861.00/4613: Telegram
The Minister in China (Reinsch) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received June 2, 7:55 p.m.]
Following from [Harris at] Omsk.
[“]247. May 31st, 2 p.m. Vice Consul Fowler, Chita, reports following incident:
‘Major Gravis’56 train held up here Friday and Saturday by Semenoff officials and [who] demanded the car occupied by Major Gravis claiming it as theirs and as having been taken from them at Harbin. I saw Semenoff commandant and was informed that the train would be held indefinitely until car was given up. When asked if he recognized Allied control of the railroad he answered that he has never been officially informed of the fact and therefore as he was not recognized by the Allies he in turn did not recognize their control. Mr. Stevens arrived Saturday morning and saw Semenoff but the train was not released. Finally Colonel Kurasava of the Japanese Military Mission was seen and had the train released immediately and Major Gravis left last night. Mr. Stevens had left previously about noon. Major Gravis asked me to especially mention the prompt and businesslike action taken by Colonel Kurasava’.
Major Gravis, an American, was distributing American railway assistants along Trans-Baikal Railway. [Harris.]”
- Member of the Russian Railway Service Corps.↩