393.1123 Hobart, Mrs./26
The Consul at Tsinan (Price) to the Minister in China (MacMurray)14
Sir: With reference to this Consulate’s telegram of May 11th, 9 A.M., and despatch L. No. 13, of May 11th, 1928, relative to the reported killing of Mrs. W. T. Hobart at Taian, Shantung, on April 29th, 1928, I have the honor to transmit herewith copies of a letter sent by Dr. W. T. Hobart through the local Nationalist Commanding Officer, and of the translation of a letter from the Commanding Officer,15 in which both put the blame for the shot which killed Mrs. Hobart, upon the side of the Northern troops. It will be noted that neither letter makes mention of the fact that, although the shot which hit and killed Mrs. Hobart may have come from the Northern side, its firing was occasioned by the Nationalist attack upon the city of Taian. There appears to be no question but what Mrs. Hobart’s death was due to her being in a zone of military operations, from which zone she had been repeatedly urged by this Consulate to depart.
The originals of the two enclosures came by special messenger in response to my representations.
I have [etc.]