Evening star., 1922-03-05
SLAIN MISSIONARY
PIONEER IN TIBET
Dr.: Shelton Met Death as He
Journeyed to Establish
Christian Hospital.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, March 4.-Rev. DIR.
Albert Leroy Shelton, medical mis-
sionary Of the Disciples of Christ
(Christian church,, who was the first
Christian missionary to be allowed to
enter Tibet, and who was kidnapped
and held by Chinese brigands sixty
days two years ago. was murdered by
Chinese robbers February - last, it
was announced here today.
The announcement was by the
United Christian Missionary Society,
which received a cable telegram from
Rev. DR.. W.. M. Hardy. also a medical
Robbers killed Shelton near Ba-
tang. Feby. II. Notify girls"
The girls referred to are DR.. Shell
tons daughters-Dorothy. seventeen,
| and Doris, t1fteen-who are attending
school in Pomona. Calf.
DIR. SheltOn's' headquarters were at
Batang, near Tibet. and DR.. Hardy's
cablegram was from Likiang. the
nearest telegraph station, fifteen
| Gay journey, and this. it was explain
ed, is responsible for the delay in
| news Of the murder.
Wanted to Open Hospital.
Although Tibet has not been open
| l..
from Vancouver last August to open
| a hospital at Lhasa. He had received
a written invitation from the dalai
lama, the supreme power of the Mo-
hammedan Church in the province, to
establish the hospital, in recognition
of his work among Tibetan soldiers.
The last word received from Dr.
Shelton was when he was fifteen days
journey out Of Batang, which he said
he expected to reach December 23.
The theory of the missionary society
here is that he reached Batang on
scheduled time.
Lhasa Is a thirty -five-day trip by
caravan from Batang. and it is not
thought the time between December
23 and February II was sufficient to
allow him to organize the caravan.
Consequently it is believed he was
| ministering to the sick.
In his party were Mr.. and Mrs.
J.. r. Morse and their small child of
Tulsa, Okla, and Mr.. and Mrs. NJ Fl.
Duncan of Buffalo, who were enter
ing the mission field.
DIR. Shelton was in st. Louis in
October of 1920, attending a cOnven-
tion Of the church. and stated he had
been endeavoring for years to get the
ruler Of Tibet to lift the ban on
work, and finally won permission.
Brigands surrounded his party as
he took his family to the coast but
did not detain the women.
Born June 0, 1875.
DR.. Shelton was carried into the
mountains and repeated demands for
ransom were made. The brigands
also demanded that the Chinese gov
ernment grant them immunity and
certain political concessions. The
| missionaries. refused to sanction ef-
forts to ransom him. saying ransom
would lead to the kidnapping of all
| missionaries. Chinese troops finally
routed the brigands, and the fleeing
kidnapping abandoned DR.. Shelton be-
/ cause he had become sick.
DR.. Shelton was born in Indianapo-
lis June 9, 1875. He attended the
grade schools and a normal school
and began teaching school when he
was seventeen years old. During the
war with Spain he enlisted in a Kan
sas regiment. After the war he mar
ried Miss Flo Beal at Parsons, kans.
| The year following his marriage
he obtained a scholarship in the med
ical department of the University of
Kentucky. He completed four
tyear course there. Shortly after his
{graduation he received an appoint
ment from the United Christian Mis-
| sionary Society as medical mis-
| sionary to China. He was first sta
toned at Tachienlu. but in 1908 he
was transferred to Batang.