893.102S/1670: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Lockhart) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 13—8 a.m.]
1102. 1. At 6:15 this morning, passengers in a motor car, bearing a Shanghai defense force license created a disturbance in Robinson Road (American defense sector). A marine sergeant approached the car which had three Japanese in plain clothes in the back seat, all armed with pistols, and one Chinese chauffeur in the front seat. On the approach of the marine, the Chinese chauffeur started the car. The marine jumped on the running board and one of the Japanese in the rear of the car pointed his pistol at the marine’s neck. The marine then drew his own pistol and ordered the chauffeur to halt. At this point another marine, armed with a Thomson submachine gun, approached and the Japanese dropped their pistols. At this point Colonel Price59 arrived and took charge. Marine authorities escorted the three Japanese to the Pootoo Road police station. They refused to give their names or to get out of car when asked. They were thereupon forcibly removed from the car, searched and disarmed against resistance, one of them receiving a slight cut on the back of the head. They had no license for carrying arms in the Settlement, nor any paper permitting them to use a Shanghai defense force license or showing that they had any connection with the Japanese Armed Forces. They denied any such connection. In these circumstances, the Marine authorities turned them over to the police as armed thugs caught creating a disturbance in the American sector.
2. Japanese consular police arrived, and after examination by them, the accused admitted connection with the Japanese Army, whereupon the consular police refused to take custody of them. They are still in the hands of the Marines.
[Page 259]3. Marine authorities have requested Japanese Army authorities to send an officer to identify the accused. If they can identify them, they will be handed over against a receipt from the Japanese military authorities. If they cannot, Marine authorities propose handing them to the custody of Settlement police.
4. The above information was obtained from Marine Headquarters.
Repeated to Chungking, Peiping and Tokyo.
- Col. Charles F. B. Price, commanding officer of the United States Fourth Marines.↩