Mr. Uhl to Mr.
Sherman.
Embassy
of the United States,
Berlin, March 31, 1897.
(Received April 16.)
No. 309.]
Sir: Referring to my dispatch No. 228, of
December 31, 1896, I have the honor to append hereto a memorandum report
of certain military cases—more particularly mentioned below—which have
either not yet
[Page 202]
been referred
to in my correspondence with the Department or, having already been
reported, have now been favorably concluded, and to be, sir,
Your obedient servant,
[Inclosure in No. 309.]
Military case report.
- 1.
- Frank Nachtigall was born at Schkolen, August 27, 1866, and
after performing military service in Prussia, emigrated in 1891
to the United States, where he became naturalized as a citizen
on the 27th of June last. In July he returned to Germany on a
short visit to his parents, having left again early in
September, and on the 22d of August he was, in order to avoid
arrest and imprisonment, compelled to pay a fine of 50 marks, on
account of his failure to report to the military authorities.
The case was first brought to the attention of the embassy on
August 26, 1896, and after investigating it, and after receiving
from Nachtigall the evidence of his American citizenship, which
he had not brought with him when he came from America,
intervention was made on October 17 last (F. O. 110), which
resulted in the refunding to Nachtigall of the money which he
had been compelled to pay.
- 2.
- Ludwig Goldschmidt, a naturalized American citizen of German
origin, applied to the embassy on January 8, 1897, for its aid
in expediting a decision by the Prussian authorities as to
whether or not certain money which he had been compelled to pay
in order to avoid arrest on account of his not having performed
military service was to be refunded to him. The embassy
intervened at once (F. O. 150) with the result that a decision
in Goldschmidt’s favor was given and the money in question
returned to his representative in Breslau, Goldschmidt himself
having gone back to the United States in the meantime.
- 3.
- Henry Goken was born at Minsen, Oldenburg, August 3, 1865, and
emigrated in 1883 to the United States, where he became
naturalized, at New York, on August 5, 1891. He returned to
Germany on a visit to his relatives, and on the 14th of January
last, intending to leave again, which intention he eventually
carried out on February 23. On February 2 he was obliged to pay
a fine of 1,000 marks in order to avoid arrest and imprisonment,
on account of his failure to report himself for military duty.
The case was brought to the attention of the embassy on February
11, and, after preliminary investigation, intervention was made
on the 15th (F. O. 178), with the result that the money paid by
Goken was ordered to be refunded to his representative in
Oldenburg early in March.
- 4.
- Wendel Gillen (see case No. 3, in Dispatch No. 228), having
returned to America before his case had been finally settled,
asked the intervention of the embassy to the end that the money
which was to be refunded should be paid to his father, Mr. Nic
Gillen, at Heisterberg. Application was accordingly made on
December 31, 1896 (F. O. 144), and on March 21 the embassy was
informed by Mr. Nic Gillen that he had received the
money.
- 5.
- Fred Mossier, an American citizen of Alsatian origin, after an
absence from Germany for several years, returned to his former
home at Balbronn in December, 1896, and remained there, with the
permission of the authorities, for about two months, engaged in
settling the estate of his deceased grandfather. About the 24th
of February Mr. Mossier left Alsace under the impression that he
would be expelled if he should remain there any longer, and
applied to the embassy for its good offices in obtaining
permission to return and to remain at Balbronn for another
month. The embassy at once acted upon his request (F. 0. 183),
with the result that Mr. Mossier was able to return on March 7,
and that permission has been granted him to remain until the 7th
of April next.
