893.5045/62: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Cunningham) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 3—2:37 p.m.]
Continuing my June 3, noon. Forty-nine who were arrested Saturday and Monday were arraigned in the Mixed Court today before Assessor Jacobs and Magistrate Kuan on charge of rioting. Two were discharged proving alibis, seven were remanded without bail, five on $100 bail, and the remainder on $5 bail.
The rate payers’ meeting called for 5 o’clock on the 2nd, which has been the target of the students, met without quorum and therefore no action was taken on the questions proposed. Five o’clock 200 [Page 650] American and 200 Italian bluejackets were landed to guard light and water supplies.
At 6 p.m. several Chinese fired upon volunteers and police from the street near and later within the new World Building on Nanking Road, wounding a volunteer, Dr. T. G. McMartin, an American. Please notify his mother through George Williams, 1100 Cobb Building, Seattle, that McMartin’s [injuries?] consist of only slight wounds. This attack was severe and lasted perhaps one-quarter of an hour and indicates that the municipal authorities are to be attacked in future in a clandestine manner. With the introduction of sniping by students the immediate need additional war vessels is increased. Two British cruisers are expected today.
Conditions are regarded exceedingly serious and indications are that the activities will not be entirely confined to Shanghai and also there are persistent rumors that the Chapei police and volunteers will possibly join students. It is believed that the municipal authorities have conditions well in hand and it is certain that the commercial interests, foreign organizations and individual Chinese are working to secure restoration of normal conditions. All shops in the International Settlement are still closed. The strike has extended and includes aside from cotton-mill workmen probably fifty thousand.
Third telegram will follow.