"TONG AFFAIR."

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 86, 13 April 1931, Page 8

"TONG AFFAIR."

STRANGE STORY TOLD. ALLEGED THREAT TO KILL. LETTERS TO ENGLISHWOMAN. COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. A remarkable case, so unusual that it might have been taken, page by page, from one of Sax Rohmer's mystery books, concerning the dangers of Chinese ' Tong societies, came before the Police Court this afternnon, when Alexander Lawson McLeod Hall, aged 58, appeared on a charge of sending to Alma Grey a letter threatening to kill her two sons. Hall, described as a clerk, has lived in China, and during the war he was an officer in the London Scottish. He was defended by Mr. W. Noble.

Detective-Sergeant Bickerdike said that, in company with Detective Belton, he interviewed accused on April 5 and that he admitted writing the letter. Accused said he had lived in China a number of years and was at present trying to get back there. In the letter which accused wrote to Mrs. Alma Grey on December 1, he quoted a letter from her to him dated September 10, 1930. Hall stated that Mrs. Grey, in her letter, said she was posting to him by registered post "next weak," a parcel containing a wrist watch, her sister's wedding ring, engagement and jade rings, also a portrait of Mrs. Hall. •'These things should have arrived the first week in November," accused suited in his letter to .Mrs. Grey. "1 conclude, therefore, that you have changed your mind and intend to retain possession, even to these articles to which your letter practically admits I have a right." Accused goes on to remark in his letter, 'Tn tho meantime I have not been idle and have got into touch with certain Chinese Tongs (secret societies) of which I was made an honorary member in 1909 for certain service I rendered to two of their leaders by saving their lives, and certain important properties belonging to the Tongs, from the Boxers, j "1 suggested to them certain things which they might do to your sons to punish you if you insist upon retaining Margarette's (his wife's) shares, cash, etc., also mv red lacquer, bronze, etc. This was to the effect that they should both meet with fatal accidents, a means of punishment at which the Tongs are particularly skilful." "An Intangible Danger." "Thev now notify me that they will deal with the affair entirely in their own way, of which I will be kept in total ignorance, and I am advised to give you warning that unless I notify them that you have made full restitution of my properties, they will take the matter out of my hands altogether and make it a Tong affair."

Hall states in the letter that the date of notification had been set a»ide for March 31, 1931, when he declared that he proposed to leave New Zealand and return to Inner Mongolia. He remarked rather cryptically, "Mrs. Grey's sons are voung, so there "is no hurry." He also advised, "Now you had better correct your impressions, and for your own sake 1 should advise you not to have the long on your trail. British law, the police and all the might which they are supposed to represent will not be able to protect you and yours from such an intangible danger. 1 don't know or care whether British law can touch me for claiming my own property in the only wav which is feasible."

Hall declares that the distance and expense precluded him from using the Courts. ''At the end of March the matter will be out of my hands either „by you selling my stutl' (except what I want sent out to me), and remitting proceeds —the lowest limit of sale price being £350—by the. date named, or the Tongs take charge. Farewell and for the last time. —(Signed) A. L. Hall." Accused's Statement. In a statement made to Detective Sergeant Bickerdike, Hall said he was born at Southampton England, in 1873. He attended Keigate Grammar School, private schools, and Oliver's, the naval coach at Portsmouth. In 1593 he went to Shanghai as assistant to Messrs. Gibb, Livingston and Company. In 1915 he went to the war, serving with the London Scottish, and later with the Chinese Labour Corps, Jn 1916 he married Miirgaictte Marie Proschrtchky, in church and registy oiliue in Paddington, Loudon, England. Both returned to China in 1917 and left for England in 1927. His wife died in England in February, 1929. At the time of her death she was staying with Colonel and Mrs. Edward Grey, at Courthill House. Kcarsney, near Dover. Mrs. Grey, he said, was his late wife's sister.

I Accused admitted writing a letter to Mrs. Grey on December 1, 1930. This was posted in Auckland about the same date. "In this letter I have stated that I am an honorary member of certain Tongs, or societies in China, which is I true," continued McLeod. "I notified her that if certain properties of mine are not returned to me, I proposed to get into communication with the intention of getting their assistance, suggesting that perhaps fatal action against her sons might be effective. This action was not to be carried out by me, but by the Tongs' agents. I know that Mrs. Grey's sons are British Army officers, and that one was in India and another in England when I last heard of them. So far I have taken .no action with regard to getting the Tongs to act in any away, but in the event of Mrs. Grey's insistence in retaining my property without compensating me in! accordance with the terms offered in my letter of December, 1930, I still intend to ask for whatever assistance I can induce the Tongs to give me to retaliate on Mrs. Grey and hers when I get back to China. I can do nothing in this matter while in New Zealand. In my letter I have conveyed the idea which I intend to get the Tongs to carry out if I possibly can. Each page i of my letter is initialled." j

On Relief Works. Hall added that he was at present working on relief works and that he had ;no other means than what he thus earned. If he had funds he would return to China at the first opportunity. Hall alleges that Mrs. Grey has retained certain property, comprising a valuable Chinese collection including a red lacquer carved Chinese cabinet with padlock, a painted Chinese table, a Chinese mirror, four carved and gift Chinese armchairs, two said to be from the Imperial Palace and two from the palace of the Imperial Prince, carved panel firescreen (very old), bronze incense burners, his wife's wedding ring and other articles. Accused pleaded not guilty. He was committed to the Supreme Court, for trial. The presiding justices refused bail.