393.1111 Stam, John C./19: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
Peiping, December 25,
1934—noon.
[Received December 25—3:25 a.m.]
[Received December 25—3:25 a.m.]
599. Reference Legation’s 592, December 22, 11 a.m.93 In view of lurid accounts of atrociousness of Stam murder appearing in the press and presumably telegraphed to United States, Legation requested Peck to telegraph whether he has any information to substantiate these reports. Following is Peck’s reply:
“December 24, 5 p.m. Your December 24, 1 p.m., my 89, December 17, 1 p.m.
- (1)
- Consul Atcheson returned from investigation at Wuhu December 22, 7 p.m. Basic facts of his report now in preparation regarding the Stam murder follow: On October 25 magistrate at Tsingteh informed Stam and Kohfield there was no danger from Communists but some banditry. Kohfield states magistrate promised full protection. Letter from Stam to Gibb94 at Shanghai dated December 3 reads: ‘The district seems quiet, peaceful now. The magistrate here has built forts at strategic positions surrounding the town, ordered to do so by higher-ups so we understand.’ Letter to mission at Shanghai dated December 6 reads: ‘My wife, baby and myself are today in the hands of the Communists in the city of Tsingteh. Things happened so quickly this a.m. They were in the city just a few hours after the persistent rumors really became alarming so that we could not prepare to leave in time. We were just too late.’
- (2)
- Apparently reliable reports are that the bandits on December 7 conveyed Stam family about 15 miles westward to Miaoshou and executed Mr. and Mrs. Stam December 8, at 10 a.m. by crude method of decapitation. Bandits apparently ignored the child which was found on December 9, by native Christian Lo and conveyed during next few days to Wuhu where it is still in custody of Hanna, China Inland Mission.
- (3)
- Stam bodies were placed by Lo in coffins and remain on hillside near Miaoshou. Chinese local authorities there professed inability to comply with request made by me on December 14, that bodies be removed to Wuhu on the ground that Tsingteh area was reoccupied by Communists on December 15.
- (4)
- Atcheson was orally and confidentially informed by Hanna that Lo’s inspection showed that the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Stam were brutally mutilated after death in an unmentionable manner. This information has not been published and the Chinese authorities as well as the mission appear anxious that publicity be avoided.”
Gauss