The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-12-23
COL. GowEN's CLAIM.
Dealings with Higa Oficials in st. Petersburg
and Washington City.
New York Sum-

Dealings with Higa Oficials in st. Petersburg
and Washington City.
New York SUM-
Col. John E. Gowen, the American en-
gineer, who 10 treating with the British
Admiralty for the contract Of raising the
iron-clad Vanguard, sunk in the British
Channel, in 1862 completed the greet
work Of raising The Russian fleet in the
harbor Of Sebastopol, and presented his
bill for payment. The demand was for
335, 600 roubles, which is equal to about
that number of dollars in greenbacks. a.
The Grand Duke Constantine, Lord
High Admiral, from whom Col. Gowen
received the commission, approved the
claim and ordered it paid. 1t was hand
ed to Governor-GeneralG Glazinapp, who
| recommended that bonds be issued tor
the amount. Minister OF Marine Krabbe,
I showeyer, thought it too small sum to
be paid in bonds, and proposed to pay
| the money in ten years in annual INSTALL
ments. The Colonel would not agree to
this.
swell, the Grand Duke has ordered
that you be paid" said the Minister,
s.and we'll have to find you the money;
but my budget is made up and / don't.
see exacJly how it is to be managed.
You'd better 20 abroad and travel for a.
month, and wnen you come BACK your
money VIII be ready for your
A month later the Colonel again pre-
sented himself to the Minister.
"Well, sir, you've done pretty thing,
haven't you-raised hell in my depart
mentp" was the Coloneps greeting from
Krabbe. "You and your paltry 10000
roubles. was your friend, but under
stand henceforth I'm your enemy, and
shall oppose YOU even getting one dollar
| OF your claim"
fhe $4,000 roubles matter referred to-
\ was a claim of which some Off GERS Of
the Marine Department had tried TO de-
| fraud him, and, before leaving ST. Pc.
| tersburg, acting upon the advice of AS
sistant Minister of Marine Greggs, he
had laid the facts of the case before the
Minister OF Jnstice, who made them a
subject Of complaint TO Kfabbe, and
hence the latter's anger.
mel, "rll have Is see his Imperial High
mess, ,1s Grand Duke 5c0asgtssagtine, /,
...Ypu may go to the devil, ii you like !;
but you'll never get asdoIlar iii u can
neIp it," was the reply.
Col. ,Gowen wrote the Grand Duke,
SAYING that he had not been paid, and
requested an audience. What followed
is hest,told IN his own words:
i ''An aid-de-camp called upon me with
1 the message from the Grand Duke that 1
should be paid before L Lett ,St. Peters
burg, and requesting, ,me ,to call at his
4 palace before nine O'clock the next
linorhing. On arriving at the palace I
was shown into the Grand Dukes apart
ment, where, to my surprise and annoy.
ance, Ifpunu him conversing with the
Minister OF Marine, my declared enemy.
Ihe Grand Duke arose, shook hands
z With me, and said: .sC0l. Gowen, Ihaye
had aihigher opinion of you than Of an
other foreigner who has ever come to
this country, and 4 am very sorry that
YOU should come here a second time to
be gpaidD
.sWhy, your Imperial Higbness. i have
never been paid one, CENT? / replied.
i sine Minister tells me he mas paid
ypp,p Z, said be, turning to .Krabbe.
The has been paid. 1,paid him N.Y.
/ selt,p said Krabte, throwing a signiii-
cant glance at me.
"No, sir-yOu know shat have not re-
u ceiyed one penny" I,exclailned.
II cannot allow this altercation in my
\ presence" said the Grand Duke.
"But, your Imperial Highness, as.
sure you -" continued, when he in.
\ lterrppted me, saying:
4 "Col. GVwen, whom Go you suppose ]
would believe-you, a stranger, Whom I
have known only few years, or o Min
ister OF the Empire?"
4 sit Is not necessary ito believe either
1 of u.s." l said. "IfI had been paid.
surely there is some record of tin the
Department. Have The books examined,
your Imperial Highness-they will tell
the story" .g-..., So. =.
"No, sir" he said, rising, 'stthis audi.
ence 10 at an end" and ! was bowed
out.
Col. Gowen has not been paid, having
received no other rewardsfor his valua-
BILE services than the thanks of the
Grown and the decoration Of the Order
applications TO Secretary Fish tor
an official letter in his be.
half to our Minister at st.
Petersburg. requesting him to Law the
facts before the Imperial Goyernnient.
but Mr. Fish has refused to interfere.
The Colonel brought strong Influences
to bear upon him, and, at one time, had
some hope OF success, but the
Fish -Catacazy trouble followed.
and he has now abandoned all hope
OF help from the incumbent
Administration. The Injustice OF his
treatment is well known in European
diplomatic circles. Prince Gortschakoff.
whom he met in Baden, told him that he
knew him to be one OF the worst-used
men In the world, but could not help
him; and Lord Paimerston, once speak,
ing Of the claim, said TO him: "If YOU
we're q British subject, Colonel, I prom,
ise you, you would not have to wait long
for your money"
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