393.1111 Nelson, Bert N./136: Telegram
The Consul General at Hankow (Adams) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 3—7 a.m.]
23. Department’s radio telegram of February 2nd regarding status of Nelson case.7 Nelson is held in a Soviet-controlled area about 100 miles northeast from Hankow. Negotiations for his release have ceased for the time being. I learn captors do not now demand any further payment of money or merchandise for the release but are demanding that five unnamed communist prisoners in the hands of the Chinese Government be freed. The Chinese agent who has been negotiating for Nelson’s release expresses the belief that Nelson will be released within about 3 months.
Nelson is comfortably clothed and fed and has established friendly relations with his captors. His movements are somewhat restricted but otherwise he is not under constraint.
- Telegram of February 2 not printed; for previous correspondence concerning Rev. Bert N. Nelson, American missionary kidnaped on October 5, 1930, see Foreign Relations, 1931, vol. iii, pp. 934–977, passim.↩