File No. 861.00/1048
The Consul at Vladivostok (Caldwell) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 4, 4.31 p.m.]
Practically all the guests in the principal hotel here were robbed February 4, 3 a.m., by thirty armed men in militia uniforms, booty estimated 1,000,000 rubles; one American robbed of over 5,000 rubles and passport and one Frenchman lost 53,000 rubles. Rooms occupied at least an hour and half but police officers did not appear. There was no shooting or violence as the robbers secured admittance to rooms as militia inspecting passports, then held up occupants with pistols and bayonets. Robberies becoming more frequent, Japanese [Page 38] being frequently assaulted and robbed on streets and in their shops, Japanese Consul some time ago demanded, and Consular Corps is now jointly demanding, better protection, but we anticipate no improvement as the authorities powerless. Public opinion expressed that this hotel robbery will induce foreign intervention.