Laodah Killed, Sailor Injured in Hsupukow Shooting A laodah of a Chinese junk was killed and another man working on board was injured, when a Japanese naval motor boat opened fire on the junk just as it had left Hsupukow, a small port on the south bank of the Yangtze, with a load of rice destined for a coastal steamer flying the French flag, which was to have taken it to Swatow for the Shing Feng rice hong in Shanghai. The incident occurred on February 10, but news was only received here yesterday and from usually reliable sources it appears that the rice hong had paid certain fees to the Japanese military in control of Hsupukow, but that no fees hed been paid to the naval authorities.
In view of the fact that the. matter had nothing to do with the foreign steamer itself, the incident was not reported to any consular authorities, it was understood.
At the time of the shooting, the junk was nearly two miles out of Hsupukow, sailing at a high speed ne to a strong wind. The Japanese crew of the motor-boat, presumably under the impression that the Chinese craft was attempting to evade a search, opened fire without warning.
Investigations made into the murder on Thursday of Kao Hong-tao, who wes quoted as being a constable in the "Ta Tao" river police, have revealed that the murdered man was actually the chief of this organization and that concurrently, he held a post as secretary with the Japanese sponsored "Greater City Government of Shanghai," although his exact function there could not be ascertained, it having been impossible to find out, to which department of the "City Government" he was attached as secretary.
Another interesting development in connection with this case, comes as a result of the ballistic examination of the bullets and cartridge cases used in this killing and, although official confirmation was withheld concerning the matter, it has definitely been established that the weapon used in the assassination of the river police chief was also used in the attempted murder, on February 11, of Lo-yi, 48, a coal merchant, who, it will be recalled, was assaulted by a number of men when he was proceeding towards the French Concession, along Changping Road. The victim, who is still in hospital, in an interview given to detectives at the time, stated that a few days previously he had been approached by a number of men for New Year cumshaws and, having en them only $1, he was threatened.
'As stated in yesterday's "North-China Daily News", at least some parts of the assassins' weapon, were those of the pistol used during the various shooting affrays on July 7, 1938, and, from a ballistic point of view, the whole thing is still a puzzle.
For, whereas the bullets used on July 7 last year and those used in Thursdays shooting, were identical from a ballistic point of view, the cartridge cases were not. Unfortunately the bullet which lodged in the neck of the Changping Road assault victim, never reached the police and therefore no comparisons could be made in this respect.
Experts therefore have but one explanation, namely, that the barrel used on the pistol on July 7, 1938, must have been changed to another pistol, which latter was used in the two armed attacks on February 11 and Thursday, respectively.
"Organization" Changed From usually reliable Chinese sources, it was learned yesterday, that the organization of the anti-Japanese terrorist movement in Shanghai has undergone a complete change for some time and that the gunmen, who' carry out the various assassinations, have been reply Crack marksmen with ranks of commissioned officers in the Chinese army are said to have been given the posts of "executioners," whilst the Chinese informant claimed to know that henceforth, or at least for some considerable time, the ter-
Street Repairs Will Be Made in Foochow Road Public Asked to Use Other Thoroughfares Owing to extensive road work, the public is requested temporarily to avoid using Foochow Road, between Fokien and Honan Roads, beginning on Sunday.
Major repairs will be started in that stretch of Foochow Road on that day, and will be in progress for about four weeks. Motorists and others are asked by the Traffic Department of the Shanghai Municipal Police to avoid traversing the street while the work is on.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.