TRAGEDY IN CHINA

Taranaki Daily News, 8 March 1935, Page 5

TRAGEDY IN CHINA

MURDER OF FRENCHAM

NO REPORTS OF HIS WIFE

CRUELTY OF COMMUNISTS

FATE OF NEW ZEALANDER

By Telegraph—Press Assn.— Copyright

Shanghai, March

A telegraphic message from Sianfu confirms the death of Mr- Frencham, an Englishman, who was captured by Communists. It discloses nothing of the fate of his wife, though local missionary circles are convinced that she shared the same fate as her husband.

Messages state that the town of Ningkiang was taken by complete surprise at the height of Chinese New Year celebrations when disguised Communists were enabled to enter the walled city. Later, overpowering the guards, they opened the gates, allowing the rest of the force to enter.

The Communists then started an orgy of killing and looting, indiscriminately butchering all except the poorest inhabitants. • Having previously dug a huge pit, the Communists tossed the bodies of the dead and dying inside. Many were buried alive. Mr. Frencham and his .wife were the only foreigners in the city during the attack.

Strangely contradictory reports are received concerning the fate of the missionaries, the New Zealander, Mr. A. Hayman, and the Swiss, M. Bosshardt, who were captured in the Kweichow province in October. Reports reaching Changsha state that a Chinese mission worker saw 10 bodies near Tayung on December 30, including those of two foreigners, and Messrs. Bosshardt and Hayman are the only two foreigners known to be in that area. Hankow messages deny these killings, claiming that the bodies of the two foreigners were probably those of two captured Catholic priests, whose murder was recently confirmed from other sources. An earlier message from Peking said that the British Legation received a dispatch from the Consul at Changsha stating that he had received a telegram from Mr. J. W. Becker, a missionary at Yungchow, West Hunan, reporting that Mr. Hayman, with M. Bosshardt, escaped from the Communists on February 10, but were recaptured three days later.

Mr. Becker said his messenger saw both men alive on February 16.