HAVEN OF UNFORTUNATES

Taranaki Daily News, 31 March 1934, Page 14 (Supplement)

HAVEN OF UNFORTUNATES

LIVING DOWN THE PAST. DISCREET SHANGHAI POLICE. Shanghai, March 15. Shanghai—“ The Port of Missing Men.” Such a title seems well justified by many strange stories buried in the confidential files of the Shanghai Municipal Police. For there are many men—and women—who ran away from dishonour, heartbreak or marital unhappiness “back home,” and are now living in Shanghai under fictitious names and assumed identities, with the full knowledge of the police. Some of the strange cases on file have .been revealed to the British United Press by a police official without giving away actual identities. Here are some typical stories. A wife in England asked the police of Shanghai to find her missing husband, who came here 20 years ago and had not been heard from since then. The police learned that he had married a Shanghai woman 18 years ago and they had a 17-year-old daughter. It might be bigamy in England, but the man was living happily with his Shanghai family, so the police informed the wife in England that they could not find her husband.

Then there is the case of a man who was sent to prison in the United. States for a minor crime, and friends and relatives deserted him. After his release he came to Shanghai, changed his name and has won. an important commercial and social position in this city. A brother tried to find him, but was informed by the Shanghai police that this was impossible. “Numerous men living in Shanghai today,” said a police official,, “eloped from other countries with other men’s wives. Some of them are now prominent and respected residents, living happily with their, stolen mates.” Hundreds of letters are received by the local authorities from England, the United States, Europe and pther parts of the world, asking about missing relatives, but the police never reveal secrets rmless they obtain specific permission of the person concerned.