KIDNAPPING

Hokitika Guardian, 27 January 1930, Page 2

KIDNAPPING

A CHINESE SUICIDE, (By Sir Pereival Phillpis.) ! SHANGHAI, December 5. V plump Chinese gentleman,, rising fifty with anxious eyes behind hornrimmed spectacles and an expression off panic sitting ludicrously on a face like a full moon emerged hurriedly from a bank in the financial quarter of European Shanghai, nearly knocking me down in the process, and bolted across the pavement like a frightened rabbit into a motor-car. At his heels came two unmistakable Russians in blue tunics, each with an automatic pistol in his hand. One followered into the rear seat; the other joined the chauffeur, and the car dashed away into the traffic of Kiukiangroad. I would have l)een justified in assuming that the plump gentleman in the loud lounge suit was trying to bolt with the bank’s ready cash, but lie was merely a highly respectable Chinese of independent means desirious of evading professional kidnapperes. He was literally a fat prize—a solid 14 stone negotiable jewel—in the eyes of Shanghai’s predatory highwaymen of the New School. Once netted and stowed away safely in a lonely junk down river, or in the hold of an empty barge up booehow Creek, he would yield dividends well worth the risk and the “overhead” involved in ravishing him from the bosom of his family. Kidnaping has reached is highest to te of scientific development in Shanghai. Some of the gangs operate with almost incredible daring. They have been known to whisk a victim out of a crowd like that in Regent-street on a fine afternoon and drive him away in his own car—substituting their own chauffeur for the dazed and helpless family driver—and the next heard of

him is a- letter from some snug retreat imploring a remittance sufficiently prompt to save the loss of an ear or two.

Kidnapping gans have actually storm ed a victim’s house and carried him off before the eyes of his relatives. One of the most impudent attacks recently was that on a mansion inhabited by a wealthy Chinese in the Avenue Joffre in the French Concession. The kidnappers chose midnight as “zero” hour, but they were ill advised, lor at that moment the day and night detachment of paid Russian guards were being exchanged and they met with strong resistance. Two Russians, and two- Chinese were killed and one Russian wounded. The bandits fled : tbe French police carne up, and the intended victim rashly concluded that the battle was over Not so. The besieging “army” returned at 4 a.m. ami, after scaling a high wall, tried to break down the front door. Again they were beaten off with the loss of one man, and that was enough (for them.

Other attacks on houses have been baldly less; determined. A British member of the Shanghai police force killed five bandits single-handed during one raid which was as sensational at any encounter-with desperadoes in the palmy days of the “Wild West. Tbe police know that at least £60,003 was paid last year in ransoms to bands of kidnappers operating in Shanghai, but this sum i-s only a fraction of the whole, for the majority , of the transactions never come to their knowledge Every possible precaution is taken with in the limits of the International Settlement to cope with the criminals. But the authorities in the Chinese city, are less zealous, and the major operations in banditry ar,e planned outside the Settlement. The result of this established trade

in njnsoms is the organisation of personal bodyguards. Out-of-work Russinns, preferably ex-Service men, whose credentials have been approved by the International police, are available for the protection of wealthy Chinese. Nearly 400 are so employed at tbe present time. A single Chinese may have as many as six in bis employ for personal protection, and constant patrolling of bis house and garden. They are paid from £8 to £lO a month with rations, and given a uniform which varies from the old khaki to the really smart military dress approved by some discriminating clients. Shanghai’s underworld teems with vicious criminals, and Chicago is nowhere in comparison, as Mr Stirling Fessenden, Director-General of the Municipal Council, recently admitted “Chicago?” said Mr Fessenden “why Shangai on a normal day has more murders, kidnappings, daylight robberies and miscellaneous ca.ses of assault and battery than Chicago i na week.