PRESIDENT OF CHINA

Hokitika Guardian, 20 September 1929, Page 3

PRESIDENT OF CHINA

ATTEMPTS ON LIFE.

SHANGHAI. September 5,

In spite of frantic attempts to preserve secrecy, it has been revealed that the bodyguard of Marshal Cliiang Kai-shek, President of the Nationalist attempted fo assassinate Cliiang and his wife, on the night of August 28,’ when they were staying at a residence in .the French concession at Shanghai. The plot was discovered through an over-anxious conspirator firing his pistol before the proper time. All the plotters were arrested, and the French police handed them over to the . Chinese authorities. Other members of the bodyguard, who were at Nanking, were also disarmed and imprisoned. The chief of the French police admits the accuracy of the report, but refuses to give information for fear that the story will leak- out locally.

Two theories are advanced. The first is that on a recent visit by Cliiang Kai-shek and his bodyguard to Peking the latter learned that General Chang Hseuh-liang’s guard in Manchuria were better paid. Consequently, they were discontented. The second theory is that the attempted assassination was the work of • alleged emissaries of Feng Yuhsiang, the “Christian General,” one of whom was arrested in the course of the investigations.

r .\ message from Shanghai dated September 10 said Chiang, Kai-shek’s failure to attend a reception on Monday to a Chinese squadron of aviators jwas taken as confirmation of reports that another attempt was made to assassinate him on September 8, when he was stater] to have been actually wounded in the hand. Details were unavailable, however. Further members of his bodyguard Had been executed.]