No. 673.
Mr. Fish
to Mr. Evarts.
Legation of
the United States,
Berne, January 26, 1881.
(Received February 10.)
No. 335.]
Sir: Referring to my dispatches numbered 330,* 331, and 332,* I have now the honor to inclose herewith
copies of a correspondence with the consulate at Zurich respecting the
emigration of Heinrich Ruegger, of Rudolfingen, from this country to the
United States.
It will be seen from the letter of the president of the commissioners of the
poor of Trüllikon, that the man obtained a considerable portion of the money
for his journey by begging 5 that until he had done so, the poor-board
declined to assist him 5 that finally they gave him 25 francs
[Page 1114]
and the commune gave 10 francs;
and that just before leaving, Ruegger, who is spoken of as a dissolute
fellow, squandered the small amount of money he had in drinking saloons. It
will also be seen that the poor-board do not consider this a case “of
shoving off by the commune.” This opinion is not shared by either Consul
Byers or Consul Mason, the latter of whom sums up the case as follows:
It seems to be a clear case of “assisted emigration,” the result of
which is that the State of Ohio has acquired a pauper.
It seems incredible that our legislation should not protect us from such
abuses, and in the absence of such legislation, I most strongly recommend
that the man be sent back to Rudolfingen at the expense of the Swiss
Government, and that the legation be instructed to demand the payment of a
sum for the injury done the United States by the authorities of
Rudolfingen.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 335.]
Mr. Byers to Mr.
Fish.
Consulate of the United States,
Zurich, January 25,
1881.
Sir: Referring to yours of the 15th instant,
asking me to investigate the case of Henry Ruegger, an emigrant to the
United States, reported to have been sent there by the authorities of
his native commune, Rudolfingen, canton Zurich, I beg to state as
follows:
My letter to the authorities of the commune was, on the 24th instant,
answered by the president of the poor commission, and the answer is
herewith inclosed. By this letter it is shown that after H. Ruegger had
raised a small amount of money from relatives to aid him to go to the
United States, the poor commission resolved, at request of Heinrich
Ruegger, to give him 25 francs additional. His “commune” of Rudolfingen
gave him 10 francs. Private individuals had given him 70 francs.
Altogether, Ruegger was equipped with 190 francs, which the president of
the poor commission sent to Schneebeli & Co., in Basle, with the
request to forward H. Ruegger to New York, he to have an order for some
25 francs, or $4.80, remaining after paying passage contract.
The president of the poor commission does not enlighten me any as to the
physical condition of Ruegger. He only intimates that he was a worthless
fellow, spending at the last moment in saloons, a part of the money he
had begged from relatives and acquaintances to help him off for America.
The president of the poor commission apparently sees nothing amiss in
aiding this man out of the commune and off to the United States. The
secretary of the commune, to whom my letter was addressed, did not reply
to it at ah, but turned it over to the poor commission, although, as
noticed, the commune itself did aid the man to leave, and without any
consideration, unless getting rid of him was such consideration. I do
not see that the case is bettered much by the fact that Ruegger begged
the money three times of the poor commission before they concluded to
aid in getting rid of him. The fact remains that a worthless (and
reported half-blind) pauper was helped to emigrate to the United States
by the authorities of his commune, and that he
was landed there with a mere trifle of money in his possession, and is
to-day in an American poor-house in the State of Ohio.
The official letter of Consul Mason, at Basle, also inclosed, shows that
the passage contract with Schneebeli & Co., in Basle, was about as
stated by the president of the poor commission, except that Ruegger must
have had even less than $4.80 on landing.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 2 in No. 335.]
Mr. Mason to Mr.
Byers.
Consulate of the United States,
Basle, January 17,
1881.
Sir: I am in receipt of a letter from the
United States legation at Berne, inclosing a copy of the Auswanderungs
Zeitung, and instructing me to make certain investigations
[Page 1115]
concerning an alleged case
of assisted emigration therein reported as having been negotiated with
an emigration agency in this city.
