The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-05-09
FR0RNTON HAS
BUSY JOURNEY
,sAcoLA MAN WAS IN CHARGE
= NEGOTIATIONS LEADING To-
,1 EASE OF MISSIONARY BY
BANDITS

,,. the middle of March The
-, carried a cable despatch, re-
'-.od from the New York Herald.
,r,, Of the release Of the American
,..ioDary, A. r. Shelton, and giving
details of the part played by j.
w .,o,, Thornton of Pensacola in the
To-. The cable also said that an
a,,sb missionary, Metcalfe, had been
leased.
TaI1ouing are excerpts from a letter
a,red from Mr.. Thornton by III. III.
o-,tor of this city, his father:
"c;nce the arrival of Colonel w. S.
-r,dale in Yunnanfu have been
Nv very busy helping him work on
shelton affair. This explains my
0,on for being here in Whiting Hen,
sroa DAYS north of Yunnanfu, instead
M was decided that we should make
.arv effort to get into touch with
avg Tien Flu (the brigand chief.
- ATTEMPT to successfully negotiate
:, shelton's release. The colonel re-
n.sted that 1 come out here, at the
sod Of an expedition, as special rep
Issentative of our government; so here
'Frederick A. Smith and DR.. e. /.
sgood arrived at Yunnanfu the day
Store nv departure having come down
-om Shanghai in the interest of this
fair and are here in Whiting with
% now The former is the Chicago
frhune's correspondent and has come
get "the story The latter is
Iersonal friend Of DIR. Shelton, being
so missionary doctor, and was sent
Iere by Shelton's mission-the Foreign
christian Missionary Society.
Now you must not worry about me
the danger is very, very slight and
his is proving a wonderful expert
Xnce in many ways. 1t gives me the
xpportunity of working on an abso-
Eltely confidential footing with the
fhinese officials direct, thereby enabl-,
he me to get a clear and correct in
HIGHT into the devious and more or less
8karvelous workings of their official
rains, which will be of inestimable
/ blue to me in the future. Further
bore, am acting in position of abso-
lte trust, with full powers to negoti-
te for our government, and believe
bat we have fine chance to bring
bout our object: the release Of DR..
helton.
i am directing everything from
Eght here in conjunction with Colonel
lang Flu Kwan, who is in charge of
the troops in the field and directly
touch with the Tuchun in Yunnanfu.
My outfit, in addition to Smith and
sgood, who are fine company for me,
assists of personal bodyguard num-
erng fifty of the Tuchun's own per-
pnal soldiers, an official representa-
We Of the Chinese government (Mr.
gnn), a staff of Chinese writer's.
anslators and interpreters number
Eg five and the usual layout of per-
tnal servants, chair bearers, coolies,
a, etc.
"0n the trip up from Yunnanfu we
Rd an escort of about one hundred
pops and it was interesting to watch
EN- work. scouting the mountain
Fails and placing under martial law
oSe small towns where we halted
Y the night.
My body guard is composed of a
ne body of sturdy fellows who sleep,
and, in fact. never leave our lit
headquarters. They keep guard
ght and day. 1t is now 10 p. m. and
fe big, sullen-looking fellow is here
side me in his big overcoat and full
uipment, just outside the door. 1t
beautiful, clear night and his
hl-polished bayonet is glistening in
E light of the full moon.
There is a telegraph line from WI
Fg to Yunnanfu and we have brought
png field telephone, with linemen
handle it, and attach same at every
5pping place, so that we are in con-
Fnt touch with Yunnanfu, as we'll as
Der points. and Colonel Drysdale.
1t is now, hooked right here beside
and one of my staff happens at
moment, to be listening in" on a
nfidential conversation which is TAX
place between two of the military
IN in the field.
We arrived here yesterday after
|on and after a little reception by the |
Pgistrate, we held a long conference
III Colonel Yang Flu Kwan, the mag
rate and others, which lasted until |
might. After which I worked with |
interpreters and writer's, preparing |
cuments and proposals which We're
NJ out to Yang Tien Flu by runners
morning until a. m: SO after
Jung the couriers away, we had some |
uy needed sleep. Last night |
aae three with practically no sleep, /
on the way up we were busy all
fFhg the night telephoning and
'ening in" on all other messages
ing the wire, as we hooked our field
III onto the wire at each stop and
the instrument right in the room.
smith is most congenial and in
Sung fellow, who is right on his
he happens to be bit under the
''her tonight and have dosed him
win castor oil, never forgetting
OFTEN repeated advice. I have it
aahd always. and so he will be feel
III by morning. :. H& is sending
es TO the Chicago Tribune, so if
VIII get the back numbers you
II probably find his articles.
100 much dope and too many in
sung papers here to even attempt
Vu'hne. However, Smith has posted
10y OF Shelton's diary-which was
sgied in some days ago-to his
81 and it will probably appear in a
aay edition.