SHANGHAI HELL-HOLE

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 256, 28 July 1942, Page 5

SHANGHAI HELL-HOLE

Britons’ Frightful Ordeal Under Japanese (Received July 27, 10.50 p.m.) LONDON, July 27. Describing treatment under the Japanese after the declaration of war, a British United Press correspondent, Mr, Walter Furnas, cabling from Lourenco Marques, said: “I was 66 days in Shanghai's hell-hole —the Japanese police headquarters-after trying to escape from Shanghai. I and others were threatened, beaten, starved, and thrown into cells nine feet by 12 with filthy Chinese gunmen and white-slavers and Japanese criminals. “Between 20 and 30 jammed each cell and were forced to sit crosslegged for hours and beaten if caught whispering. I and another inmate killed more than 1000 bedbugs one morning. We were allowed one wash daily, and our Chinese cell-mates were not allowed to wash. "J. B. Powell, editor of the “Chinese Weekly Review,” developed beri-beri and also gangrene of. the feet. He is crippled for life; he weighs 751 b. instead of his normal 160, and he has lost all but the heels of his feet as a result of the cold, confinement, inadequate food and lack of medical care. The Japanese summoned an American doctor when they realized his.life was in danger. Powell has steadily made progress aboard the repatriation ship.”