Mr. Breckinridge to
Mr. Olney.
Legation of the United States,
St. Petersburg, August 27, 1896.
(Received Sept. 10.)
No. 375.]
Sir: Referring to my No. 333, of June 30, my
last communication to you upon the subject of the “sealers” arrested for
poaching on Robben Island, I now have the honor to inclose herewith copy
and translation of a note from Mr. Chichkine, of August 21, informing me
of the final sentence in the case, and also copy of my note of this date
to him in acknowledgment and reply.
The present sentence of one and one-half years’ imprisonment given by the
provincial court at Irkutsk, on the 20th of last March, was upon appeal
made by the procurator from the sentence of five months’ imprisonment
given by the district court of Vladivostok. Information of the latter
sentence was given in my No. 273, of April 2.
On yesterday, reception day at the ministry, and Prince Lobanow being
absent attending the Emperor, I called upon Mr. Chichkine, now in charge
of the foreign office, and had a talk with him about the five Americans
involved. Nothing very definite, however, could be learned or arrived
at.
In view of the interest the Department has taken in this case, and of the
various circumstances favorable to the Americans under sentence, I
considered it proper to write the note alluded to, requesting clemency,
which is respectfully submitted. As the whole case has been fully set
forth in my former communications to the ministry, I did not think it
best to do more than to refer those communications.
I have, etc.,
[Page 506]
[Inclosure 1 in No.
375.—Translation.]
Mr. Chichkine
to Mr. Breckinridge.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Asiatic
Department,
August 9/21, 1896.
Mr. Envoy: By my note of June 15, 1896, sub
No. 3640, relative to seventeen poachers arrested on Robben Island,
engaged in the illicit hunting of fur seals, I had the honor to
inform you that the procurator had made an appeal against the
sentence rendered in this affair by the district court of
Vladivostok.
To-day I have to inform you, according to a recent communication from
the competent administration, that, in consequence of this appeal,
the provincial court of Irkutsk, to whom the affair had been
submitted, returned, on March 20 last, a verdict by which the
individuals in question have been condemned to one and a half years’
imprisonment.
Kindly receive, etc.,
[Inclosure 2 in No.
375.]
Mr. Breckinridge to Mr. Chichkine.
Legation of the United States,
St. Petersburg, August 15/27, 1896.
Your Excellency: I have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your note of August 9/21, No. 3812, in
which you inform me that on the 20th of last March the provincial
court at Irkutsk gave sentence in the case of the seventeen sealers
arrested on Robben Island of imprisonment for one year and a half. I
do not fail to acquaint my Government with the information conveyed
by your excellency.
In view of the warm interest by my Government in the fate of the live
Americans, viz: Frank Peterson (Hill), James Malloney, Steve Brenan,
R. Sheehy, and Edward Howe, who are of the list just mentioned, and
of the circumstances favorable to them which have been transmitted
to me and which I have had the honor of transmitting in my former
communications upon this subject to the Imperial ministry of foreign
affairs, I feel justified in saying that if Imperial clemency could
be graciously exercised to the extent of pardoning these American
citizens from the remainder of their sentence, it would be an act
very grateful to my Government and very grateful to a large body of
the American people upon the Pacific Coast of the United States.
Your excellency’s good offices in presenting this wish as may seem to
you best and proper would be greatly appreciated.
I avail, etc.,
