893.00/10491
The Consul at Tsinan (Stanton) to the Minister in China (MacMurray)65
Sir:
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Recent reports received from American missionaries stationed at Weihsien on the Kiaochow-Tsinan Railway contain most harrowing details of the looting and pillaging of Loan and Showkwang, to the northwest of Weihsien. Both places were attacked and looted by the combined bandit-military forces of Liu Hei-ch’i and Tao Paochang … There are no American missionaries resident in either of these places but American missions own property at both Loan and Showkwang. The mission premises were thoroughly looted in both places, and in the case of Loan, seriously damaged by shell fire. The looting and damaging of this American property has already been brought to the attention of the Commissioner for Foreign Affairs with the request that General Ch’en66 take immediate steps to protect American property in this area and prevent the recurrence of similar depredations. The Consulate has not yet been informed whether the Missions concerned wish to present any claim for the looting and damaging of their property. …
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I have [etc.]