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Culbertson, U.S. Minister, and British Ambassador File Protest to Roumania

December 13, 1927
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Mistreatment of Keller, American Citizen, To Be Investigated

William S. Culbertson, the American Minister in Bucharest, lodged a vigorous protest with M. Titulescu against the mistreatment of William N. Keller, American-born citizen of Linden Hall, Pa., who was attacked by students in the Oradeamare riots, an Associated Press despatch from Bucharest states.

Deeply stirred by the case, M. Titulescu, who is still confined to his bed, sent for the American Minister and forthwith expressed the sincere regret of the Roumanian Government. He dispatched a special investigator from the Department of Justice to Oradeamare with instructions to probe the assault to the bottom, have Keller’s assailants apprehended and make the fullest report to the government.

The American Minister told M. Titulescu that if he failed to obtain satisfaction from the Roumanian Government he would go personally to Oradeamare and investigate the case.

Mr. Keller, who was formerly connected with the Near East Relief, is in business with his father at Oradeamare, the despatch stated.

A despatch to the “New York Times” states that following the arrival in Bucharest of “Mrs. Gottfried Kochler, the wife of Captain Koehler of Pennsylvania,” who was a victim of the Roumanian students’ anti-Semitic riots at Oradeamare, the American Minister informed the press that he had protested to the Roumanian Government and was impatiently awaiting a reply.

Captain Koehler was badly beaten and stabbed by the Roumanian students during the excesses against Hungarians and Jews when he attempted to address the students from a theatre balcony, asking peace. His attempts to telegraph to Minister Culbertson failed because the Roumanian Postoffice refused to send the telegrams.

The British Government likewise has protested over the injury of two British subjects at Oradeamare, who attempted to defend a textile factory and warehouse. The British Embassy has sent a representative to investigate the looting of two British merchants in Clausenburg.

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