393.1111 Young, Edward/11: Telegram
The Minister in China ( MacMurray ) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 1—10:40 a.m.]
76. Legation’s 60, January 28, 4 p.m.35 Following telegrams from Canton: [Page 440]
“January 31, 1 p.m. I have just received telegram from Cahill, American Catholic missionary at Kanchow, Kiangsi Province, that Edward Young, American Catholic missionary, and German Protestant minister, wife and child, were captured by Communist banditti at Nananfu on January 22 and taken to unknown destination. Message adds that other foreigners fled, that Hankow has been advised but no response received.
Reliable reports from Kiangsi indicate the so-called Communist forces are numerous and have occupied several important towns, including Namyung in Northern Kwangtung.
I am asking the local authorities who have troops on the Kweiyang [Hunan?]-Kiangsi border to render all possible assistance. I am also asking the Catholic missionaries to report any further information that may be available as to the probable destination of the bandits with their prisoners.”
“January 31, 4 p.m. Referring to my telegram of January 31, 1 p.m. German Consulate officially informed that bandits have released missionary’s wife and child, and later officially informed that German missionary has also been released. This leads me to hope that American priest may also be liberated soon, but Chinese unofficial report says that bandits are demanding $30,000.”
- Not printed; it reported that the Chinese Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs had, on January 26, “promised to take immediate steps towards Young’s release.” (393.1111 Young, Edward/3)↩