The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1920-08-10
RUSSIAN BOAT
IN LITIGATION

| SNN FNHf'lS'o, 'Hls NuB w
The R0gday. transport OF the Rus
sian volunteer fleet, which arrived
In San Francisco harbor from New
York via ManzanIllo. for bunkers on
January 20, has become the central
/ figure In a new international situa-
tion involving two extinct Russian
| governments. the Kerensky and Kol-
chak regimes and tho United States.
The Rogday B OF squat and prosSic
appearance and her history includes
scrylc. on the great lakes. as we'll
a. a freight carrier and transport for
the Russian government In the Rus
sian volunteer fleet. She served on
the great lake IA the Nevada. and
was constructed by the Manitowoc
shipbu'lding and Drydock company
at Chicago. She was sold to Russia
In the latter part OF 1919. The Rog-
day In u steel screw propeller steamer
with net tonnage OF i,07s tons. or
a gross tonnage Of 2.2i2 tons She
IN electrically lighted. equipped with
wireless telegraph and has three
decks. Duluth. MINI, was the home
port OF tn. Rogday while under
American registry. Her registry
was changed To Russian at the time
OF her sale to Russia.
Following "a litigation In federal
courts here. the Rogiay vas ordered
handed over TO Commander NJ. Cor
densv. representative OF the Kolchak
government. who was the Rogday's
captain when she put into port here.
on the morning OF Saturday, July
%. about 7 o'clock a boarding party
under th. leadership OF Lieutenant
Commander A Kenklcysky. an assist
snt naval attache OF the Russian en- /
bassy at Washington. ID. C.. went
aboard the Rogday. which was moor
ed In China basin and seized the
transport
Captain Mily Gordenev. deposed
OF the Rogday. In a state
msnt following the seizure OF the
transport said he was commissioned
by the KoIchak government. known
as the old Russian government. In
October. 1919. and was to proceed
from New York via the Panama canal
to San Francisco. thence to Vladi-
Arriving at San Francisco
In January. 1890. I was told to dis
charge my cargo and send II to Seat
tie My cargo was worth S2.00O.0OO
and my ship S:o0.o but had no
control over the cargo, hence ! did
ss I was ordered to do on advice from
the embassy.
But In February the embassy
wired me that Admiral Koichak was
dead and that the old Russian gov
srnment had fallen. adding that I
was to give up my ship. This ! re-
fused to do. as I considered that the
ship belonged to the Russian people !
and not TO any party which chanced
10 be- In power.
Later this year Benkievsky came
aboard several times trying to urge ,
ne TO leave my ship. but I refused.
He Is an assistant naval attache Of
he Russian embassy at Washington.
He came aboard Friday. July 20.
he day before the seizure and told
ne ut that time he was going to Del
Monte. a summer resort near San
Francisco. on . pleasure trip. He
aid that Romanossky. the Russian I
,onsul In San Francisco. was also
IoinG out Of the city. He did this to
brow me Off the track. as the next
uornlng he came aboard at Z O'Clock
Irmed."
Unitsd States naval officers at
fare island. Cal. following the seis-
ire Of tho Rogday By Beuklsvsky
nd his followers. declared that the
tatus Of the transport should DO de-
srmined BY the American state do
artment because Of the internation- 5
I question concerned. insofar ~
'aptsin Benkievsky claimed to be .
representative OF the Kerensky re-
ime. which is the only Russian gov ;
rnment recognized by the United 4
tates.
Although each faction involved In J
he controversy has charged the !
ther with being In some manner \
onnected with the Bolshevik gov
rnment In Russia. each In turn Wig !
rously denied that 1t sought possess I
ION OF the Rogday In behalf of the ]