7 Robberies and 14 Extortions Alleged Against Them Seven notorious robbers and ex-tertianers who have seven armed robberies, one attempted robbery and 14 attempted extortions to their credit in the Settlement alone, are being held by the First Special District Court having been charged accordingly by the Settlement police. Judgment has been reserved pending further investigations.
Four of the seven detained men were arrested on January 25 by the Chengtu Road police in the Yates Road residence of P. T. Chou, manager of the Great China Dispensary, Foochow Road. They secured entrance into the house in the afternoon during the absence of Mr. Chou but an alert amah slipped away and telephoned an alarm to the police who soon arrived, caught them and seized three pistols from them.
Through their alleged confession, three other suspects were arrested later and they were all brought before the Court on Thursday afternoon when Mr. Chang Tien-ying, Municipal Advocate, read charges against them. Mr. Chang revealed that only four of the accused participated in the attempted armed robbery in Mr. Chou's home alleging that one of the four men learned that Mr. Chou had received $20,000 in notes, They first met in a hotel and then proceeded with their programme after the meeting.
Tt was alleged that the accused had 10 crimes to their credit in the French Concession. A detailed list of crimes alleged to have been committed by the accused was given to the court and it was indicated that the men have been habitual criminals operating in both the Settlement and Concession.
An interpreter of the Second Special District Court, who lives in Bubbling Well Road was victimized by them as robbers last year to the extent of $415. They were also alleged to have recently attempted to kidnap a merchant in the French Concession and shot and wounded him. Fourteen Chinese residents in the Settlement mostly factory and shop managers have received ex-tertian letters from them demanding sums ranging from several thousand dollars to $10,000.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.