Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-24
TITS NOT PROeAeLE!
Yarn OF Jap Boats in British FISHING
Fleet Is Not Believed.

st. Petersburg, Dec. 23.-Accordinp t.
a local paper a nuinbar of English fish
ermen have appeared before the Rus
sian counsel in London and have de-
posed to having seen foreign torpedo
boats among the Hull fishing fleet
Their dispositions. it is added, will De
submitted to the International commits
sion now in Paris, the circumstances
under which they were obtained being
explained.
London, Dec. 2S.-The publication in
st. Petersburg Of the statement that
Hull fishermen have voluntarily depos-
ed that foreign torpedo boats were
among the trawlers off Dogger Bank,
when the latter We're fired upon by
ships of the Russian Baltic squadron,
is probably nothing more than a repeti-
ton of similar statements emenating
from Hull and appearing in London
papers the last few days. These are cir
cumstantial and it would certainly ap-
pear to be true that some men of the
Gameccck fleet have made statements
before the Russian consul.
The name of only ole Of these has
been revealed. He is the boatswain O.
the trawler Ava and he said. today. tha,
he was induced to make the statement.
while he was intoxicated. He admits
that he received a certain amount Of
money, but now says the statement he
made is untrue. The exact tenor OF his
statement or Of any others has rot been
revealed.
All published reports from Hull say
positively that these statements were
secured by two agents of the russian
government. but the Russian embassy
in London, tonight. repeated the denial
communicated to The Associated Press,
Dec. q, that there is absolutely no
truth in the statement that the Rus
sian government or anyone in any off,
cial capacity. or any one Delegated by
isuSS!a, has been endeaVDring 10 secure
statements from the GamecOck fisher
men iii support of Russias position be-
fore the Paris commission.
1t was pointed out. however, that al
though Russia has offered a reward for
information. the Russian government was
NOT responsible for the course taken by
any person desiring to secure the reward,
which would only be paid in the event
that the investigation and the method in
which it was secured We're approved by
the Russian government and shown to
nave been received from irreprOachable
sources.
1t was positively stated that the embas-
~ Las no knowledge and no information
lending to support the report OF the st.
Petersburg paper alluded to.
he sensational press of England d.
20, tly charges the Russian government
with using underhand means by bribery
AMI lntoXlcantS to secure false statements
f:om men from the Gamecock fishing
fleet.
The Russian consulate, tonight said the
',latSwaln of the Ava was brought to his
ut.te. but thstt he sent him to the commits
: o..t- CT Oaths, where, the consul says.
he ona tSwain swore he saw a Japanese
toiprdo boat with the trawlers. The con-
s'l says he knows other trawlers who
lie ,"ady to make similar statements, but
The consul Indignantly denies that he
has made any attempt to induce fishermen
L" make statements. He says that when
inioi med of the nature of the statement
make. it was his duty to his government
to render every assistance.
Altogether an air of mystery surrounds
the matter but no credence in responsible
quarters is given to the allegations that
unfair methods have been used by the
Russian government.
One explanation of the whole matter
emaEates from, Paris, where it Is stated
recently visited Hull in order to interview
men of the Gamecook fleet and secure
independent information concerning the
DogSer Bank affair. None of the Eewspa-
agents" as Russians. but being limited
to calling them Foreigners employed by
the Russian government. this is the
most probable explanation OF the story,
auel in the testimony before the internal
tional tribunal at Paris.