The Shanghai-Nanking express had not arrived in Nanking by noon yesterday, and was reported "to have been held up by various movements along, the line. No definite news could be obtained last night as to what had been going on between Shanghai and Nanking, though there were rumours in legion, none of which could: be confirmed.
Numbers of armed Chinese who were reported to be members of the Paoantui, but who had the appearance of being men of the 88th Division of the 5th Army, with their identification straps removed, arrived, in Shanghai and were sent Off to various points in the northern areas, It was also reported that men from the 88th Division and the 87th Division had come into the Shanghai area and had been detrained between Shanghai and Chenju. None of these reports could, however, be confirmed, a close guard being kept on all points, and Chinese officials being reluetant to talk, pending developments in the negotiations for the settlement of the Hungjao Road shooting During the last few days there have been scenes in the North Station unprecedented in any othe: Shanghai or threat 6f war. Platforms of the station have been so crowded. with refugees and other baggage hat officials of the railway Have been virtually" helpless.
A representative of the "North~ Daily News" visiting the station at one of the rush hours—that is to say, immediately before a train for Nanking was due to leave yesterday morning—saw thousands of Chinese and their families grouped round their piles of, belongings, varying from anything between caged Peiping robins to articles of furniture of a somewhat intimate nature.
'Thieves' Gala Day Thieves and racketeers grand day. Women's purses were snatched. Piles of luggage, left in charge of a few members of a family while the rest of them went out of the station to buy food; were ran~ sacked by loafers who were prepared to shout down the real owners when they resisted them. The crowds were Xtoo great to permit the police and the Peace Preservation Corps members who were at the station to do anything about it, The confusion persisted in the station, in spite of the best efforts of the railway authorities, until a late hour last night, and there seemed to be few signs of the crowds being thinned out. Movements of rolling stock along the Nanking-Shanghai Railway were difficult to trace, and there seemed to be exceptional movements along the railway to Hang-how.
Trains on the Shanghai-Woosung Railway ceased to run at noon yesterday.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.