The Nome nugget., 1921-07-30

those in need, together with much needed medicines to the afflicted. The Sredni officials also submitted de- tailed statements regarding the Polar Btslr and Belinda, the cargo carried and other data which convinced the fakutsk authorities that his state rnents and papers were true. The re- | DOT: of the kind treatment given by Capt. Gudmundson to the Kolyma people made a decided impression in his favor and firmly established him in the regard of the Yakutsk residents. l The commission at once decided in his favor respecting the seizure of the furs and resolved to call Il public meeting of Yakutsk citizens to protest to the authorities at Onsk. Matters were going finely but almost within the hour of :he decision of the committee the situation was given a new and de- cidedly unpleasant turn by the receipt of & wireless message signed by George kisibion of the Karioff Brothers con- cern. claiming tha: Capt. Gudmurd- son has misappropriated certain goods from the t'arioff tra ,nr stations an denouncing him as pirate" Capt. Gudmundson was secretly informed of .he dispatch and it's colt nts ard on appelrancs boldly entered the hall the following morning, without await dng the fomma1ity of a request for his 1 appearance, boldly entered the hall where 're com'nittee was engaged m discussing the new charges against him. His unexpected appearance created something of stir but no ef- fort was made to eject him. Gudmund- son resolved to figuratively take the | bull by the horns and when asked by one of the committee if he had any I goods on his ship belonging to others, admitted such to be the case but showed tha: he was in possession of certain goods belonging to the karioff company under a former trading agreement between Karioff's and the Alaska Siberian Fur Company, of which Gudmundson was general man. l aser. The goods were in no sense stolen and to prove :he fact Capt. | Gudmundson was able to produce lei ters and receipts signed by the Karioff agent at East Cape showing that such goods as belonging to Karioff Brothers were on board the Polar Bear by spe- citic agreement between that concern and .he Alaska Siberian Fur Company. This agreement permitted Capt Gud- mundson. as manager for the join. firm to dispose of the goods as he, saw fit
 A detailed record. showing where he goods had been sald and the amount received was also an important factor in the evidence presented to the com m.tee.
 The showing apparently cleared away the doubts created by the tele- gram from Karioff and the committea proceeded to send telegram to Vlad- ivostok detailing its Investigations The message recited Capt. Gudmund- suns assistance to .he crew of the Stav;rpool, how he had succored tn" famne threatened residents of koly- ma and of his offer to take 25 tons of flour from :he Stavarpool to the people of the kolyma district free of charge
 \ reply was received from the Vladi- vostok authorities later to give Gud- mundsun all the assistance possible.
 The Yakutsk officials were also m dispute with the Kaiioffs .he Central I Soviet government of Moscow would
 leave adjustment to the government of Nladivos.ok. In the meantime Capt. Gudmundson was patiently waiting an answer to the telegram
 sant to the central government at
 Omsk regarding his furs. He was no:
 permitted to send telegrams to any point himself and after waiting in | Yakutsk three weeks without a reply I decided to return to the Polar Bear
 He found, however tha. the Yakutsk judiciary department reckoned other wise and announced it's intention of detaning him until everything con- nected with :he Polar Bear had been thrashed out. This caused some dis sention and led to a protest by the commercial department. Matters were
 becoming decidedly strained again when the army department settled the controversy by siding with Gudmund- son. The officials of that department informed him that he could go if he wished and announced they would give