A KIDNAPPING INDUSTRY

Hokitika Guardian, 24 August 1931, Page 3

A KIDNAPPING INDUSTRY

METHODS IN SHANGHAI'. IMITATION OF CHICAGO. (By the Shanghai Correspondent of “Manchester Guardian.”)

The use of the motor-car, by Shanghai outlaws in their,, kidnapping and gun and opium .funning exploits is an obvious imitation of Chicago’s most approved “gang” methods, and when one adds the accompanying pursuit of tlie desperadoes by the police in other motor-cars, with pistol battles in the open streets, Hollywood' could produce nothing more' realistic in silent or sound film.

One of the -.police reports of the Municipal Council of the International Settlement recently listed the American movies as constituting a potent influence in the crime wave in the settlement.

Russian Bodyguard. The Shanghai kidnapping industry has been responsible for. i .the creation of lucrative occupations for bodyguards most of them being White Russians who saw service in Semenoff’s and Koltchak’s Siberian adventures. On occasion it has been rumoured that some of these Russian bodyguards who serve rich Chinese merchants were on too inti/late terms with the leaders of kidnapping gangs hut such rumours were quieted recently owing to two or three being killed in particularly daring lcidnapjping exploits, one o'.' these taking place, on Bubbling Well road in broad daylight. In this case the Russian bodyguard and the young daughter of the Chinese victim were both killed. Wealthy Chinese who desire to employ bodyguards apply to the Police Department. which makes a business of supplying trustworthy men for this purpose./most of them being assigned to this duty from Shanghai’s little “standing army.” consisting o two companies of White Russians, designated in the police reports as “paid volunteers.” «

Bandit Gangs. While Cl ine.se kidnapping and b ndit gangs may have improved their ait by a study of the methods of :AJ Capone, “Bugs” Moran and “Legs’!. Diamond, and by an inspection o H.011.\wood .productions shown in this part of the world, Chinese ‘‘gang” outlawry has a venerable history extending hack through the centuries. For example, the underworld activities of the Shanghai French Concession are controlled by a group known- as tlie ‘ GhinHimgVPang?’ or blue-red gang, the “red”, in this case having nothing whatpyer to do with the doctrines of j\ldscPW ; ■ According rt to''traditiori r ; r this gang had its origin at the beinning of the late Manchu dynasty about 225 years- ago. Originally it was composed of patriots belonging to the overthrown Ching dynasty, their object being" to deliver the country from the Manchus. Later the gang degenerated into criminality, and it is popularly reputed to control most of Shanghai’s vice, including gambling, prostitution, opium, and narcotic traffic; on occasion it is supposed to engage in kidnapping. Tlie names of the heads o ! ‘ (his gang are well known and powerful in local politics. < . ‘

Many Hiding Places

The fact that the foreign concessions are the scene of most of the kidnapping exploits is clue to two reasons. First, most of tile weatliy Ch'inese merchants and ex-officials reside in the foreign areas; second, Chinese criminals hide in the settlements in order to avoid their owii native police authorities, who are more familiar with <the actions of the criminals than are tlic foreign police authorities. The existence of three separate cities at Changhai, one International, one French, and the large Chinese-administered area, which surrounds- the foreign districts, also helps the criminals, because they ennflee from one area into another when pursued by. the- police. - While banditry and kidnapping have always existed in China, both have been aggravated by the civil . wars which have cursed the country for'the past dozen-years. It has always been customary for opposing commanders to subsidise ” bandit gangs to operate behind the lines of their adversaries. Armed, encouraged, and paid for doing this work in war-time, they naturally continue the occupation on their own after peace has been declared.