OCR Text |
Show t YMK HJKGED U. S. Siberian Commander ! Demands Apology From Russian General. VLA D IVOSTO Iv, Fri d ay. Sept. 19. (P.y Tile Associated Press.) Major Antral An-tral William S. (iraves, commander of American forces In Siberia, haa do -, marided an apology from General lionan- Ooff. in command of Russian troops in I'rlitrnur province, for tho arrest of Captain Cap-tain U P. Johns of the Twenty-seventh r.io'irnent and Corporal benjamin Sperling of the Thirty-first and the Mousing of the latter by Cossacks commanded by rieneral Kalmlltoff. An Investigation of tho conduct of a Japanese ofilcer at I man, the place, wheru the arrests took plare, has aiso been begun by tho Japanese Japan-ese high nmiiiKiiid. The incident, winch occurred September 5, Is considered one of the most serious alncu tho allies landed In Siberia. The two Amcri'Vtns, in uniform and on ofti'-bil b!i.-lne:-iM, went to Iman, a town 17u miles nortn of this city, on the srvtion of the railroad (rua tiled iiy Chi-riesj Chi-riesj troops, i in ss ports being unnecessary by agro.-ment b-tween tlie aJllt'S. While they wen; at a liotel tmre, a detach ment of Cossacks entered and arretted tho A rncrieaus, claiming they were not provided w ith blent iiicaLlon papers. Captain Cap-tain Johns managed, to escape, and, catching a moving train, went to Spasske, wheru lie report ed to the A meriean ofti-cer ofti-cer In command. A detachment of 150 A m fri cans from the Twenty -He vent h regiment at once entrained and went to Iiium to effect Sperling's reb:iH0 and on arriving tliero took three Cossacks as , lumtHgnH. Tl'i-v found Coneral Kalmikoffa men ! ' ent reie-hed mar the slat ion and were 1 pre pit red to use force against them 1 when a Japanese major Interceded for tho Cossacks, sfati ng. It is alleged, rlrit in (he event of hostilities between tho Americans nnd Cossacks, tlie .Tapa- , nese troops at Iman would side with tho latter. He at last told the Americans that Sperling had been taken to Khabor- j ov.sk, where (lenera 1 Kalmlkoff has his j ,' he. -d i nu rtcrs. A telegraphic demand for J Snorting was sent to Khaborovsk and a , reply was received that ho would be re leased at once. The America ns then re-1 re-1 turn fid to Spasske, taking their hostages , with them. A preliminary Investigation of the Incident In-cident shows. It is said, that Sperling wnw (logged, a punishment that Is usually 1 reeled out to a. recaleitra nt Cossack. General KalmikoiT, who in considered by Americans here as a "Siberian Villa," has. with bin baud, been a constant, source of : trouble, !t is charged. Ills raids being marked by eru-dt ies and atrocities. He 1 wns recently appointed military comman der of Khaborovsk district by General Kozn n off. and it is alleged this has brought about an Increase In his activities. activ-ities. , ! WASHINGTON, Sept. 30. Secretary Riker said todny that Major General Graves, commanding the American forces In Siberia, had Informed the department that an officer and enlisted man had - been hold by Cossacks and released upon his demand, and that the matter had ; been referred to the state department for "subsequent action." The department, Mr. Raker said, had ; '. not heard of the reported interference ' y a Japanese ofilcer with American J ' troops sent to affect the release of the . ! cnlded man. : "Department records,!' said the secre- tfiry. "only show that an officer and an crdlstcd man were held by Cossacks and - 1 were released on the demand of General ; Graves. i "Wo have not heard of the Japanese ' ' Incident. The matter has been referred ; to the state department for subsequent action." |