No. 581.
Mr. Lothrop to Mr. Bayard.
St. Petersburg, February 23, 1887. (Received March 14.)
Sir: I had intended to withhold a report of the the case of Abraham. Thiessen, mentioned in my dispatch of the 18th ultimo, No. 92, until I had information that Thiessen was actually out of Russia.
But I notice in American papers, received last evening, that there is a report in Nebraska that Thiessen had formerly been sent to Siberia for Nihilism; that he thence escaped to [America?] 5 that returning to Russia he had been rearrested and executed.
I am glad to say that no part of this is true, except his arrest, and that from this, by earnest efforts, we have procured an order for his release.
It seems that Thiessen, who was a Mennonite living in Southern Russia, was interned in the Government of Kaluga “for raising agrarian questions and exciting the Mennonites to emigration,” and from thence, he escaped to the United States, where he became naturalized. Last summer he came to St. Petersburg, as he informed me, at the request of his Mennonite brethren, to see if he could not procure the Government to correct some alleged frauds respecting a grant of lands to Mennonites.
Thiessen informed me that he had escaped from custody on leaving Russia, and I at once warned him of his danger, and how difficult it [Page 952] might be to aid him if he was rearrested. He, however, thought he would run the risk, and actually obtained from the police permission to stay in Russia six months. He also succeeded in bringing his business before some of the Imperial departments. Finally, in November, he concluded to visit Southern Russia, thence intending to return to America. I advised him not to go there, but he felt secure in the recognition he had secured here.
On December 10 I received oral intelligence that he was arrested, and very rigorously imprisoned at Berdiansk. I at once wrote to the foreign office, asking to be informed of the grounds of his arrest, and asked his release as an American citizen. I also pointed out that his visit was not clandestine, that he had been openly engaged in business with high officials here. At the same time I wrote to our consul, Thomas E. Heenan, esq., at Odessa, giving him full information in the case, so far as I knew, and asking him to inquire into it and do anything he could to aid Thiessen, being careful to use all proper discretion. The result was that, on January 17 Mr. Heenan was able to inform me generally that Thiessen was arrested under the law which prohibits a Russian subject, without permission, to leave the Empire and to acquire foreign naturalization; and that he had been handed over to the civil authorities and bail refused.
Mr. Heenan then wrote to the governor of Taurida, within whose jurisdiction Thiessen was confined, claiming that Thiessen’s alleged offense had been purged by the general pardon promulgated by the Emperor at his coronation, and insisting on Thiessen’s prompt release as an American citizen.
On January 26 the governor notified Mr. Heenan that the imperial minister of the interior had ordered that Thiessen should quit the country, never to return.
It seems that at this time Thiessen had been in hospital, and on the next day Thiessen telegraphed from Nagansk that he was there on his way to Odessa, without money or food. At Mr. Heenan’s instance, Thiessen’s friends took steps to have his wants supplied. The telegram indicated that he was one of a party of prisoners.
Nothing further was heard by Mr. Heenan until February 15, when he received a letter from the governor, dated February 8, in which be said: “Thiessen sent from Berdiansk on the 13th of January (January 25, n. s.), in accordance with an order received from the minister (of the interior) to the Odessa police master, for expulsion abroad.”
From this official statement it appears that Thiessen was sent from Berdiansk, on his way to the frontier for liberation, about four weeks ago. This is the latest information I have on the subject, nor had Mr. Heenan received anything further up to February 15. As Thiessen had been ill, and may have been subject to exposure on his winter journey, I shall not feel quite easy till I hear that he is safely across the frontier.
He was certainly liable to severe punishment, from which he was saved only by our timely intervention in his behalf. The great distances in this enormous Empire and the difficulties of communication present obstacles which can not be well appreciated in the United States.
It is proper that I should make acknowledgments for the great assistance I have received from Mr. Heenan. Not only in this business but in all matters in which I have had occasion to ask his official aid, I have found him most prompt, efficient, and discreet, and it gives me great pleasure to make this known to the Department.
I remain, etc.,