Freed Missionary Tells of Red Ordeal.
It`s Real Christmas for Whitehall Woman, Children After Living in China Prisons.
A Pittsburgh missionary who spent the past four Christmases as a prisoner of the Chinese Communists is the best present imaginable this Christmas Day. She`s home, "That is our greatest Christmas gift", said Mrs. Laura Lau, "to be here". She spoke for herself and her three teen-aged children who also were imprisoned as "spies" by the Reds.
Freed Recently. Freed last month at Hong Kong, they arrived home in time to spend the holidays with the missionary`s 75-year old mother, Mrs. Ida Augenstein, of 5045 Brownsville Rd. We`re having a little tree and a few presents", Mrs. Lau said. "Not too many because we spent most of our money for the trip home. But we`re happy. We haven`t had a real Christmas for several years", she added. Mrs. Lau, now 53, was arrested by the Chinese on March 2, 1951, along with her Chinese missionary husband, David, and three children, John, Faith and Merton. She did not see her children again for more than three years. Ailing when arrested, she first was taken to a Chinese hospital.
Sent to Prison. After 10 months in the hospital, she was transferred to prison--in time to spend Christmas there. She spent seven months and two days in a cell, she said, before she was brought to trail. The charge, espionage. The missionary who has oc- (This is all of the article that was sent by a family member)
Monessen Daily Independent, published Wednesday, November 9, 1955, page 3:
Mother and Children Are Freed by Reds
HONG KONG (UP)
The American wife of a Chinese Protestant minister brought her three children out of Communist China today and accused the Reds of jailing her without giving any explanation.
Mrs. Laura Augenstein Lau arrived at the border unexpectedly and went to the home of missionary Dr. Henry Little here pending departure for the United States to see her mother, Mrs. Ida Augenstein of Pittsburgh, Pa. She said the Reds told her she was permitted to leave as a result of agreements made by envoys of the United States and Communist China in talks still in progress at Geneva. She said the Communists had given her husband permission to leave also, but that he had decided to continue his work in the Christian Church of China near Canton.
Asked what the Reds charged her with when she and her entire family were imprisoned March 2, 1951, she replied, "Nothing."
"You are supposed to give your own charge and then confess to it," under Communist justice, she said. She said she did not confess or sign any documents.
Mrs. Lau`s three children--Faith 20, John 18, and Richard 16 appeared healthy but tired.
Mrs. Lau refused to say much more about her experiences in China because her husband and friends are still there.
"I`d prefer not to describe everything at the present moment," she said. She said she first went to China in 1924. After the Communists took over, she said "we labored in peace for a while and then March 2, 1951 we were all five arrested."
"I was told my family would never be reunited and I would never see my children again," she said. "From then on I was determined to get out of the pit into which we had fallen and determined our family should be reunited." Mother `Happy`
PITTSBURGH (UP)
Mrs. Ida Augenstein said today she was "full of happiness" that her daughter, Mrs. Laura Lau, has been released by the Chinese Communists and will return to the United States.
Mrs. Augenstein said it will be seven years next month since she last saw her daughter, wife of a Chinese Protestant minister and a prisoner of the Chinese Reds, along with her husband and three children, since March 2, 1951.
"I`m just full of happiness that she`ll be coming home," Mrs. Augenstein said. "I guess there isn`t enough time for her and the children to be home for Christmas, but it certainly would be a fine Christmas present if they did."
Mrs. Lau said she was jailed without explanation and had refused to confess to any trumped up charges or sign any documents.
"She stands up for God and what`s right," Mrs. Augenstein said. "I`m happy she`s coming home. The worst is over."
It`s Real Christmas for Whitehall Woman, Children After Living in China Prisons.
A Pittsburgh missionary who spent the past four Christmases as a prisoner of the Chinese Communists is the best present imaginable this Christmas Day. She`s home, "That is our greatest Christmas gift", said Mrs. Laura Lau, "to be here". She spoke for herself and her three teen-aged children who also were imprisoned as "spies" by the Reds.
Freed Recently. Freed last month at Hong Kong, they arrived home in time to spend the holidays with the missionary`s 75-year old mother, Mrs. Ida Augenstein, of 5045 Brownsville Rd. We`re having a little tree and a few presents", Mrs. Lau said. "Not too many because we spent most of our money for the trip home. But we`re happy. We haven`t had a real Christmas for several years", she added. Mrs. Lau, now 53, was arrested by the Chinese on March 2, 1951, along with her Chinese missionary husband, David, and three children, John, Faith and Merton. She did not see her children again for more than three years. Ailing when arrested, she first was taken to a Chinese hospital.
