Jacob Schiff at Wentworth

Wentworth figured as the venue for side conferences on war finances, including direct meetings between Witte and Jacob Schiff, a New York banker who was assisting the Japanese to protest the treatment of Jews in Russia. Schiff was helping Korekiyo Takahashi, Japan’s Financial Commissioner with the task of funding his government’s war bonds in London and was so revered as an agent of the peace in Japan that he earned the Order of the Rising Sun (still in the possession of the Schiff Family). On August 13th, the New York World reported, “Jacob H. Schiff, of New York, representing Kuhn, Loeb and Company, accompanied by Mr. Seligman and Mr. Strauss, of J. and W. Seligman and Company, will arrive in Portsmouth tomorrow to confer with the Russians.”

When he did arrive at Wentworth, he was received by Witte. The World reporter commented,  “The visit of Mr. Schiff at this time is of great importance, as it has a direct bearing upon the peace negotiations. Of the two cablegrams sent by Mr. Witte immediately after he received the terms of the Japanese — one to the Rotheschilds and one to the banking house in Antwerp — the one to Antwerp was referred to Kuhn, Loeb and Company.  This financial house is called in for one of two things.  Either the Russians want to raise money to pay an indemnity or they want to discuss the probabilities of getting money with which to continue the war.”

 

While the Russian Jewish shopkeepers had challenged the Imperial guests about the pogroms in their homeland, Mr. Schiff took the occasion of this meeting to ask a pointed question of Witte regarding his own advisor at the conference, Gregory Wilenkin, a Russian Jew. Adolf Kraus, an additional member of the delegation reported,

 

Mr. Schiff at one time turned to M. de Witte, now Count Witte, with the following question: "Will you please tell me why you as a Russian have all the rights in that country which are given to any one, and why this man (pointing to Mr. Wilenkin), has no rights whatsoever? Is it because you as a man are a better man than he?" At the interview Count Witte informed us that it was the intention of the Government to grant a National Assembly to which the Jews would have a right to elect and be elected. That was the first information received in this country of the then intention of the Russian Government in that regard.

 

     

The hotel also provided the lobby for other petitioners. On August 21st, Rosen and Witte received Walter E. Rushforth, editor, and Arthur Bailey of the Illustrated Journal of Lawrence, Massachusetts, whose mission was to present to the Russian ambassadors a resolution (in Russian), from the Jewish residents of Lawrence, offering their perspective as countrymen of Russia and America:

 

“Though Americans, we have the natural love of all people for the land of their birth and it is our earnest — our constant prayer and hope that the white dove of peace shall find an abiding place as a result [of] your deliberations, and that prosperity and happiness shall take the place of bloodshed, riot and discontent, not only at home but abroad everywhere.

 

Another newspaper story described the hasty arrival of a man and a woman at the portico of the hotel: "I am Mr. Pingree of Boston," the man announced, leaping from his car. "I want to see Mr. Witte immediately." "Mr. Witte is a busy man," said Mr. Korostovetz, Witte's secretary. What was the nature, he asked, of Mr. Pingree's urgent visit? "I lived in Russia for two years," Pingree explained. "I have experienced the hospitality Americans receive there and I want to shake Mr. Witte's hand and tell him I am obliged for my treatment."

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