South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-08-06
RUSS TRANSPORT
BECOMES FIGURE
IN LEGAL FIGHT
Litigation Between Kerensky
KOlchak Governments and
United States.

SAN FRANCISCO. Cal. Aug. e.
The Rogday, transport OF the Rus
sian Volunteer Fleet. which arrived
IN san Francisco harbor from New
York via Manzanil'O. for bunkers on
fanuary %. has become the central
figure in = new international situa-
zion involving two extinct Russian
governments. the Kerensky ant Kol-
ohak regime, and the United States
The history OF the Rogday in
clUdes service on the Great Lakes
as well as duty as a freight carrier
and transport for the Russian gov
eminent in the Russian Volunteer
Fleet She served on the Great
lakes as the Nevada, and was con-
structed BY the Manitowoc Ship
building and Drydock Company at
Chicago.
The Rogday IS a steel screw pro-
peller steamer with a net tonnage
OF 1913 tons, or q gross tonnage OF
1912 tons. She is electrically light
ed. equipped with wireless tele-
graph and has three decks. Du-
tuth, Minn-. was the home port OF
che Rogday while under American
registry Her registry was changed
40 Russian at the time OF her sale
90 Russia
Following litigation in federal
courts here, the Rogday was order
ed handed over 10 Commander NJ.
I5ordeney, representative OF the
kolchak government, who was the
Rogdays captain when she put in
20 port at San Francisco.
On the morning Of Saturday, July
"a, a boarding party under the
leadership OF Lieutenant Command
or Benklevsky. d. g. went aboard
the Rogday, which was mOOred in
China Basin. and seized the trans
port
Captain Mily Gordeney, depOsed
commander OF the Rogday in a
statement following the seizure Of
the transport, said he was com
slaissfoned by the Kolchak govern
Rnent. known as the old Russian
government. IN October. 1919. and
was 10 proceed from New York VIA
the Panama Canal TO San Francisco
thence 10 Vladivostok Arriving at
Ean F,rancf in January, 1920 i
was told to discharge my cargo
and sent II TO Seattle Ny cargo
was worth s2,O0O,OOO and my ship
$500, 900 but I had no control over
the cargo, hence I did as L was or
dered to do on advice from the en-
bassy
'sBut I'm February the embassy
wired me that Admiral Kolchak
was dead ana that the old Russian
government had fallen, adding that
/ was 10 give up my ship. This /
refused 20 do. as l considered that
the ship belonged to the Russian
people, and not 10 any party which
CHANGED % be in power.
Later this year Benklevsky came
aboard several times trying 20 urge
me 20 leave my ship but l refused.
He IS an assistant naval attache Of
the Russian embassy at Washing
ton
He came aboard Friday. July
20, the day before the seizure and
told me at that time he was going
90 Del Monte. a summer resort near
San Fran CISCO, on a pleasure trip.
He said that ROmanOsky. the Rus
sian Consul at san Francisco, was
also going out OF the city. He did
this TO throw me OF the track, as
the next morning he came aboard
at seven o'clock armed"
United States naval officers at
Mare Island. Cal. following the
seizure OF the ROgday by Menzelev-
sky. and his followers, declared
that the status of the transport
should be determined by the Amer
fcan State Department because Of
the international question concern
ed insofar as Captain Benkl evsky
claimed 10 be representative of
the Kercnsky regime. which is the
only Russian government reCog-
nized by the United States.
Although each faction involved
in the controversy has charged the
other with being in some manner
connected with the Bolshevist gov
eminent in Russia, each In turn
vigorously denied that Il sought
possession Of the Rogday in behalf
OF the Soviet regime.