No. 564.
Mr. Hoffmam to Mr. Evarts.
St. Petersburg, July 21, 1880. (Received August 9.)
Sir: Referring to my correspondence with the Department upon the case of Henry Pinkos, an American Jew, ordered out of St. Petersburg, and especially to my No. 208 upon this subject, I have the honor to inform you that the three months’ delay granted Pinkos having expired, lie sold his little property at a sacrifice and prepared to leave Russia.
Having paid his passage and sent his baggage on board a vessel at Cronstadt, he was preparing to embark with his family when he was asked by the police for his passport. He showed them the indorsement ordering him to leave St. Petersburg, which he supposed to be sufficient. They told him that it was not, and sent him and his family back to St. Petersburg to procure the necessary permission. The ship sailed without him, carrying off his baggage. The captain refused to return the passage-money, as he had asked him if his passport was in order, and he found himself with his family penniless in St. Petersburg, and was Indebted to private charity for the means to leave the country. This he was to have done yesterday.
[Page 879]I was upon the point of addessing to Mr. de Giers a note, remonstrating against the harsh treatment of Pinkos, but have concluded to await your reply to my No. 18 in reference to this case and to the general subject of the expulsion of foreign Jews from St. Petersburg and other large cities.
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Mr. Pinkos’ family complained bitterly of the unnecessary harshness with which they had been treated by the police at Cronstadt.
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I am, sir, &c.,