Missionary's Wife Slain; Husband Wounded by Bandits in Thailand Attack

Article Type: 
Crime
Publication Date: 
Tuesday, April 22, 1952
Publication Date Is Approx: 
false

MISSIONARY'S WIFE SLAIN
Husband Wounded by Bandits
in Thailand Attack

BANGKOK, Thailand, April 21- Thai bandits shot and killed an American woman missionary and wounded her husband Friday in a raid on the couple's church in northeastern Thailand.

Paul Johnson, 29 years old, flown here yesterday for removal of several pellets from his abdomen, said nine bandits raided the Christian and Missionary Alliance church in Bangdon Mafai village in Udorn province.

He said he and his wife were opening services when the bandits walked in and fired with homemade shotguns. Mrs. Johnson, wounded, ran outside and fell dead of chest wounds.

She is a daughter of W. J. Bryan of Northfield, Minn. Her husband is son of Osmund Johnson of Lyle, Minn. The Johnsons, completing four and one-half years of duty, were scheduled to depart for the United States in June with their three children. The bandits demanded Mr. Johnson's cash and watch and made an unsuccessful attempt to steal his jeep.