811.51693/58: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 10—8:35 a.m.]
324. 1. Following from American Consul General at Harbin:
“March 9, 5 p.m., number 29.
- (1)
- Ying Hsun, appointed last month by civil administrator Chang Ching-hui manager of the official Northeastern Steamship Company, formerly controlled by Chang Hsueh-liang, desires to draw out funds of this company deposited in the National City Bank of New York by Wang Shih-tse, who was former manager and who fled to Tientsin taking with him seals with which checks should be “chopped”. Bank is unwilling to pay out funds to him although requested to do so by Ying Hsun unless officially informed through the Consul General that he is legally the manager with the authority to draw funds.
- (2)
- As it appears it will be necessary to maintain intercourse with the local de facto officials, does the Legation perceive any objection to this office’s receiving from these authorities of the assurances in writing that Ying Hsun is the manager and passing them to the bank without any comment on the authority of this office?”
2. If the Department approves, the Legation proposes to instruct Hanson that he may transmit verbatim to civil administrator Chang Ching-hui the bank’s inquiry as to the authority of Ying Hsun to withdraw the funds in question, and that the reply of the de facto authorities may in turn be transmitted to the bank with a waiver of entire responsibility by the Consulate General in respect of any legal aspects of the matter. Please instruct.77
- The Secretary of State replied in telegram 84, March 12, 3 p.m.: “The Department does not desire that the Consulate General at Harbin concern itself in any way with the attempt of the National City Bank to ascertain the legal status of Ying Hsun and the Department therefore does not approve of the action suggested in the final paragraph of your telegram under reference.”↩