Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-10-07
'JAPS OPPOSE YANKS
|. IN SIBERIAN CLASH
American Soldier FIogged by Or
der of Cossack Commander.
U. S. GENERAL TAKES ACTION
Demands an Apology From the Cos
sacks-Japanese Major Warns
That His Men Will Side With
the Russians.

Washington, Oct. 1.-Major Gen.
eral 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 fiogging of an AmeIf-
can soldier and an investigation of JAP
anese interference between the Ameri-
can and Cossack forces.
General Graves has reported the in
cident in detail and army officials said
the situation was the most serious
which has occurred since the Ameri-
can forces went into Siberia.
Yank Corporal Flogeed.
Vladivostok, Sept. 10 (Delayed).-
Maj. Gen. William S. Graves, COM
mander of American forces in Siberia,
has demanded an apology from Gen
eral Rozanoff, in command of Rus
sian troops in Priamur province, for
the arrest of Capt L. p Johns of the
Twenty-seventh regiment and Cor
poral Benjamin Sperling of the ThH-
by Cossacks commanded by General
Kalmikoff
An investigation of the conduct of
a Japanese officer at Imam, the place
where the arrests took place, has also
begun by the Japanese high command.
The incident, which occurred Septem-
Der 5. is considered one of the most
serious since the allies landed in ST.
IBERIA.
American Troops to Rescve.
The two Americans, in uniform and
on official business, went to Imam, a
town 10 miles north of this city, on
the section of the railroad guarded
by Chinese troops, passports being I'M
necessary by agreement between the
allies.
While they were at the hotel there
a detachment of Cossacks entered and
arrested the Americans, claiming they
were not provided with Identification
papers. Captain Johns managed to
escape, and catching a moving train,
went to Spasske. where he reported to
the American officer in command.
A detachment of $50 Americans from
the Twenty-seventh. regiment at once
entrained and went to Imam 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 near the station and
were preparing to use force against
them when a japanese major inter
fered for the Cossacl1s, stating, it is
alleged, that in the event of hostilities
between the Americans and Cossacks
the japanese troops at Imam would
side with the latter.
He at last told the Americans that
Sperling had been taken TO Khabor
ovsk, where General Kalmikoff has his
headquarters.
A telegraphic demand for Sperling
was sent to Khaborovsk and a reply
was received that he would be released
at once. The Americans returned to
Spasske, taking their hostages with
them
A preliminary investigation of the
incident shows. it is said, that Sper-
ling was logged, a punishment that is
usually melted out to recalcitrant Cos
sacks.
General Kalmikoff, who is eonsid-
cred by Americans here as a siberian
Villa" has, with his band, 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 it is alleged this has
brought about an increase in his ac-
tiyities.