Mr. Breckinridge to Mr. Gresham.

No. 11.]

Sir: I write in further reply to your No. 252, of October 27, addressed to Mr. Peirce and in response to Mr. Uhl’s No. 12, of November 16, since received.

As I infer from No. 252 that copies of papers in the case meet the requirements of the Department (they being copies of the required official reports of the death of Krzeminski that Mr. Peirce sent), and as the originals may be needed in further proceedings here, I still retain the original certificates from Warsaw.

In response to the request for “any other information” in regard to this matter, and in order that, you may possess the fullest view of the case that I can present, I herewith transmit copies of correspondence between this legation and the consul at Warsaw. These are in addition [Page 553] to the papers transmitted with Mr. Peirce’s Nos. 282 and 285, of October 23 and 26.

Attention is called to the letter from the consul at Warsaw of November 3, copy inclosed. None of the correspondence of August 3 and immediately thereafter, set forth in this letter of November 3, is of record in this legation. And Mr. Peirce informs me that so far as he knows this legation had no further information that Warsaw was the place of Krzeminski’s imprisonment than that the minister of the interior had so stated in an informal conversation until the consul’s letter of October 3, communicating the intelligence of the death of Krzeminski, was received. It appears, however, from a note from Mr. White to the foreign office, dated September 6/18, that he was still ignorant of the fact.

In regard to the removal of the body of Krzeminski, I this day addressed a communication to the Imperial Government in accordance with your instructions, and I will report the result to you as soon as a reply is received.

I have, etc,

Clifton E. Breckinridge.
[Inclosure 1 in No. 11.]

Mr. Rawicz to Mr. Peirce.

Sir: Referring to my communication of 21st instant, I beg to state that yesterday I received the correspondence from the chief of the prison where Krzeminski died, which I have forwarded to you in a separate envelope together with certificate of death furnished by them, all in translation, legalized.

Krzeminski’s alleged crime dates from 1860, the time when the preparation for the last Polish revolution began, and perhaps this is the reason that, being counted as a political crime, such delay in answer to my inquiry was made.

It is shown by the above-mentioned correspondence that this consulate received after Krzeminski’s death from the authorities of the prison 17 roubles 28 kopecks and 3 silver pieces, which I intend to return to the widow, who called on this consulate several days ago, requesting that the particulars concerning his death be communicated to her.

Your obedient servant,

Joseph Rawicz,
U. S. Consul.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 11.]

Mr. Peirce to Mr. Rawicz.

Dear Sir: I am in receipt of your letter of 21st instant, and also of the documents forwarded by you under separate cover, viz, certificate of death and medical certificate.

[Page 554]

I am very glad to get these, as they enable me to report the cause of Krzeminski’s death to the State Department.

I must, however, call your attention to the fact that in my letter of October 9 I especially requested you to forward to me report upon the cause of Krzeminski’s death. As it appears from the document itself that you were in possession of the physician’s certificate giving the cause of the death at the time you received my letter, it seems to me strange, in view of the special request made by me for haste in this matter, that you did not forward it at once. You will be good enough to explain the delay in reporting the cause of Krzeminski’s death promptly and as instructed.

I am, etc.,

Herbert H. D. Peirce,
Chargé d’Affaires.
[Inclosure 3 in No. 11.]

Mr. Peirce to Mr. Rawicz.

Sir: Referring to the death from pneumonia of Stanislaus Krzeminski in the examination prison at Warsaw, you will please visit the prison, and if possible inspect the cell or other apartment or room in which the said Krzeminski was incarcerated, with a view to ascertaining, if you can, whether the disease was induced by exposure owing to the manner of his treatment during confinement, and report.

I am, etc.,

Herbert H. D. Peirce.
[Inclosure 4 in No. 11.]

Mr. Rawicz to Mr. Peirce.

Sir: Your favor of 22d instant received, and in answer I beg to refer to my letters of 21st and 23d instant, which I hope have reached the legation by this time.

To-day I have received from the prison authorities the medical certificate dated on the 30th of September (old style), or 12th of October of our calendar, which I have the honor to communicate here inclosed, together with translation, legalized.

The facts concerning the death of Stanislaus Krzeminski, which Mr. Webb may be in possession of, can not be other than those I have communicated to you in my previous letters, as Mr. Webb was introduced to the prison authorities by the secretary of this consulate, who acted at the same time as his interpreter.

During the imprisonment of Stanislaus Krzeminski nobody was permitted to visit him but my secretary, whose interviews were reported to the legation immediately.

I am, etc.,

Joseph Rawicz,
U. S. Consul.
[Page 555]
[lnclosure 5 in No. 11.]

Mr. Rawicz to Mr. Peirce.

Sir: Yesterday I forwarded to you, in registered letter, the official medical certificate of the cause of Krzeminski’s death, which was received by this consulate but yesterday, although I sent the official inquiry on the 2d day of this month.

The two documents I forwarded to you on the 21st instant were obtained in a private way, and as I intended to compare them with the official ones previous to my report, I have detained them here; hence the delay in my report.

