[Inclosure 1 in No. 375.-Translation.] Mr. Chichkine to Mr. Breckinridge. MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, August 9/21, 1896. Mr. ENVOY: By my note of June 15, 1896, sub No. 3640, relative to seventeen poachers arrested on Robben Island, engaged in the illicit hunting of fur seals, I had the honor to inform you that the procurator had made an appeal against the sentence rendered in this affair by the district court of Vladivostok. To-day I have to inform you, according to a recent communication from the competent administration, that, in consequence of this appeal, the provincial court of Irkutsk, to whom the affair had been submitted, returned, on March 20 last, a verdict by which the individuals in question have been condemned to one and a half years' imprisonment. Kindly receive, etc., CHICHKINE. [Inclosure 2 in No. 375.] Mr. Breckinridge to Mr. Chichkine. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, St. Petersburg, August 15/27, 1896. YOUR EXCELLENCY: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of August 9/21, No. 3812, in which you inform me that on the 20th of last March the provincial court at Irkutsk gave sentence in the case of the seventeen sealers arrested on Robben Island of imprisonment for one year and a half. I do not fail to acquaint my Government with the information conveyed by your excellency. In view of the warm interest by my Government in the fate of the five Americans, viz: Frank Peterson (Hill), James Malloney, Steve Brenan, R. Sheehy, and Edward Howe, who are of the list just mentioned, and of the circumstances favorable to them which have been transmitted to me and which I have had the honor of transmitting in my former communications upon this subject to the Imperial ministry of foreign affairs, I feel justified in saying that if Imperial clemency could be graciously exercised to the extent of pardoning these American citizens from the remainder of their sentence, it would be an act very grateful to my Government and very grateful to a large body of the American people upon the Pacific Coast of the United States. Your excellency's good offices in presenting this wish as may seem to you best and proper would be greatly appreciated. SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your No. 375, of the 27th ultimo, inclosing copy of your note of the same date to the Russian foreign office, requesting executive clemency for five American citizens convicted of illegal sealing in Russian waters. Your note is approved. W. W. ROCKHILL, Acting Secretary. No. 424.] Mr. Breckinridge to Mr. Olney. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, St. Petersburg, October 26, 1896. (Received Nov 7.) SIR: Referring with gratification to Mr. Rockhill's No. 300, of September 11, approving of my note urging the pardon of the Americans arrested on Robben Island aud sentenced to eighteen months' confinement, I have the honor to say that I have been verbally informed at the foreign office that the papers in the case were promptly telegraphed for. It was further stated that upon their arrival, which in due course of the mails should be about this time, they would be at once referred to the minister of justice, upon whose recommendation action would most likely depend. As regards the commencement of the term of confinement, it was stated that it includes all detention from the time of arrest. Under that rule the prisoners have, even at the worst, only six or seven months yet of confinement, instead of eleven or twelve months, if the term began only with the date of sentence. Any further information will be communicated as received. I have, etc., CLIFTON R. BRECKINRIDGE. RELEASE OF ANTON YABLKOWSKI, WHO WAS ARRESTED FOR BECOMING AN AMERICAN CITIZEN WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT.' No. 447.] Mr. Peirce to Mr. Olney. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, St. Petersburg, November 30, 1896. (Received Dec. 18.) SIR: I have the honor to inclose recent correspondence concerning Anton Yablkowski, whose case was reported in the legation's Nos. 144, 151, 157, 161, and 179 of September 28, October 10, 16, and 28, and November 29, 1895, respectively. It appears that Yablkowski is now at liberty, and I have requested our consul at Warsaw to endeavor to ascertain what has become of him, in order to, if possible, close up the case. I have, etc., HERBERT H. D. PEIRCE, For previous correspondence on this case, see Foreign Relations, 1895, Part II., pp. 1096-1113. [Inclosure 1 in No. 447.] Mr. Peirce to Mr. Rawicz. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: It is a long time since this legation received any news concerning the status of Anton Yablkowski. The last account reported that he could leave the Empire but was forbidden to return, and hoped that by writing he might, through a general amnesty, be permitted to remain. Please inform me at your earliest convenience of the actual status. HERBERT H. D. PEIRCE, I am, etc., [Inclosure 2 in No. 447.] Chargé d'Affaires. Mr. Rawicz to Mr. Peirce. CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: After receiving your communication of the 14th instant, I have sent inquiry concerning the United States citizen, Anton Yablkowski, to the general attorney (procureur) here and his answer received to-day by this consulate I beg to communicate to you in translation here below: November 12, No. 10824.