The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1920-02-04
Red Cross Report Gives 4 Graphic
story Of Rescues During. Fierce
Fighting at Russian. Port
s@ in November.

the Officers Cross OF st. George TOE
the services he rendered to the people
Of Vladivostok during the fighting.
AS accommodation is considered
the equivalent to bestowal, this makes
the sixth as:ard received by Major
Johnson during his service in Siberia
with the American forces, the others
being the Russian medal of st. Anne
and japanese, Czecho-Slovak, Italian
and Chinese decorations.
Governor NJ. NJ. Eversman Of Prf
morsky province. in a letter to Major
General w. S. Graves. commanding the
American forces in Siberia, said:
II cannot leave unmentioned the
fact that Major johnson, having splen-
didly fulfilled his plan in guarding the
town and the peaceful population,
though exposing his own life to danger
under furious fire, succeeded four times
In getting through to the passenger
trains that were In the center Of the
fighting zone and from there brought
to safety officers, their families and
civilians"
$50 Graves o pra0ee0s
Major Graves, son Of General Graves,
was another officer, according to the
Red Cross account, who with utter
fearlessness walked into the danger
zone to aid women and children e1-
posed to fire. Major johnson has paid
tribute to the part also played by the
international military police. whom he
commanded.
II want those men to get the recog-
milton due them" he said. "They rem
dered the greatest assistance. showed
absolute steadiness and GOODNESS and
ran the same risks" The Red Cross
account SAYS that the international
military police and allied detachments
held control Of ~Vladivostok, enforcing
the policy Of neutrality adopted by the
allies, and that, thanks to this, Vladi-
vostok was unswept by battle except
In the vicinity of the railway station.
There, however, furious combat ragged.
sFor men who entered the area Of
fighting and the path Of flying bullets
entered at deadly peril and every man
knew It," says the report.
Among those saved by Major John.
son and his men were General Roman
ovsky and family. Romanovsky is
chief of the Russian generals staff.
He was living with his family in the
railway yards in his special train and
was a n~oncombatant. Soldiers Of
both sides fred upon the train. It was
utterly dark and a storming, showing
November morning when Major John
son found the car and escorted the
family to safety.
Hide In Black Cellars.
"Some of those he rescued that
night were found in the railway sta
ton where the most sanguinary fight
ing took place. They had sought ref
uge in cellars. or secluded little Offices,
and crouched in the darkness, afraid
to move, afraid to whisper. In most
cases, when the rescue party arrived,
It took repeated calls and reassur-
ances to locate the frightened, sus-
picious men md women.
The first rescue trip was made
about 10 o'clock on the night OF No
yesmber IL and the last ct 80 o'clock
on the morning Of November 18.
major Johnson's command Of Rus
sian, for he is q Russian born, was 9
big asset In this emergency work at
the railway station, q II has been.
throughout his service II Siberia.
General. Romanovsky expressed to
the Red Cross representative crate
ful appreciation for what Major John
ron did,
ct do not know how any man could
Is into that hell Of fire. ind our train
and bring Us out. he raid. hut this ~
man did IT, ssE
sHe even saved the cat Gettingthe
party ont Of the train Major Johnson
heard the howl Of the lonely. MORALLY
frightened cat somewhere ID the DARK
car. nc only by the lurid dashes q
runs and the reflection q burning 4 lfg
buildings. #H 5# &
sa.One of thewonnens asked them 20
take the cat. ana The rescue party
haired there IN TIC shattefed train,
round TIE CIT hidlngI mass -
bfxken berths md stookhe q safsty
viii The falnily. .sE