Yesterday, after the sending of my report to you, an officer from the governor general’s office called on this consulate, and in consequence of your intervention at the foreign office at St. Petersburg inquired if the documents were furnished by the prison authorities, whom I informed that one of them was received but yesterday and immediately forwarded to the United States legation at St. Petersburg. Trusting that you will find this satisfactory, I am, etc.,

Joseph Rawicz,
U. S. Consul.
[Inclosure 6 in No. 11.]

Mr. Peirce to Mr. Rawicz.

Sir: Your favors of 26th and 27th instant, with inclosed certificate of death of Stanislaus Krzeminski, received.

In the former you refer to details of interviews by your secretary with Krzeminski and state that you reported the same to this legation.

As I find no letters to this effect from you, you will please send duplicates.

I am, etc.,

Herbert H. D. Peirce,
Chargé d’Affaires.
[Inclosure 7 in No. 11.]

Mr. Rawicz to Mr. Peirce.

Sir: In continuation of my letter of yesterday I beg to communicate to you that, not receiving permission direct from the authorities of the prison where Krzeminski died to visit his cell, I have sent to-day a request for permission to the governor of Warsaw, after receipt of which, and examination of the last abode of Krzeminski, I shall report to you accordingly.

Your obedient servant,

Joseph Rawicz,
U. S. Consul.
[Page 556]
[Inclosure 8 in No. 11.]

Mr. Rawicz to Mr. Peirce.

Sir: In answer to your correspondence of the 29th instant, I beg to communicate here below the copies of my letters concerning arrest of Krzeminski, as desired.

August 3, 1894.

His Excellency Andrew D. White,
U. S. Minister Plenipotentiary at St. Petersburg:

Yesterday I received a letter from a United States citizen, Mr. Stanislaus Krzeminski, who is detained in prison in this city. On the request of said Krzeminski I have sent my secretary to the prison to interview him, and his statement I beg to communicate to your excellency. “Stanislaus Krzeminski arrived in this country invested with a United States passport, issued by the Secretary of State at Washington. On the 2d day of April, this year, said Krzeminski was arrested at Intomiosk County, Lask, Government of Piotrkow, where also his passport and his United States citizen papers were detained. He was charged with a crime of becoming a citizen of the United States without a Russian emigration passport, according to section 325 of the statutes of this country. On the 18th day of June, by the report of the attorney-general (—————) of Piotrkow, under No. 9464, that charge against said Mr. Krzeminski was waived, he released, and then again, by the order of attorney-general of Warsaw, arrested, conveyed to Warsaw, and now, since the 18th day of June, imprisoned here without any trial.” Mr. Krzeminski, after making above statement, requested that his case be reported to your excellency, with his prayer for your assistance.

On the 15th of August I received a telegram signed by Mr. Creighton Webb, to which I wired an answer and sent the following letter:

Creighton Webb, Esq.,
Chargé d’Affaires, U. S. Legation, St. Petersburg:

Your telegram of 15th instant, “Ascertain and telegraph immediately to me present whereabouts of Stanislaus Krzeminski. Is he still in prison? Creighton Webb,” received, but as yesterday was here a holy day, therefore to-day I was able to ascertain, and have sent you an answer accordingly by telegraph: “American Ambassador, St. Petersburg, Krzeminski in the examination prison of Warsaw. Not examined yet.” I have delegated my secretary to interview Mr. Stanislaus Krzeminski to-day in prison, where Mr. Krzeminski has stated that since his imprisonment, viz, since 18th day of June, he has never been called before any court for examination, and repeated his request to the U. S. legation for assistance.”

My next correspondence in relation to the above case was directed to His Excellency Andrew D. White, minister plenipotentiary, on the 4th day of October, under No. 1347, which I presume is in your possession.

Referring to my last letter to you, No. 1373, of the 30th of last month, I beg to state that I have not received the answer from the governor concerning the permission to visit the cell of Krzeminski’s imprisonment yet.

Your obedient servant,

Joseph Rawicz,
U. S. Consul.
[Inclosure 9 in No. 11.]

Mr. Rawicz to Mr. Peirce.

Sir: In continuation of my correspondence in answering yours of the 24th, I have the honor to communicate that to-day I have received from the governor of Warsaw permission to visit the prison in which Stanislaus Krzeminski died, and now I am ready to report:

[Page 557]

The prison is situated at the Dzielna Str., and the cell, No. 15, in which Krzeminski was imprisoned, is located on the ground floor, for one inmate, about 8 by 12 feet in size, arched, with one half round small window, with a ventilator in the wall.

The hospital room in which Krzeminski died is on the third floor of the same building, situated on the south side, containing six beds, one of which is intended for the guardian of the room.

The appearance of the rooms and halls is clean, and the atmosphere throughout the building is pure.

Communicating the above I hope to satisfy fully your desire.

Your obedient servant,

Joseph Rawicz,
U. S. Consul.