Text transcribed from original caption.

C-18l50

REDS FREE EMANCIPATED ITALIAN BISHOP

HONG KONG -- AN EMANCIPATED, 63-YEAR-OLD ITALIAN

BISHOP, THE LAST EUROPEAN-BORN CATHOLIC PRELATE TO

LEAVE COMMUNIST CHINA, IS CARRIED ACROSS THE BORDER

ON HIS ARRIVAL HERE. HE IS BISHOP ALFONSO MARIA

CORRADO FERRONI, O. F. M., OF LACHOKOW, HUPEH PROVINCE,

WHO WAS HELD A PRISONER BY THE REDS SINCE FEBRUARY,

1951. BISHOP FERRONI WAS RUSHED TO A HOSPITAL, WEAK

FROM HUNGER AND BAD TREATMENT. THE BEARDED PRELATE

WORE A LOOSE WHITE PAJAMA-TYPE CHINESE COSTUME, A

TATTERED BLACK ROBE, A CAP AND SANDALS TIED TO HIS

BARE FEET. HE HAD LOST MORE THAN HALF OF HIS NORMAL

WEIGHT OF 150 POUNDS. HIS WRISTS AND ANKLES STILL

BORE THE MARKS OF CHAINS.

CREDIT MUST READ:

RELIGIOUS NEWS SERVICE (DDS-HK-9D-55-NAB-C)