To the Editor of the Norta-Cama Dairy News."
Sir,—In October, 1923, the Volunteer Detachment under my command, after five months fighting with the Communists, passed the frontier of Chinese Turkestan near Tchugutchack and disarmed. The conditions upon which the dis-ammament took place were agreed upon and signed by representatives of the local Chinese authority. These conditions were in no respect fulfilled by the Chinese. The Communists demanded the extradition of myself and of my detachment. The Governor of Tchugutchack did not dare to do this immediately. But all the ensuing time his policy was "irected to force the detachment by hunger and by different provoking and unlawful deeds to return to Soviet Russia. During five months stay in Tchugutchack nothing was done which could be regarded a violation of local or international laws, neither by my de tachment as a whole nor by me as the commander of the Jetachment or as private person. Nevertheless on February 18, 1921, 1 was invited by the Governor of Tchugutchack "(a Chinese town) under pretext of discussing detachment matters and arrested, put in chains and sent to prison in Urumchi.
Soon afte: my arrest neatly: Il the men of my detachment were arrested, sent by patties to Soviet Russia and given over to Communists. No accusation was produced to me, neither when I was arrested nor afterwards and the reasons for the arrest were not explained to me. I was a prisoner during two years. During all this time the chains were not taken from me. I was not given the possibility to wash myself. Neither the priest. nor the physician were admitted to me. I was deprived of any intercourse with the outer world. Interviews and correspondence were strictly prohibited to me. Pencil and paper were not allowed: I was not permitted to have money, necessary for improvement of the bad food of the prison, neither was it allowed to bring it from outside. During all this time I was not judged, neither was I examined in spite of my demands. In the end of June, 1921, foot-blocks were laid upon my feet besides the chains. No reasons for that were explained to me. After six days the foot-blocks were taken off.
In (March of this year I was suddenly released and sent under guard towards the Bast. All my own property and valuables as well as those of my detachment were pillaged by the Chinese. After my release nothing was returned to me. Sending me to the east the authorities of Chinese Turkestan, after _my two years' imprisonment, did not give me any means, not even for subsistance during my journey. I succeeded in reaching Shanghai only thanks to the aid of the foreign missions.
Intending now, on arrival in the Far East, to raise the question of the responsibility. of the Chinese authorities in Turkestan for cruel and unlawful conduct towards me personally, 1 also have in view the fate of Ataman Annenkoff who is still suffering in the same prison of Urumchi. Interested in quick and favourable solution of this question I apply herewith to all who witnessed and were participators in the events of 1920/23 in Sinkiang—asking them to let me have all intormation and documents at their dis-" posal, relating to my affair and especially to the affair of Ataman Annenkoff.
I am, etc., D. Suisnkry.
Former Commander. of the Volunteer Detachment. c/o Dr. Kasakoff, 91 Szechuen Road, Shanghai, Aug. 7, 192!
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.