vast machinery Was sct in motion to bring the assassins to justice.
The Louza Station police and two sections of the Headquarters staff were at once assigned to the case and began investigations which took them to various parts of Shanghai.
As soon as the alarm reached Louza Slation, at 2.45 p.m., all available men there hurried to the scene as well as the members of the Reserve Unit who were standing-by at the time in Ningpo Road, Station cars filled with steel-clad policemen, and the big red vans of the riot-squad, rushed to the corner of Canton Road and Hoopeh Road, where the assassination had taken place. The immediate neighbourhood was surrounded and a thorough search made of houses and alleyways. The murderers, however, was taken from the hospital to the parlours of the International Funeral Directors in Kiaochow Road, where it [willie encofined today.
Supt, Loh Lien-kwo was a_man whose place in the Settlement Police it will be dificult to All. His long detective experience, his connections Jand his genius in dealing with cases all contributed to make"him an out~ standing figure in the SMP. Besides, nis genial character and generous /disposition had endeared him to many in and outside of police ranks.
Bodyguard Not Present Notable Police Career Supt. Loh had driven up to the Carton Road entrance of the Central Hotel in his private motor-car. was without his usual bodyguard. The river had scarcely stopped the car Supt. Loh rose from humble begin-mings. He was born in Huchow, Chekiang, 49 years ago, and joined the S.MP. as a constable on May 21, 1911. In 1916 he was made a detective con: stable and he continued in the Detective Branch until the time of his death. He was appointed sergeant In 1923, sub-inspector, in 1925, in-actor in 1927, chief' inspector in 929, assistant superintendent in 1933, ind superintendent in 1937. His commendations for superior police work Aumbered well over 100, and he was decorated twice by the Council—once with the Police Long Service Medal, ind recently with the 1987 Emergency:
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.