Harbin, Sept. 28.
Though the Chinese authorities are carrying out minute investigations in the matter of the Russians Burlakof and Matveenko, who were found in possession of some infernal-machines and a large quantity of pyroxylin, it has not yet been Established where these men were bound for and for what express purpose they were carrying plosives capable of blowing up a whole town. For want of proper security elsewhere, the two men have been transferred to the local prison where they occupy separate cells, which are being specially guarded.
Of course the Soviet Consul denies that the men are Soviet agents and the has sent a letter of protest to the Commissioner of Foreign Affairs concerning the publicity: given by the "right" local Russian press to the affair, which he char-factorizes as provocation on the part of reactionaries, without any basis.
The _portmanteaux containing the explosive belonged to Bur-Jakoff and another man, who avoid. ed arrest. and escaped into the Soviet Consulate at Pogranitchraya; and this man probably will tried by" the, Tocal Military Court, Matveenko is an Ussuri Railway ind an ardent communist, lieged to have actively other two men in trying to get their baggage safely trans ferred from an Ussuri coach to the CER, train leaving for Harbin, The men had a special carriage given them to travel from Viadivostok to the Manchurian frontier, it therefore stands to reason that they wore acting in an official capacity.
Burlakoff maintains that he is employed in the Vladivostok branch of the Dalbank, that he had been sent by the Bank to Harbin to deliver the portmanteaux to the Dalbank here and that he did not Know what was in these two bags. The two infernal machines which were not in the bags, he says were handed him at the station Ussuri give to somebody at Grodekov, This he failed to do owing to having been asleep when the train passed this station, "He says he was told were for the ism.
According to the prison doctor Baron Budberg, who examined the prisoners when brought to the gaol, Burlakoft belongs to the working classes and has. two brothers Vladivostok working in flour-mills. He is about 27 years of age and not at all intelligent. Mr. Vu, the Civil Administrator, is taking much interest in the case and personally attends the examination of the Prisoners. The general impression that Burlakoft's objective was Mukden, owing to his having with him the large sum of U.S. $50,000 (which no doubt will be confis-seated), and that it blow up the Arse railitary establishment churian capital.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.