893.00/5–1947: Telegram
The Consul General at Tientsin (Smyth) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 19—4:35 a.m.]
103. Changli, 20 miles west of Peitaiho, captured by Communists yesterday afternoon who also damaged railway and bridges for some distance both sides of city. No information received as yet re following 8 Americans in Methodist Mission, Changli: Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Winans, Miss Dora Fearon, Horace Dewey, Miss Pansy Griffin, Miss Clara Nutting, Lora Batten, Edward Dixon. We are endeavoring through Marine Detachment, Chinwangtao, to obtain report from Consul Rutherford99 who proceeded Peitaiho May 17 for week end. Further information expected this afternoon will be promptly reported.
Sent to Nanking as 87, repeated to Department as 103 and to Peiping.
- M. Robert Rutherford, from Tientsin.↩