Shanghai, July 9, Five notorious robbers known in the Chinese underworld in Shang hai as "five rats" who have tremendous Influence over local gang-siers from Anwhei province were sentenced to either 18 or 20 years' imprisonment yesterday by the Sec-fond Special District in connection with a series of crimes including. a murder, Five accomplices, three them women, were also sentenced much shorter prison terms, The French police at first arrested fourteen suspects but four of them: were subsequently released because no evidence could be found against them, They were arrested as result of several raids during which officers seized much cash,—alleged to have been stolen from victims, but no firearms were taken, It was alleged in Court that two ringleaders of the big robbery gang had run away with their pistols, 'Tue Court learned that in of last year, six members of the gang were' responsible for murder of Sheng Ken-ting on a piece of vacant ground in Hungjao Road near Tung Wen College. Shen was revealed in Court, was the teacher of the gang. In January of this year, the same gang was responsible "for two armed. robberies in the French Concession, "A. dairy and the Tien Sen Cloth Shop in Rue Hennequin were victimized to the extent of more than $1,000, Wang Deli-cheng drew 20 years for murder while Wang Shao-ting, Chen Shin-hen, and Tsu _Kwang-kwa drew 18 years each, The latter three men were involved in both the murder and robberies but first accused was said to have been involved in more than one murder, All other confederates were senenced either to one year's or one year and six months' imprisonment charged with receiving stolen articles or with transporting firearms for: the gang.
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