Sent to Prison. After 10 months in the hospital, she was transferred to prison--in time to spend Christmas there. She spent seven months and two days in a cell, she said, before she was brought to trail. The charge, espionage. The missionary who has oc- (This is all of the article that was sent by a family member)
Monessen Daily Independent, published Wednesday, November 9, 1955, page 3:
Mother and Children Are Freed by Reds
HONG KONG (UP)
The American wife of a Chinese Protestant minister brought her three children out of Communist China today and accused the Reds of jailing her without giving any explanation.
Mrs. Laura Augenstein Lau arrived at the border unexpectedly and went to the home of missionary Dr. Henry Little here pending departure for the United States to see her mother, Mrs. Ida Augenstein of Pittsburgh, Pa. She said the Reds told her she was permitted to leave as a result of agreements made by envoys of the United States and Communist China in talks still in progress at Geneva. She said the Communists had given her husband permission to leave also, but that he had decided to continue his work in the Christian Church of China near Canton.
Asked what the Reds charged her with when she and her entire family were imprisoned March 2, 1951, she replied, "Nothing."
"You are supposed to give your own charge and then confess to it," under Communist justice, she said. She said she did not confess or sign any documents.
Mrs. Lau`s three children--Faith 20, John 18, and Richard 16 appeared healthy but tired.
Mrs. Lau refused to say much more about her experiences in China because her husband and friends are still there.
"I`d prefer not to describe everything at the present moment," she said. She said she first went to China in 1924. After the Communists took over, she said "we labored in peace for a while and then March 2, 1951 we were all five arrested."
"I was told my family would never be reunited and I would never see my children again," she said. "From then on I was determined to get out of the pit into which we had fallen and determined our family should be reunited." Mother `Happy`
PITTSBURGH (UP)
Mrs. Ida Augenstein said today she was "full of happiness" that her daughter, Mrs. Laura Lau, has been released by the Chinese Communists and will return to the United States.
Mrs. Augenstein said it will be seven years next month since she last saw her daughter, wife of a Chinese Protestant minister and a prisoner of the Chinese Reds, along with her husband and three children, since March 2, 1951.
"I`m just full of happiness that she`ll be coming home," Mrs. Augenstein said. "I guess there isn`t enough time for her and the children to be home for Christmas, but it certainly would be a fine Christmas present if they did."
Mrs. Lau said she was jailed without explanation and had refused to confess to any trumped up charges or sign any documents.
"She stands up for God and what`s right," Mrs. Augenstein said. "I`m happy she`s coming home. The worst is over."
Freed Missionary Tells of Red Ordeal.
It`s Real Christmas for Whitehall Woman, Children After Living in China Prisons.
A Pittsburgh missionary who spent the past four Christmases as a prisoner of the Chinese Communists is the best present imaginable this Christmas Day. She`s home, "That is our greatest Christmas gift", said Mrs. Laura Lau, "to be here". She spoke for herself and her three teen-aged children who also were imprisoned as "spies" by the Reds.
Freed Recently. Freed last month at Hong Kong, they arrived home in time to spend the holidays with the missionary`s 75-year old mother, Mrs. Ida Augenstein, of 5045 Brownsville Rd. We`re having a little tree and a few presents", Mrs. Lau said. "Not too many because we spent most of our money for the trip home. But we`re happy. We haven`t had a real Christmas for several years", she added. Mrs. Lau, now 53, was arrested by the Chinese on March 2, 1951, along with her Chinese missionary husband, David, and three children, John, Faith and Merton. She did not see her children again for more than three years. Ailing when arrested, she first was taken to a Chinese hospital.
Sent to Prison. After 10 months in the hospital, she was transferred to prison--in time to spend Christmas there. She spent seven months and two days in a cell, she said, before she was brought to trail. The charge, espionage. The missionary who has oc- (This is all of the article that was sent by a family member)
Monessen Daily Independent, published Wednesday, November 9, 1955, page 3:
Mother and Children Are Freed by Reds
HONG KONG (UP)
The American wife of a Chinese Protestant minister brought her three children out of Communist China today and accused the Reds of jailing her without giving any explanation.
Mrs. Laura Augenstein Lau arrived at the border unexpectedly and went to the home of missionary Dr. Henry Little here pending departure for the United States to see her mother, Mrs. Ida Augenstein of Pittsburgh, Pa. She said the Reds told her she was permitted to leave as a result of agreements made by envoys of the United States and Communist China in talks still in progress at Geneva. She said the Communists had given her husband permission to leave also, but that he had decided to continue his work in the Christian Church of China near Canton.
Asked what the Reds charged her with when she and her entire family were imprisoned March 2, 1951, she replied, "Nothing."
"You are supposed to give your own charge and then confess to it," under Communist justice, she said. She said she did not confess or sign any documents.
Mrs. Lau`s three children--Faith 20, John 18, and Richard 16 appeared healthy but tired.
