The San Francisco call., 1905-03-25
LENA'S OFFICERS BREAK
PAROLE FOR LOVES SAKE
Russians Risk Their Honor for Smiles of Pretty
Maids in Land of the Gar.
Go Back to St. Petersburg to Claim Brides
Despite Promise Made to Uncle Sam.
Special Dispatch to The Cali

VALLEJO, March 24.-An interna-
tional episode that has caused perplex-
ity to the American and Russian gov
ernments. and which has furnished a
great deal of gossip for the press of
the land, has just come to a happy end
ing in this city.
several weeks ago it was announced
that Lieutenant Peter MichaeIoff, Lieu
tenant Andrew Kyra DynJan and First
Engineer Serge Kapatzin of the Rus
sian cruiser Lena, which has been lying
at the Mare Island Navy Yard for sew
eral months, had violated their parole
and returned TO st. Petersburg. After
negotiations between the two govern
ments 1t was stated In st. Petersburg
dispatch that the three young officers
had been degraded and ordered to re-
port to Captain A. Berlinsky at Mare
Island.
Nothing more was heard Of the mat
ter until last night, when the three
omcers, accompanied by the wives and
children of DR.. vladimir Zadbotkin and
Chef Engineer Serge Rotmanoff and
the blushing bride Of Lieutenant
Michaelof stepped off the San Francis
co boat and into launch which con-
1t now appears that Lieutenant
Michaelof had been engaged before
the breaking out of war to the daugh-
ter or prominent solicitor in the Rus
sian capital. When the call of duty
came the young lieutenant went away
with the promise to his sweetheart
tnat ne would return and wed her ere
the year was out He was assigned
10 the Lena and was with the Vladivo-
d.xV ovlxr do of
the present struggle. After the Lena
came to Mare Island, and the day for
the claiming of his bride approached
ana there were no signs of the wars
enolng or of his being able to return
and claim his sweetheart, Michaelon
became anxious. Finally he took his
Two friends, Lieutenant Kyra Dynjan
ana ENGINEER Kapatzin, into his conf
dence. To his surprise, he found that
their hearts were also given to maids
In the gay Russian capital AS they
talked of their sweethearts the desire
10 return became too strong to be re-
sisted, and so the three young officers,
leavlng their uniforms and personal eff
fects behind, stole away from San
FRANCISCO and were speeding homeward
oe1ore their absence was discovered.
Mlchaeloff's sweetheart was awaiting
him when he arrived in ST. Petersburg,
with. The other two men who had
broken their parole were taken prison
ers by the Government before their
marriages could be solemnized 1t is
said that their promised wives were
anxious to marry them even in the
race OF the impending disgrace, but the
Iathers OF the young ladies, who were
serving in the palace of the Gar,
would not allow the unions to take
place until the too ardent young lovers
had satisfied the demands of the Rus
sian Government. When the cases
were explained to- the Minister of War,
he ordered all the young men back to
America, but imposed no other penalty
Judge j. A. Browne, whose linguistic
ability has won him a place in the
heart OF every man on the Lena from
powder monkey to captain, took charge
OF the party after its return from the
Lena. He had been advised of the
coming of the Russians and had rent
ed cottages for the bride and groom
and the others.