One of the Dullets, after having! struck a wall, ricocheted and slightly injured a Chinese woman, named Wang Li-zo, In the right leg. "she was} treated in hospital and was permitted go to her home, however.
'Kao, investigations revealed, was a constable in the "Tao Tao" river police, operating outside the city! Timits' of Shanghai and had been in the employ of that organization for quite some time. " Nothing, according to investigating police officials, vealed that the murder was of a political nature, inasmuch as that the only document' found on Kao's body was a private letter and a subsequent earch of his home revealed no evidence to the effect that he had ever been threatened. His wife, closely questioned at the police station, also denied that her husband had' ever Ween threatened and itis for this reason that the French police are clined to believe that the man was! murdered for personal" vengeance rather than on a political count.
The attack was made so suddenly that constables on duty near by were unable to take up the chase.
Subsequent examination by ballistic experts of the cartridge cases found. at the scene, revealed however that {this weapon foo, had been used in on of the many shooting affrays that kept Shanghai under terror on July 7, 1938, first anniversary of the Loukochiaa Incident, when bombs were thrown and many persons killed and injured In the worst day of terrorism to which Shanghai had been exposed in history.
The last political murder, in the French Concession, was committed on September 30, when Mr. Tong Shaoyi, the first 'Prime Minister of the: Republic of China in 1912, was brutally axed to death in his) home at 18 Route Ferguson, by a band of men who had entered the Tong residence under the pretext of bringing! wedding presents' forthe former statesman's daughter. They left the house calmly, once their crime was! perpetrated, and it was only later JSiscovered that Mr. Tong had been the victim of assassins. Although no fan active member Government," it was hinted at the time that the veteran politician had Jbeen approached to take up an important position with the new regime.
Chief of River Police Feb, 18, Investigations made into the murder on Feb. 16 of Kao Hong-tao, who }wes quoted as being a constable in the "fa Tao" river police, have revealed that the murdered man was actually the chief of this organization and that leoncurrently, he held a post as secre-ary with the Japanese sponsored Greater City Government of Shang-hal." although his exact function there could not be ascertained, it having been Impossible to find out, to which Jdepartment of the "City Government" Ihe was attached as secretary.
Another interesting development in Jconnection with this ease, comes as Jo result of the ballistic examination Jof the bullets and cartridge cases used this Killing and, although oficial [confirmation was withheld concerning} the matter, it has definitely been established that the weapon used in the assassination of the Fiver police Jchiet was also used in the attempted murder, on February 11, of Lo-yl, 48, coal merchant, who, it will be' recalled, was assaulted by @ 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 Japproached by a number of men for New Year cumshaws and, having riven them only $1, he was threatened.
'As stated in yesterday's "North-China Dally News", at least some parts of the assassins' weapon, were those of the pistol used during the various shooting affrays on July 7, 1998, and, from. a. ballistic point view, the whole thing is still a puzzle.
For, whereas the bullets used on JSuly 7 last year and those used in Thursday's shooting, were identical from a ballistic point of view, the cartridge cases were nol. Unfortunately the bullet which lodged in the neck of the Changping Road assault victim, never reached the police Jond therefore no comparisons could be made in this respect.
Experts therefore have but one ox-planation, namely, that the barrel fused 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 "Organization" Changed From usually reliable Chinese sources, it was learned yesterday, that the organization of the anti-Japanese terrorist movement in Shanghat has undergone a complete change for some ime and that the gunmen, who carry Jout the various assassinations, have been replaced. 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~ roust gang would desist from any. further' killings of "traitors" within {the International Settlement, focussing their attention on those living in the French Concession and particularly in ithe Western and Eastern districts, now. Junder Japanese control.
Whilst the first part of this informa. tion, seems to tally with facts, inasmuch as that the last few assassinafons have been carried out in what may be termed an expert manner—Rone of the terrorists having fallen into the hands of the police and expert marksmanship being displayed—the last part of the assertions must accepted with more than usual Teserve, although the source has! ideals" of these terrorist organiza-
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