The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-04-07
ANTE-RED LEADER IS HELD IN THEFT OF $475,OOO IN GOODS
Is Released Under $25,000 Bond After Being Held Under Guard in Hotel
 for Five Hours
By Associated Press

NeW loEh1 ApAlt O.---AiEeSbcu uekC upon his arrival from Washington in connection with a civil suit inyolv- ing the theft in Trans Baikalia in 1919 of goods valued at $475,000, General Gregorie Semenoff, anti bolshevik military leader in Siberia, was released on S25,00O bail shortly before midnight after being held under guard in the Waldorf-Astoria hotel for five hours.
 Taken into custody by deputy sheriffS hs he left hIx train in the Pennsylvania station. General seme- noff was permitted to go to the hotel with his wife and secretary, there t0 seek hail. While his secretary busted himself at the telephone, the Cossack leader pnced the floor, hating fre- any success.
 Madame semenoff earlier in tho evening had taken jeweled necklace valued at s5O.OO0 from her neck and offered it as bail. She was told. however. that it was not acceptable.
 Shortly before midnight NJ. B. Elstein. of the Fidelity and Deposit company of Maryland agreed 10 furnish the $25.00O. the papers were signed and the guard withdrawn.
 The order of arrest had been re- quested by counsel for receivers of the Youreavata company. The re- quest was accompanied by affidavits from Maj. Gen. William $. Graves, commander of the American eSpedi- tionsry force in siberia, and Charles H. Smith. American representative on the in.er-allied railway committee. Both were said to have denounced the general in their affidavits, referring to him as a "banditH and 'ruffian.y
 The general. when arrested, was accompanied by wife, beautiful woman. exquisitely sowned and wearing necklace of gems she said was worsh s50,00c, and his secretary and interpreters Misak Aivasoff, who was employed at Vancouver B. c.
 Isxpected CorsiaI Reception
 The anti bolshevik leader had been told, he said that he would be cor dially received in New York and that he would be given quarters befitting the terror Of red battalions. The SHtIillt ms utV tllt5f anu IuilIlldH porter composed the reception rom- mittee
 One of the deputies whc lad learned how the general won fame, stepped forward t:midly. handed him the orr der of arrest and jumped back as r he@expeeted swordthrust The general bowed and Madame Semen off smiled. The general evidently was preparing b deliver an address of thanks when his int preter step- ped into the scene.
 When Aivasoff convinced GeIer-l Semenoff that was under arrest, Madame Semenoff burs into tears. took off her necklace and offered it as security if they would let her husband go free. But the general quieted her and asked rmission to go to the hotel for several hours be- fore being taken to jail.
 He said. he thought he could find friends no would help him.
 The charges against his he an- swered .a3. follows:
 Can't Remember Theft
 ''I have no recollection of it. All was chaos in Siberia at that time. Everybody took what they thought they could use or sell. The bol- sheviki stole from me. stole from tht CO oAtNAhis DUH Ol us SlOlG where we foutr something to steal. How am I to remember whether I took these particular goods?"
 General and Madame Semenoff then were taken 10 the Waldorf Astoria. Madame again offered her necklace in lieu of the cash for bail only to be told it was not acceptable.
 Later the cossack general agreed to talk to newspaper men. They found him pacing the floor. running his fingers through his heavy ocks of hair, pursing his lips so that the sharp mustache points darted up and down like the bayonets of a march, ing column.
 And as he paced, he said:
 General Graves, the American sol- dier. and MT. Smith of tse railroad committees are alleged to have said in their affidavit that 1 am ruffian and tn f l was recognized by none of the powers. There is some slight mistake. Did not Japan and Great Britain and France give me money much money2and supplied me three months of 1917 and all through 1918? To be sure they did.
 Admits Ghastly Error
 General Graves says I killed two American soldiers on post, guarding the T. a~Si5erian railway. I mourn that my men did So by ghastly error. For this tragedy. however. my men suffered. I urt-martialed and shot Lieutenant Colonel Poporf because he was in command of the men who fired upon the box ca. sheitering your spls ndii soldiers. Likewise court martialed and kicked out of my splendid army. General Dogomonez. because he was partly responsible.