The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-04-13
SFMEN0FF THIEF,
STATES GRAVES
prssian Anti-Red General
Accused of Base Con-
duct by American
HIS MEN KILLED YANKS
g..od Into Box Car in Which
American Troops Were
Sleeping

u,,srrNGTON, April i2.-The
~ ,1B helpless Russian prison-
tou' fHc anti-bolshevist forces
ds =. tro .Bolshevist forces
n"ssn,g., was described before the
h me- .iuration and labor commit
Nn,,3,y by Mai. Gen. w. 5. Graves,
81, no commanded the Amer
L' military contingent formerly
I,o,iorr8 iu that country
hasrcs.rie Scmenoff, former anti
,.i.beyIE general now under arrest
N.,y York City, was denounced
, General Graves as man VINO
ss,sessod the reputation In Siberia
psSslpe a brutal and unconscion-
.bis murderer and robber.'
Graves FIRST Witness.
General Graves was the first wit
,sIral Ay Senator Borah, re-
,,tf,,,r " Idaho, the committee
tsirman. when the investigation OF
s',grrpU's activities in siberia
soJ or his presence in this country
General Graves related how on
... occasion an American officer
and four American soldiers were
popturod by Seminoffs anti-bolshe-
ylst soldiers and shot.
ue testified that at / o'clock one
r,orning Semenoffs men had fired
,r,o a boxcar In which American
soldiers we're sleeping and had
iiiled two and wounded several of
semenoff wes represented at the
hearing by John Kirkland Clark.
Urarsay. Says Representative.
clark. In questioning General
Graves sought to show that the lat
ieTs testimony had been based on
ebearsay evidence" and that the
general was relying upon reports OF
bs subordinatcs and OF bolshevists
ior the grave charges he made
AGAINST Scmenoff rather than upon
any personal knowledge he possessed
as an eye witness OF Semenoff's re-
sponsib.ity.
General Graves produced an af-
fdayit he said had been made at
Chlta. September /, 1919. by Lieut.,
John j. Mcdonald, an American for
merly connected with the Siberian
railroad, I'm which the cold-blooded
slaughter OF bolshevist prisoners by
Semenoff's soldiers was described in
revolving detail.
In his affidavit Mcdonald told OF
murder train" from which Rus
sian men and women were dragged
by Semenoffs soldiers and brutally
massacred.
Given Only Shallow Grave.
The ground was Uttered with
torn clothing and all kinds OF pa
pers," Mcdonald continued. 'The
graves Of the victims we saw only
had thin layers of earth on top of
them, and dogs and other animals
had dragged Come OF the bodies
out"
That same night" the affidavit
concluded, "Semenoff went through
on his way east. There were num-
bers Of Japanese on the train and
some women. They stopped at Ad-
fainoyka and staged a celebration.
They had plenty OF booze. Then
Semenoff went further east 10 Vlad-
yOstOk."
Graves statements were corro-
borated by Col. Charles II. Morrow,
d Frankfort, Ky. Morrow told OF
Wholesale slaughtering of Russians.
both men and women, by troops from
semenoffs forces. He also des-
cuoed the "armOred train battle" in
which two American soldiers were
fatally wounded. The deaths OF
hese Two men were blamed on Sc
mCnOff.
General Graves clashed repeatedly
with Semenoffs counsel as the
American officer made no effort
70 conceal his unfavorable opinion
OF the former antl-bolshevist leader
From my knowledge of Semenoff
WhIe l was stationed in Siberia,
ne pore general reputation as a
man who had very little. IL any,
regard Tor human life or property"
SAID the general.
Often Violated Agreement.
ueneral Graves said Semenoff had
repeatedly sent armored cars filled
E!'h anti-bolshevist soldiers over the
sector or the Siberian railroad guard
ca oy American troops, in 1918 and
Wv In violation, he declared. OF
On agreement that Semenoffs men
should keep out OF that sector.
GENERAL Graves accused Semenoff
ana his soldiory OF having held up
~ trains crossing the border be-
tween Siberia and Manchuria in
suly 1919, and OF robbing and Ill
uea'ing their Russian and Chinese
passengers.
Aboard one train, 40 miles from
.o oerlan-Manchurlan line, Sem
Oits S5S men took a total OF 10000
wv russian rubles from Russians
sHu sn, chinese" General Graves added.
No receipts were given for what
vas taken. II was sheer robbery"
ueneral Graves testified that on
SnSS'her occasion Semenoffs soldlery
nau held up a train aboard which
1u american lieutenant and 90
ss,Inefican soldiers were conveying
Situs us sent from this country 10
,t.ue'a II was his understanding
@al lho arms were intended for