The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-10-04
YANKEE FLOCCED;
APOLOGY ASKED
American Corporal Is Whipped
by Order Of Cossack General
in Siberia.
GEN. GRAVES TAKES ACTION
Japanese Major lntervenes, Warning
That His Men Wiywside With the
Russians in Case of
HostiIities.

Washington, Oct. 1.-Major Cen
leral Graves, commanding the Ameri-
can forces in Siberia, is understood to
have acted upon official instructions
from the war department in demand
Ing an apology from the Cossack com
mander for the liogging of an Aineri-
can soldier and all investigation Of Jap
anese interference between the Aineri.
can and Cossack forces.
General Graves has reported the in
scident in detail and army officials said
the situation was the most serious
which has occurred since the Aineri-
can forces went into Siberia.
Yank Corporal, Flogged.
yladivostok, Sept. 10 (Delayed),- ,-
Mai. Cen William S. Graves, com
imander of American forces in Siberia,
has demanded an apology from Gen
seral Rozanoff, in command of Rus
sian troops in Prianur province, for
The arrest of Capt. L. r Johns Of tbs
Twenty-seventh regiment ana Cor
poral Benjamin Sperling of the Thfr.
ty-iirst, and the flogging of the latter
sly Cossaeks commanded by General
KalmiSoff.
An investigation of the conduct 81
ID japanese officer ut Imam, the place
where the arrests took place, has alse
begun by the japanese high command
Tie incident, which occurred Septem.
her 3, is considered one Of the most
serious since the allies landed IN 81
beria.
American Troops to Rescue.
Aliericssfis Ii m ifasssi fiis'
on official business, went to Imam, .
town 10 miles north Of this city, on
the section of the railroad guarded
by Chinese troops, passports being UNI
necessary by agreement between the
allies.
While they We're at the hotel there
a detachment Of Cossacks entered ant
arrested the Americans, claiming they
were not provided with identification
papers. Captain Johns managed (
escape, and catching a moving train
went to Spasske, where he reported tt
the American officer in command.
detachment of $50 Americans from
the Twenty-seventh regiment qt, once
entrained and went to 5man to effect
Sperling's release, and on arriving
there took three Cossacks as hos
tages.
Japs Side With cossacks.
They found General Kalmikoff's
men intrenched neal. the station an(
were preparing to use force against
them when a Japanese major inter
fered for the CossaclSs, Stating, II is
alleged, that in the event Of hostlities
between the Americans and CossackS
the japanese. troops ut Imam would
side with the latter.
He at last told the Americans that
Sperling had been taken to Khabor
ovsk, where General Kalmikotf has his
headquarters.
A telegraphic demand for Sporting
was sent to Khaborovsk and q reply
was received that he would be released
at once. The Americans returned t.
Spasske, taking their hostages Will
them.
A preliminary Investigation Of the
incident shows, it is said, that Sper
ling was fiogged, punishment that is
usually meted out to. recalcitrant Cos
sacks.
General Kalmikoff, who is consid
cred by Americans here as "Siberian
villa" has, with his bapd, been q
constant source of trouble, It Is
charged, his raids being marked BY
cruelties and atrocities. He was re-
Gently appointed military commander
of Khaborovsk district by General Ro
zanoff, and 1t is alleged this has
brought about an increase In his ac.
tivities.