Mah Jong Murder?

Should a son of German President Paul von Hindenburg cause the assassination of General Erich von Ludendorff, that would be news. In China the General Yang Yu-ting played until last spring the role of a "Ludendorff." He was the "brains" of a Chinese "Hindenburg," the late and great Marshal Chang Tso-lin, then War Lord of North China and Manchuria. When the advancing Nationalist Armies forced Old Chang to flee from Peking (TIME, June 11) the War Lord's retreat was masterfully executed by "Ludendorff" Yang. With him during the desperate days of retreat was Young Chang--the War Lord's son, Chiang Hsueh-liang.

Last week Young Chang, now Dictator of Manchuria since Old Chang is dead (TIME, July 2), invited General Yang to a game of Mah Jong in Mukden, remote Manchurian Capital. Also sitting in was General Chang Yin-huai, another faithful officer of old times. Softly the tiles rattled, and courteously the game began. Not until midnight neared did Young Chang excuse himself momentarily, leaving the Generals in mellow mood over wine and sweetmeats.

Five minutes passed, ten--suddenly it seemed to the befuddled generals that the room was full of soldiers, ugly grinning fellows with leveled bayonets. Tipsily "Ludendorf" Yang squinted, then whipped out his Mauser pistol--a second too late. The soldiers had already shot and bayonetted General Chang Yin-huai and before General Yang could fire he too, "The "Ludendorff" was foully murdered.

Such were circumstantial details flashed from Mukden via Japan to the U. S. Since the Japanese are no friends of Young Chang, confirmation must be awaited. Quite another story which seeped out of Mukden was that "Ludendorff" Yang was unmasked in a plot to oust Young Chang, discovered to have "misappropriated" staggering sums, and presently shot as a traitor before a firing squad.