393.1111 Bush, Henry J./23: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:30 p.m.]
138. 1. Following from Swatow:
“June 3, 4 p.m. For the Minister. The following is summary of a letter dated May 29th from Monsignor Ford,5 Kaying received today:
Father Hilbert at Shihcheng Pingyun district Kwangtung received a communication on May 28th purported to be from bandits through an intermediary at Lanyuping Kiangsi where Bush was last seen demanding 50,000 silver dollars ransom, a man named Ling in drugstore at Liuche Kiangsi to act as intermediary. Troops of General Chang Jui-Kuei6 are stationed at Liuche which is 18 miles northwest of Lanyuping and 30 miles northwest of Shihcheng.
Mission consulted with General Huang Jen Huan commanding First Independent Division with headquarters at Kaying Kwangtung who insists that best plan is to attempt to ransom Bush before taking punitive measures since pursuit by troops might drive bandits into killing Bush. Ford proposes to open negotiations with bandits by demanding letter in Bush’s handwriting to prove him alive and is prepared to pay ransom up to $5,000. Ford requests General Huang’s plan of operations be conveyed to General Chang in Kiangsi, emphasizing need for military inactivity while ransom negotiations in progress but that this measure should not preclude systematic routine pressure to be exerted by General Chang in the Lanyuping-Liuche region.
Pending receipt of instructions regarding payment of ransom, I am requesting proper military authorities at Swatow as a temporary measure for the moment to assent to refrain from taking special antibandit suppression measures in the Lanyuping-Liuche district and at the same time continuing routine activities to avoid suspicion.
Ford promises complete information when available but adds that mission has no telegraph code and earnestly desires avoidance of all [Page 686] possible publicity even to American press. He states telegrams are public information and my letter to him on May 23rd opened.
Chinese names stated in Giles Romanization and Chinese telegraph codes.
Ford’s letter with map is being sent air mail to Nanking, Peiping, Canton. Not repeated to the Department or Peiping.
2. The Minister has replied as follows:
“June 4, 4 p.m. Your June 3, 4 p.m. You should be careful to dissociate yourself from any matter relating to offer or payment of ransom leaving such questions entirely to the discretion and responsibility of the mission. You should hold Chinese authorities primarily responsible for safe delivery of Bush. In this connection, however, I perceive no objection to your communicating to Chinese authorities any request that mission or friends of Bush may have to make looking to his safe recovery by negotiation or otherwise.”