DEATH OF MR. COX

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 180, 31 July 1940, Page 7

DEATH OF MR. COX

AUTHENTIC VERSION. Japanese Suicide Report Seems Unlikely. ESPIONAGE CHARGE DENIED. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 1.30 p.m.) LOXDOX, July 30. The authentic version of the death of Mr. Cox says he was arrested in his beach cottage at Chigaski and escorted to Tokyo, where lie was imprisoned. The British Consul-General, Mr. R. L. Cowley, made an effort, but was refused an interview.

Mrs. Cox delivered food and clothing on Saturday and Sunday, but was prohibited from having lan interview with her husband. Mr. Cowley on Monday afternoon arrived at headquarters and met Mrs. Cox running from the building shouting, "Jimmy's been hurt." Mr. Cowley entered, escorted, and found Mr. Cox lying on a divan.

A high-ranking officer said: "Come and I will show you what happened." They went up to the third floor, and it was explained that an officer had been questioning Mr. Cox, who walked about the room and drank water, and suddenly plunged through the window.

"We treated Mr. Cox very well' because he was a foreigner, and gave him the best, attention of three medical officers," said the Japanese official.

The fall broke both Mr. Cox's legs and arms and injured his head. Injections restored consciousness, but lie died en route to hospital.

Mrs. Cox denied that Mr. Cox was engaged in espionage. "My husband had merely been doing the regular work of a foreign correspondent," she said. An agency report states tnat stops are to be taken to replace 000 alien instructors in Japan.

The activities of missionaries are to be more strictly supervised.

No report lias yet been received in official quarters in London regarding the treatment of Mr. Melville Cox whiie under detention and examination, say* a British official wireless menage.

CHINESE SUCCESS.

JAP. GARRISON WIPED OUT.

(Received 2 p.m.) LONDON, July 30. A message from Peiping says Chinese guerilla forces, acting between Yungtiingmen and Kengtai, are recently reported to have wiped out the Japanese garrison and Japanese controlled Chinese troops at Yuiigtingmen. Rifle and machine-gun tire was heard' every night in the vicinity of Peiping. Japanese forces are continuing the operation designed to close all ports through which war materials might reach the Chinese armies and guerilla forces, says a report from Japanese sources. Troops were landed at Swabue, between Hongkong 011 c Swatow, at dawn. Japanese forces also advanced inland and attacked Chinese holding the town of Chenhai.