-In answer to yours of 7/19 November, 1896, No. 1751, M. C., I have the honor to inform the consulate that Anton Yablkowski, who was under sentence, has been, on the 11th of April last, acquitted by the highest court and liberated from the prison at Brest Rugavsky; also, I have to inform you that the document sent to me for him with your letter No. 1655, M. C., on the 5th of May this year, has not been handed over to Yablkowski. (Signed.) The above-mentioned document is the one furnished through this consulate by his excellency minister plenipotentiary to said Yablkowski, with his letter of March 17. The whereabouts of Yablkowski is unknown at present to the court; therefore I beg you to inform me whether it be proper for us to demand the return of the document from the general attorney or to leave it in his hands as it is. Awaiting further instructions, I am, etc., JOSEPH RAWICZ, United States Consul. [Inclosure 3 in No. 447.] Mr. Peirce to Mr. Rawicz. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: Your letter of November 26 concerning Yablkowski is duly received. Referring to your letter of February 28 last, in which you state that his American passport as well as his citizen papers are attached to the acts of the case, and that should he be expelled from the Empire his said documents would be retained by the court, you requested to inquire as to whether his documents were finally returned to him on his release or whether they were held by the court, and to do your utmost to find out the last trace of Yablkowski as to his whereabouts in Russia. If he left the Empire, certainly the police authorities must know of it, and in any case it seems incredible that there should be no trace of him after leaving the court or place of his confinement. With regard to the document sent through you to Yablkowski by this legation under date of March 17, and which it is stated was not handed to him, but has remained in the possession of the attorney-general, you are requested to ask for its return to you for transmission to this legation. HERBERT H. D. PEIRCE, Chargé d'Affaires. I am, etc., Mr. Olney to Mr. Peirce. No. 350.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your No. 447, of the 30th ultimo, reporting the discharge of Anton Yablkowski, charged with the crime of change of allegiance without the consent of the Imperial Government. Your instructions to our consul at Warsaw directing him to ascertain what has become of Mr. Yablkowski since his discharge are approved. I am, etc., RICHARD OLNEY. No. 405.] BANISHMENT OF JOHN GINZBERG. 1 Mr. Breckinridge to Mr. Olney. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, St. Petersburg, October 7, 1896. (Received Oct. 22.) SIR: Referring to my No. 135, of August 29, 1895, I now have the honor and pleasure of inclosing copy of a letter from Mr. John Ginzberg, dated Minsk, September 19/October 1, stating that his trial was concluded September 16/28, with the result that he can return to the United States. Mr. Ginzberg further alludes to the method of his return, desires the return of his American papers, and he prefers a claim against the Russian Government of $3 a day for 730 days of arrest and detention. I also inclose copy of my letter of this date to Mr. Ginzberg and of my note of same date to the foreign office. I express gratification at the reported conclusion of the trial, ask for fuller and more explicit information of the result, request the return to Ginzberg of his papers and full liberty as respects his return to the United States, but refrain from taking any action in regard to his claim, informing him that it is referred to the Department. Further information will be reported to you as it may be obtained. Submitting the foregoing, I have the honor, etc., CLIFTON R. BRECKINRIDGE. See Foreign Relations, 1895, Part II, pp. 1081–1096. [Inclosure 1 in No. 405.] Mr. Ginzberg to Mr. Breckinridge. My petition and request: MERCIFUL GENTLEMAN: I let you know that my trial is over by the judges of Minsk, in the city of Pinsk, on the 6th of September, 1896. It was finished for to send me to the United States of America. So I am afraid that Russia will not send me as a passenger. But they might send me through jails or arrest houses, as they always do in their land. Therefore, my beloved and good gentleman, I pray you very much to be so kind unto your servant and let me not suffer in this journey. Ask, please, the Russian rulers to give me only in my hands the American papers, with a ticket for the railroad and steamship, and so it will take me only about two weeks' time to come to the United States of America. But if they will carry me so it will take seven weeks' time, and I will be mixed up with all kinds of bad men, so that I can not stand that. And I pray you very much charge Russia for two years' time that they kept me arrested, for, indeed, they arrested me unlawfully on the Prussian ground, till it now makes altogether 730 days. I charge them $3 a day. Yours, truly, JOHN GINZberg. Inclosure 2 in No. 405.] Mr. Breckinridge to Mr. Ginzberg. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, St. Petersburg, October 7, 1896. SIR: I have your letter of September 17/October 1, and it affords me much pleasure to learn that the decision in your case permits of your return to the United States. In regard to the method of your going, of which you speak, I make inquiry, and will inform you of the result as soon as practicable. The request is also made that your American papers be returned to you. Concerning your claim against the Russian Government for compensation, I take no action at this time beyond including a statement of your claim in my report to the Department of State. I am, etc., CLIFTON R. BRECKINRIDGE. [Inclosure 3 in No. 405.] Mr. Breckinridge to Count Lamsdorff. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, St. Petersburg, October 7 1896. YOUR EXCELLENCY: Referring to the case of John Ginzberg, of which my note of August 21/September 2, 1895, to the Imperial ministry of foreign affairs was my last communication, I now have the honor to say that a letter from Mr. Ginzberg, dated Minsk (city of Pinsk), September 19/October 1, informs me that his trial was concluded September 6/18, and that the result permits of his return to the United States. |