COMMUNIST BUTCHERY

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 7 March 1935, Page 5

COMMUNIST BUTCHERY

Orgy of Killing and Looting at Ningkiang

MANY PEOPLE BURIED ALIVE

PATE OF MISSIONARIES

(United Preea Association --By Electric Telegraph Copyright.) Received 1.30 p.m. to-day.

' SHANGHAI, March 6 A telegraphic message from Sianfu confirms the death of the Missionary Ercnchain, but discloses nothing of t.he fate of his wife, though local missionary circles arc convinced that she shared the same fate as her husband. The message states that Ningkiang was taken by complete surprise during the height of the Chinese New Year celebrations when disguised Communists were enabled to enter the wailed city ,later overpowering the guards and opened the gates, allowing the lest of the force to enter. The Communists then started an orgy of killing and looting indiscriminately, butchering all except tlio poorest inhabitants. Having previously dug a huge pit, the Communists t-ossed the bodies of the dead and dying iiiside. Many were buried alive. Mr. Fronchani and his wife were the only two foreigners in the city during the attack.

Strangely contradictory are reports concerning the fate of Missionaries Hayman (New Zealand) and Bosshardt (Switzerland), who were captured in the Ivweichow province in October. Reports reaching Changsha state that a Chinese mission worker says that 10 bodies were seen near Tayung, including those of two foreigners, and that Bosshardt and Hayman are the. onlytwo foreigners known to be in that area. Hankow messages deny these killings, claiming -(hat the bodies of the two foreigners were probably those of the two captured Catholic priests, whose murder was recently- confirmed from other sources.