Shanghai, Jan, 9.
A well organized gone' of extortioners who used to. demand sums running into six figures from their victims were unmasked In the Second Special District Court yestorday when seven extortion suspects were brought up on a writ of detention. "Tt was "allened by the prosecution that on one occasion alone the men dblained $5,000. In view of the complicated nature of the case, Judge Chang postponed the hearing to January 18.
Tt was revealed in court that by posing as guerilla unit Yeaders. the alleged extortioners often wrote to rich vielims living in the" French Concession asking for big sums of money. In their possession—the French pote found" two" hand grenades, one pistol and some Chinese Government bonds which {hey altaredly obtained from one of their victims.
'The first victim mentioned in court is Mr. Huang 'Tung, a former tron shop manager who' lives in Route Paul Henry. "He was said to have received three letters demanding '$20,000 and forced to go 10 an hotel Ju Avenue Joffre where he pald $5,000 to settle the affair. The men were also allege! to have written three Teiers to an Intended victim divine in Route Frelupt asking for $50.000 and in one of the leltera a Dutlet was enclosed.
ie men told the court that they had never attempted to extort money, having been sent to Shanghai their commander in Pootung. The judge was puzzled by their statement fand when he asked why the men should have come into" the Cone cession if they were really guerillas the men were tongue-tied,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.