Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-26
Claimed That His 0fenses Were Of
a Political Nature.
TESTIMONY HEARD IN CHICAGO
Action by Secretary Root Will Not
Establish Any Precedent-Inform
the Prisoner by Pantomime.

Christian Rudowicz whose extradition
on charges of murder arson and other
| crimes was demanded by the Russian
| government. and involving counter con-
| tetions that the ofenses were in fur
| therance Of a political movement, will
not be eXtradited. This decision was
| announced today by Secretary of State
Root.
| In effect the extradition of Rudowicz
was refused because the offense charged
| comes under the general prohibition
| against extradition in the treaty with
Russia. which declares that If it be made
| to appear that extradition Is sought with
the view to try or punish for an offense
of political character surrender shall
not take place. The testimony taken in
the case by United States Commissioner
| Foote, at Chicago, it was held. upholds
| the view taken by the department,
| though the commissioner upheld the
Russian governments demand. Secre-
| tary Root declined to comment on the
decision at this time, pending formal
notification to the Russian authorities
Of the departments decision.
Thorough Investigation.
| The decision followed thorough inves-
| tigation of the case by the government,
| hearing at Chicago before United States
Commissioner Foote and review of his
decision by the State Department Vigor-
Gus efforts were made to prevent extradi-
ton on the ground that the offenses
charged were political and therefore not
extraditable.
The case aroused much interest par
ticularly in Chicago, among the anti-Rus-
sian element. where fund was raised in
defense Of the man.
Commissioner Foote sent the record in
the case to Washington about a month
ago. With the various accompanying
documents and his decision. there were
probably 400 pages Of typewriter sheets
to read by the clerks of the solicitors
office of the State Department, who gave
1t careful attention.
Action by the Secretary, it is said. will
not establish any precedent. as the ,ques-
| ton was regarded at the department as
simply whether or not the case was one
calling for extradition for an offense
against the law or whether it was one of
political character.
Crime Charged.
Rudowicz was an acknowledged men,
Der Of the social-democratic labor party,
Russian revolutionary organization
with branches in all parts of the world,
whose avowed purpose is the improve
ment of political conditions in the Rus
murdered or participated In the murder
OF man. his wife and a married daugh-
ter in Courland. one Of the three Baltic
provinces. in 1906. The next year he
west. went to work in a large manufac-
turing establishment. At the hearing in
Chicago testimony was offered both by
Rudowicz and his witnesses that the
order for killing these persons was issued
on the ground that they were spies; not
that they Travelled around the country
in this capacity, but that they gave the
names of persons taking part in revolu-
tionary movements directed against the
government There was some discrepancy
In the evidence as to whether the order
to murder had been given by a county
or a state group which directs the
operations of the various branches Of the
revolutionary party.
Rudowicz Told in Pantomime.
CHICAGO, January 26.-The news from
Washington was slow in reaching Chris
tan Rudowicz. There was no one at the
Jail where the prisoner has been confined
who could speak Russia. and attempts to
reach his lawyers with the Associated
Press bulletin found them absent. At
their offices it was said no private tele-
grams concerning Secretary Roots deci-
sion had been received, and efforts were
made to find them In order that the news
might be carried to their client. Mean
while the bailiffs and guards already in
possession Of the news bulletin were fair.
~ aching to impart the good tidings to
the man most affected. Rudowicz gazed
stOlidy at them, as II fearing that they
were in need of medical attention Pres
emily one Of them had an inspiration. He
resorted to pantomime. He Initiated the
click of a telegraph instrument by tap
ping on the bars Of the cell: then he point
ed outdoors. selling the Russians hands,
grinned broadly, Jumped up and down and
patted the prisoner on the back. Slowly
the latter broke into smile and pointed
|interrogatively toward the east-Wash.
fneton-grunting. Huh? Huh?''
Whereat the guards nodded their heads
vigorously, and the indications were that
Rudowicz at least comprehended that
something fortunate had happened to
him.