Presuming that the same newspaper report has been forwarded to you, I
have the honor to report, without further explanation, that in July last
the president of the commune of Rudolfingen, canton Zurich, made a
contract with Messrs. Schneebeli & Co., emigration agents of Basle,
to transport to the United States one Heinrich Ruegger, a citizen of
Rudolfingen. For this service Messrs. Schneebeli & Co. were paid 188
francs, which sum had been collected as follows:
|
Francs. |
| From Ruegger’s mother |
60 |
| From Ruegger’s sister |
30 |
| Voluntary contributions by neighbors at Rudolfingen |
63 |
| From the commune of Rudolfingen |
10 |
| From the poor-house fund |
25 |
| Total |
188 |
This sum was paid to Schneebeli & Co., who gave to Heinrich Ruegger—
|
Francs. |
| Cash |
10 |
| Passage to New York |
160 |
| Money-order on Wahrenberg, New York |
20 |
| Total |
190 |
And thus equipped, this “assisted emigrant” was shipped to the United
States. He is reported to be nearly blind and to be in a poor-house at
Ottokee, Ohio, having broken his foot while at work digging a sewer. It
seems to be a clear case of “assisted emigration,” the result of which
is that the State of Ohio has acquired a pauper.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 3 in No. 335.
Translation.]
The president of the
commissioners of the poor at Trüllikon to Mr. Byers.
Sir: Having been requested by the worthy
town-chancery of Trüllikon to answer your valued communication of the
19th instant, because the town council had nothing whatever to do with
the matter in question, I will give you a true statement concerning the
emigrant, Heinrich Ruegger, of Rudolfingen, Trüllikon.
I beg to remark that immediately upon the appearance of newspaper article
in No. 3 of the Swiss Emigration Gazette, I sent to the paper a
correction of the statement of facts, but I do not yet know whether it
has appeared in the newspaper or not.
In the first place it should be stated (see the two inclosed documents)
that the idea of emigrating came first from H. Ruegger himself.
Concerning the whole affair, please to take notice of the following
extracts from the minutes of the poor-board of Trüllikon:
“Meeting of 11th of April, 1880.
“Heinrich Ruegger, peddler, of Rudolfingen, applies in writing
requesting the poor-board to help him to emigrate to America.
The authorities decide to reject the application. The petitioner
being in good health and able to work, should certainly be able
to earn the necessary money for the journey himself; after he
shall have made strenuous endeavors with that view, the
poor-board might, perhaps, decide to furnish him with a small
sum.”
“Sitting of May 14,
1880.
“Heinrich Ruegger again applies to the poor-board with the
request that they should grant him an allowance of 25 francs for
the purpose of emigrating to America. The remaining money for
the journey he will soon have collected by means of voluntary
contributions.
“After the board had received more definite information
concerning the circumstances of the petitioner from members from
Rudolfingen, upon motion of Mr. Zuber, a definite refusal was
decided upon.
“Sitting of June 6,
1880.
“Heinrich Ruegger, under date of 29th of May, presents a third
petition concerning the granting of a sum of 25 francs on
account of his emigration. In a more just consideration of the
circumstances, it was determined to grant the request.”
[Page 1116]
Therefore the poor-fund furnished 25 francs, the corporation of
Rudolfingen gave 10 francs, about 70 francs were voluntary contributions
from private individuals among whom R— went for this purpose. He
received 90 francs from his relatives. How much he may have collected in
addition we are unable to say. I sent to the emigrant agent the sum of
190 francs, begging him to take care of the matter, and I gave him the
order to pay the 35 francs over the price agreed upon, in a sight-draft
on New York to R—; but I had afterwards, at R—’s request, to beg Messrs.
Schneebeli to give 10 francs as pocket-money, because R—, in his
customary manner, a few days before his departure, squandered the
greater portion of the money for his journey in his possession in
drinking saloons.
Believing that I have complied with your wishes, I hope that you will be
convinced that in this case there is no question of a “shoving off” by
the commune. I inclose two of the documents referred to herewith.* I beg you kindly to return them.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 4 in No. 335.]
Mr. Fish to Mr.
Byers.
Legation of the United States,
Berne, January 26,
1881.
Sir: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your
letter of 22d instant, inclosing a communication from the authorities of
Gersau, and a copy of the ordinance of that town respecting assisted
emigration from that place to the United States, and to thank you for
your prompt and successful endeavors to obtain the same.
I wish you would thank the authorities for furnishing you the
information, and ask them if possible to furnish you with a list of the
names and ages of the 29 emigrants so assisted.
I have also to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 25th instant,
transmitting the copy of the reply of the commissioner of the poor of
Rudolfingen, canton of Zurich, in reference to the assisted emigrant
Heinrich Ruegger, now in the poor-house at Ottokee, Ohio.
Your prompt and energetic action in both these cases merits not only my
thanks but commendation for the efficient and able manner in which you
have carried out the wishes of the legation.
I am, &c.,
