Russian Tells Story of Woe

Russian Tells Story Of Woe Among Refugees ... Interpreter Bares Thrilling Trip of 526 Members of Stark Party ... Survivors Brave Rigors of Tragic Flight From Soviet Hordes.

San Francisco Chronicle
July 2, 1923

The story of the 526 refugees who arrived here yesterday on the United States transport Merritt is a touching tale, filled with adventure and excitement, as told by one of their number who had been with them from the start at Vladivostok on October 22, 1922 to the present day.   He is Russian, speaks English. and on several points along the route he has acted as interpreter, even finding employment in that capacity during the four months the refugees stayed in Manila.   

"It was was when the Bolsheviks came down on us in Vladivostok," he said, "that Admiral Yuri Stark of the White Russian Navy gathered every Russian sailor and soldier he could carry and took every boat in the harbor except except 3 Japanese icebreakers.  Altogether about 14,000 of us started and some were in boats as short as 70 feet and of less then 200 tons displacement. The largest ship was not more then 700 tons. Some of the ships had no boilers, some no fuel, and some were without pieces of machinery."

Driven By Japanese

"First we went to Genzan in Chogan, that is Chinese for Korea, and stopped there, but the Japanese drove us away just as a great typhoon came up and in the great storm we lost a boat with more than 740 of our comrades.  Some of the boats went to Shanghai, China from Korea and some turned about to go back to Russia again, so great did the difficulties seem.  In China, he continued we were given some fuel, some coal.  After we had tried to use it we found it was more nearly dirt or trash, but kept the the ships going, though and many had to be towed and otherwise helped.  We lost another boat on a reef on this trip and seventeen more were killed, but they were as nothing compared to the number we lost since starting who had deserted or who had tried to make their way back to Russia.  Finally eleven ships got to Manila with about 800 refugees. We worked there building houses, and I worked at interpreting. There were 120 women and 35 children and the Red Cross cared for them and us for more than four months."

Members Mutiny 

"We were at Mariveles and Olongapo, and while there some got drunk and some mutinied.  Our own officers discovered the mutiny and sixteen were sentenced to prison. Then we left Manila on this ship, the USAT Merritt. We were to run the ship ourselves, to do the work of the crew and firemen.  But when about 200 or 300 miles out, we found we were unable to work at the fires.  I was one who tried to work in the heat but could not do it and became sick, and could not work.   Captain Fuller had the Filipinos stoke the fires, and we had to return.  At Manila, we left Admiral Stark, who might gone to Finland, and Lt.General Peter Heiskanin took command. We also left our ships, but they were all battered or useless or lost.  Some tried to return to Russia."

Leave For San Francisco

"From Manila we went to Nagasaki and from Nagasaki we left for San Francisco.  The first day from Nagasaki a 5 month old baby died on the ship.  Otherwise our trip on the USAT Merritt had been without incident and had been the least of the trying times on our long journey.  We discovered a Filipino stowaway whom the captain put ashore on some island after we were a ways out.  Finally we came here after 38 days at sea."

This man has no friends in San Francisco or the rest of America and does not know what he is going to do.  He is very glad be get here, and said he knows he will find something useful to work at.

Last of The White Army and Navy

San Francisco, July 1, 1923 -  A little bit of Russia drifted in through the Golden Gate this morning on the US Army Transport Merritt, 526 men, women and children refugees, the last of the white army and white navy. For two years they have been seeking a home. For two years they have wandered from port to port, enduring hunger and disease and hardships innumerable, nowhere welcomed, nowhere aided until America took note of them and held out a helping hand.

Some of them wore the uniform of the armies of the Czar, of Generals Denikin and of Wrangel. Some of them wore the clothes the American Red Cross gave them in Manila.  Lieutenant General Peter Heieskanin is in charge of the refugees. The Rev. Serge Denisoff is the chaplain. These and Prince Alexis Chegodaieff, a powerful figure in the czar’s regime, are the important influential men among these people. There are 254 single men, 70 married couples, 87 single women and 45 children.  Five of the children have lost both father and mother.

New York Times

USAT Merritt Docked

Russian Refugees Landing Today

Russian Refugees Landing Today Pose A Problem ... City And Government Officials Wonder What To Do With Them ... Each Must Have Cash ...  Local Officials Declare That those Coming Are Guests Of The Nation.

San Francisco Chronicle
Chronicle Shipping News And Travel
Sunday, July 1, 1923

Just what is to be done with 526 Russian refugees due in San Francisco today on the US Army transport Merritt is a problem facing Immigration Commissioner John D. Nagle.  The only instructions he has received from Washington DC are to examine and admit them the same as other immigrants.  

If they can pass the tests they may stay, if not they may be ported.  Where is not exactly known, for they have no homes to be returned to.  They were driven out of Siberia some months ago by the present government because they were aristocrats of the old regime.  At every port they entered the authorities refused to admit them.  Rejected everywhere in Asia the refugee fleet was almost shipwrecked off the Philippines, where the United States Government took pity on them and allowed the Russians to land, and is now bringing them to San Francisco at federal government expense.

Must Have Money

One of the provisions of immigration law is that immigrants must either have money or have friends or relatives in America who will guarantee the new arrivals will not become public charges.  The refugees are penniless and only a few of them have friends in America.  A small number are tradesmen and might make a living here, but it is said the majority are aristocrats who have never done a day's work and never will.  They refused to work on the transport radio messages stated.

As there are not not sufficient accommodations at Angel Island, the refugees will not be taken there for examination, rather the tests will be conducted on board the ship as rapidly as possible.  To avoid delay, the work will be started as soon as the Merritt docks at noon today.

Must be Examined

"We can't tell what we will do with the refugees until after they have been examined," said Commissioner Nagle yesterday.  "Each case will have to taken up separately."

Municipal authorities and the San Francisco Red Cross have informed headquarters in Washington DC that the city should not be called upon to look after the refugees alone, the Russians being "guests" of the Nation and not of the city.

The Russian Relief Society yesterday agreed to take temporary care of all refugees who have no friends or relatives in the United States.  All of them who are not released at once to their friends or relatives will be taken to the army barracks at Fort McDowell until their cases can be disposed of.