The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-06-01
UNDER ARREST IN RUSSIA.
No Anxiety Over the Case Of Gordon
at the State Department.

The report that Simon James Gordon.
an American citizen and formerly agent
in Russia for the Baldwin Locomotive
Works, had been arrested in that coun-
try and placed in prison, did not excite
surprise at the State Department al
though the department has no fnforma-
ton that the report is correct. There is
much documentary evidence concerning
Gordon's case on file in the department,
however, and the officials have a theory
as to the reason for the arrest They say
that The matter is not political, but one
of ordinary judicial procedure growing
out Of trouble between Gordon and his
wife, Russian woman from whom he
had separated
Gordon's brother, Henry J. Gordon, of
Gutenberg, n. j., has been In Washing
ton recently in regard 20 the case and
has been made acquainted with the atti-
! tude OF the State Department with res
pCCt to it
From what was learned today by en-
quiry at the department, it appears that
Simon James Gordon was a Pole but be-
came citizen Of the United States. A
great many years ago he went To Rus
/ sia to represent the Baldwin Locomotive
/ Works but has not been employed by
. that company for some time. His first
! wife was an American. His second mar
riage occurred in Russia, and proved un-
/ happy out of the separation OF Gordon
/ and his Russian wife grew charges pre-
ferred by Mrs Gordon which resulted in
I his arrest. He was released on bail IN
/ tae sum Of o. 900 roubIes, OF nearly $4,000
/ in American gold
/ After his release Gordon applied to the
| American Ambassador in st Petersburg
! for passport. and there was much CORE
! spOudence on the subject between the Am
! bassador and the State Department. grow
( ing out Of the fact that Gordon was bond
/ ed to appear before the Russian courts.
Finally on Nay Is last the State Depart
/ ment sent instructions 10. the American
/ Ambassador in st. Petersburg TO grant
( Gordon the passport on condition that it
/ should be used only to enable him to leave
/ Russia. but with the additional stipulation
that 1T was not to be so used to enable him
/ to jump his bail. These Instructions were
/ sent by mail and have probably just reach
/ ed the Ambassador.
| Since then the department has heard
nothing of the matter. It vas suggested,
( however, that the Russian police may
! have learned that Gordon hpd received the
/ passport, a very easy thin 70 ascertain,
/ as to make 1t available fe1 use he would
/ have been obliged to seCue the wise OF
the Russian authorities, as.d fearing that
/ ne was about to leave the country, had
! again placed him under arrest on the
! charge growing cut Of his marital trou-
/ bIes.
The State Department viii await re-
/ port from the United States Ambassa-
| dor before taking any action in regard
/ TO Gordon's reported arrest. It was said
/ today that there had been some hesita-
/ tion on the part Of the State Department
/ in granting the passport because of in
| formation that Gordon had obtained
| passports from United States Ministers
! In other countries than Russia by renre-
/ sentauons which the department believed
were not justified. One suggestion as TO
/ the cause Of Gordcn's arrest was that the
( Russian Government might have consider
; ed that his continued residence in the land
! Of his birth had forfeited his American
citizenship If this be correct the State
! Department will insist that he be releas-