Monday July
29th 1935
- South Wales Echo and Evening Express
(seventh edition):
Cardiff
Journalist Captured by Bandits
Mr
Jones fell into the hands of the bandits with a German correspondent, Dr Herbert
Müller, who was travelling through China with him, when his train was attacked
… They were taken to the bandits’ lair and 500 troops had been sent to
endeavour to effect their rescue.
It
is understood that a sum of £8,000 has been demanded as ransom money. Mr
Jones’ father, Major Edgar Jones, of Barry, is seeking the assistance of Mr
Lloyd George, to whom a wire has been sent asking if he would make
representations through diplomatic channels to the Chinese Ambassador.
Meanwhile
British authorities have made representations to the local Chinese authorities
to release Mr Jones and the British Embassy has sent a telegram to Captain
Scott, assistant Military Attaché in Peking, who has been travelling back from
Mongolia (with the High Commissioner for Tibet, Sir Charles Bell), instructing
him to remain in Kalgan to endeavour to secure Mr Jones’ release. It is
understood also, that the Japanese military authorities have expressed their
willingness to free him and his German companion.
Mr
Jones and Herr Müller were captured on their way back from Dolonor to Kalgan.
They had chartered a motor-coach called the “Gobi Express” at Pankiang the
headquarters of the Mongol Prince Wang, about 160 miles north-east of Kalgan, on
June 22nd. Dolonor is about 150 miles north-east of Kalgan, so it would
appear that Mr Jones and his companion were making a circuitous detour on their
way back to this city. To reach Dolonor they would have had to travel
through country unsettled by the recent withdrawal of General Sung Che-yuan’s
troops many of whom, following demobilisation at the request of the Japanese,
had become
|
The
Press Breaks the News of the Capture.
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