The unfortunate victim was Mr. Frank Poletti, Postal Commissioner of the Peiping Postal Administration and an Italian subject. Mr. Poletti was in the habit of spending his Sundays in visits to interesting places which the Japanese authorities have always asserted was completely pacified. On January 8 Mr. Poletti went by car to the Ming Tombs, accompanied by a Russian lady friend, his Chinese chauffeur and cook. These Ming Tombs, a favourite spot for picnics in the good old days of peace, lie less than 20 miles north of the city, and about two miles from the little town of Changpingchow, where there is a permanent Japanese garrison.
When they had gone about a mile beyond this place, the party stopped to have tiffin by the roadside. Just as they were in the middle of their macaroni, a body of armed Chinese in uniform suddenly put in an appearance and started questioning them. Thinking that they were the ordinary local police or militia, Mr. Poletti and his companion were in no way alarmed at first and took little notice of them. When, however, the chauffeur in replying to their questions stated that his master was an Italian, a complete change came over the scene.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.