Sam Povff (a.k.a. Henry Lang; Sam Brokr; Otto Schwarz; Harry Wulf)
Born: 1878, Poltava, Russia (present-day Ukraine)
Nationality: Russia
Ethnicity:
Occupation: Sailor; thief
Migration: Immigrated to US 1910
Affiliation: Anarchist
An anarchist since age 17. Arrested in 1899 for revolutionary activities but released. Later claimed he participated in a mutiny at the Kronstadt naval base and was sentenced to 13 years’ internal exile in Siberia, from which he escaped.
In the United States he briefly belonged to an anarchist organization in New York, then moved to the West Coast where he used numerous aliases and supported himself through apparently politically motivated theft. Arrested 1911 in Huntington, Oregon for larceny (receiving a two-year sentence); circa 1912 in Stockton for burglary (two years in San Quentin State Prison); and 1914 in Los Angeles for highway robbery (a six-year sentence, of which he served four years and two months). Arrested again in Portland in 1919 for attempted robbery of moonshine sellers, explaining “They had no right to poison the working class people. I think I had a right to rob them.” Immigration authorities called him “a most reprehensible and undesirable character.” Deported to Russia December 17, 1922.
Sources: INS file 54859/184.
Ivan Povlycic
Born:
Nationality: Yugoslavian
Ethnicity:
Occupation:
Migration:
Affiliation:
Deported to Yugoslavia as a radical, May 8, 1920. No further information has been found.
Sources: INS file 54325/36G.
Pearl Powell (a.k.a. Perl; Powel; Podell; Polia Pawlockaya)
Born: 1894, Russia
Nationality: Russian
Ethnicity:
Occupation:
Migration: Immigrated to US 1910
Affiliation: Communist Party of America
Member of the Communist Party in Brooklyn. Arrested during the second Palmer Raids in January 1920 and released on bail. Married fellow Brooklyn Communist David Sova, who had also been arrested in January 1920, in Philadelphia; he soon returned to Russia of his own accord. She “voluntarily departed” to Russia on December 23, 1920.
Sources: FBI file BS 40-2476-1; Minneapolis Star, December 27, 1920.
Andrei Pranka (a.k.a. Andy; Prauka)
Born: 1890, Chernihiv, Russia (present-day Ukraine)
Nationality: Russian
Ethnicity:
Occupation: Miner
Migration: Immigrated to US 1913
Affiliation: Union of Russian Workers
His wife and child remained in Russia. Joined the Monessen, Pennsylvania branch of the Union of Russian Workers. Arrested during the first Palmer Raids in November 1919 while participating in a miners’ strike. Deported on the Buford on December 21, 1919.
Sources: INS file 54709/475.
Ivan Pravoslavnov (a.k.a. John)
Born: 1898, Saratov, Russia
Nationality: Russian
Ethnicity:
Occupation: Laborer
Migration: Immigrated to US 1914
Affiliation: Union of Russian Workers
Worked for the Singer Sewing Machine Company. Radicalized in the United States and joined the Elizabethport, New Jersey branch of the Union of Russian Workers around 1917. Had a wife and American-born child in the US. Arrested during the second Palmer Raids in January 1920 and deported January 22, 1921.
Sources: INS file 54861/74; FBI file OG 8000-382507.
Francisco Prego (a.k.a. Frank)
Born: Galicia, Spain, year unknown
Nationality: Spanish
Ethnicity: Galician
Occupation: Sailor
Migration:
Affiliation: IWW
Brother of CNT leader and Solidaridad editor José Prego Veira of the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo. Involved in a maritime strike in New Orleans in 1913 and arrested for allegedly “shooting to kill” a policeman; sentenced to twelve years in prison. Deported in 1918.
Sources: The Voice of the People, July 31, 1913; Bieito Alonso, “Spanish Anarchists and Maritime Workers in the IWW,” in Wobblies of the World: A Global History of the IWW
Grigori Prigozy (a.k.a. Gregory; George)
Born: 1884, Vilna, Russia (present-day Lithuania)
Nationality: Russian
Ethnicity:
Occupation: Laborer
Migration: Immigrated to US 1912
Affiliation: Communist Party of America
Joined Russian Branch No. 5 of the Communist Party in Detroit in 1919. Arrested during the second Palmer Raids in January 1920. “Voluntarily departed” October 14, 1920 via Canada.
Sources: INS file 54860/30; FBI file OG 388025.
Stepan Prokopovich (a.k.a. Steve Prokopowich; Prakspoduch)
Born: 1884, Grodno, Russia (present-day Belarus)
Nationality: Russian
Ethnicity:
Occupation: Laborer
Migration: Immigrated to US 1913
Affiliation: Union of Russian Workers (alleged)
His wife and two children remained in Russia. Worked at a wire mill in Ansonia, Connecticut. Attended the Union of Russian Workers’ automobile school in Bridgeport but denied membership and no evidence of such was produced. Arrested during the first Palmer Raids in November 1919 and deported on the Buford on December 21, 1919.
Sources: INS file 54709/371; FBI file OG 213357.
Platon Prokuda (a.k.a. Plaron; A. Proncudo)
Born: 1893, Russia
Nationality: Russian
Ethnicity:
Occupation: Laborer
Migration: Immigrated to US 1912
Affiliation: Union of Russian Workers
Joined the Socialist Party and later the Union of Russian Workers in Detroit. After authorities broke up the URW in November 1919 he attended Communist Party events but did not join, stating he remained an anarchist “Because no matter what government it is, there is always scandal there, fraud, graft, and all that sort of stuff.” Arrested January 1920 and held at Fort Wayne. Deported to Russia February 26, 1921.
Refused entry at Libau with several other deportees because of his anarchism. Co-authored “An Open Letter to the Russian Premier Vladimir Lenin” in response. Last known to be stranded in Danzig.
Sources: INS file 54860/4; Free Society, October–November 1921.