Mrs. Lau refused to say much more about her experiences in China because her husband and friends are still there.
"I`d prefer not to describe everything at the present moment," she said. She said she first went to China in 1924. After the Communists took over, she said "we labored in peace for a while and then March 2, 1951 we were all five arrested."
"I was told my family would never be reunited and I would never see my children again," she said. "From then on I was determined to get out of the pit into which we had fallen and determined our family should be reunited." Mother `Happy`
PITTSBURGH (UP)
Mrs. Ida Augenstein said today she was "full of happiness" that her daughter, Mrs. Laura Lau, has been released by the Chinese Communists and will return to the United States.
Mrs. Augenstein said it will be seven years next month since she last saw her daughter, wife of a Chinese Protestant minister and a prisoner of the Chinese Reds, along with her husband and three children, since March 2, 1951.
"I`m just full of happiness that she`ll be coming home," Mrs. Augenstein said. "I guess there isn`t enough time for her and the children to be home for Christmas, but it certainly would be a fine Christmas present if they did."
Mrs. Lau said she was jailed without explanation and had refused to confess to any trumped up charges or sign any documents.
"She stands up for God and what`s right," Mrs. Augenstein said. "I`m happy she`s coming home. The worst is over."
It`s Real Christmas for Whitehall Woman, Children After Living in China Prisons.
A Pittsburgh missionary who spent the past four Christmases as a prisoner of the Chinese Communists is the best present imaginable this Christmas Day. She`s home, "That is our greatest Christmas gift", said Mrs. Laura Lau, "to be here". She spoke for herself and her three teen-aged children who also were imprisoned as "spies" by the Reds.
Freed Recently. Freed last month at Hong Kong, they arrived home in time to spend the holidays with the missionary`s 75-year old mother, Mrs. Ida Augenstein, of 5045 Brownsville Rd. We`re having a little tree and a few presents", Mrs. Lau said. "Not too many because we spent most of our money for the trip home. But we`re happy. We haven`t had a real Christmas for several years", she added. Mrs. Lau, now 53, was arrested by the Chinese on March 2, 1951, along with her Chinese missionary husband, David, and three children, John, Faith and Merton. She did not see her children again for more than three years. Ailing when arrested, she first was taken to a Chinese hospital.
Sent to Prison. After 10 months in the hospital, she was transferred to prison--in time to spend Christmas there. She spent seven months and two days in a cell, she said, before she was brought to trail. The charge, espionage. The missionary who has oc- (This is all of the article that was sent by a family member)
Monessen Daily Independent, published Wednesday, November 9, 1955, page 3:
Mother and Children Are Freed by Reds
HONG KONG (UP)
The American wife of a Chinese Protestant minister brought her three children out of Communist China today and accused the Reds of jailing her without giving any explanation.
Mrs. Laura Augenstein Lau arrived at the border unexpectedly and went to the home of missionary Dr. Henry Little here pending departure for the United States to see her mother, Mrs. Ida Augenstein of Pittsburgh, Pa. She said the Reds told her she was permitted to leave as a result of agreements made by envoys of the United States and Communist China in talks still in progress at Geneva. She said the Communists had given her husband permission to leave also, but that he had decided to continue his work in the Christian Church of China near Canton.
Asked what the Reds charged her with when she and her entire family were imprisoned March 2, 1951, she replied, "Nothing."
"You are supposed to give your own charge and then confess to it," under Communist justice, she said. She said she did not confess or sign any documents.
Mrs. Lau`s three children--Faith 20, John 18, and Richard 16 appeared healthy but tired.
Mrs. Lau refused to say much more about her experiences in China because her husband and friends are still there.
"I`d prefer not to describe everything at the present moment," she said. She said she first went to China in 1924. After the Communists took over, she said "we labored in peace for a while and then March 2, 1951 we were all five arrested."
"I was told my family would never be reunited and I would never see my children again," she said. "From then on I was determined to get out of the pit into which we had fallen and determined our family should be reunited." Mother `Happy`
PITTSBURGH (UP)
Mrs. Ida Augenstein said today she was "full of happiness" that her daughter, Mrs. Laura Lau, has been released by the Chinese Communists and will return to the United States.
Mrs. Augenstein said it will be seven years next month since she last saw her daughter, wife of a Chinese Protestant minister and a prisoner of the Chinese Reds, along with her husband and three children, since March 2, 1951.
"I`m just full of happiness that she`ll be coming home," Mrs. Augenstein said. "I guess there isn`t enough time for her and the children to be home for Christmas, but it certainly would be a fine Christmas present if they did."
Mrs. Lau said she was jailed without explanation and had refused to confess to any trumped up charges or sign any documents.
"She stands up for God and what`s right," Mrs. Augenstein said. "I`m happy she`s coming home. The worst is over."
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