No. 680.
Mr. Fish
to Mr. Blaine.
Legation of
the United States,
Berne, March 23, 1881.
(Received April 8.)
No. 373.]
Sir: After mailing my No. 372 to you and a letter
to the collector at New York, and after the outgoing mail had left, I
received from Consul Mason a private letter in which he inclosed me a copy
of his No. 31 of this date to the Department. The facts therein stated made
me decide to telegraph you concerning the shipment of the prostitutes on
board the Suevia, as follows:
Commune Böttstein, Argovie, paid passage of Fridolina Vögelin,
seventeen; Theresa Hauser, older; notorious prostitutes, Suevia;
sixteenth Havre.
Particulars mailed. Disregard 371.
I have addressed a note to this government requesting the return of the women
on the ground of their immoral character, and also of their destitute
condition. Should they be, by some defect in our law, or the negligence of
our authorities at New York, allowed to lend, such a request might possibly
have some effect, but I see but slight grounds to hope that this government
will take any decided and effectual measures to break up the large assisted
emigration from the canton of Argovie, of which the present case is a
specimen, and I fear by no means an exceptional one.
I respectfully ask your approval of my action in telegraphing you and in
addressing this government.
In view of the method of discussion of previous cases of a similar nature by
this government it is most desirable that the women should be returned as
promptly as possible, and for a like reason the speedy announcement of their
return would have a most beneficial effect on emigration from Switzerland,
which is assuming enormous proportions. Unless we employ means to counteract
the action of the communes we are, in the absence of efficient congressional
legislation, bound to receive a large number of objectionable emigrants who
could never reach the United States but for the assistance of the
authorities.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure in No. 373.]
Mr. Fish to Mr.
Droz.
Legation of the United States,
Berne, March 23,
1881.
The undersigned, chargé d’affaires of the United States of America, has
the honor to inform his excellency Mr. Droz, President of the Swiss
Confederation, and through
[Page 1123]
his excellency the high federal council, that this legation is informed
that the communal council of Böttstein, in the canton of Argovie, about
the 1st of March instant, applied to an emigration agent by the name of
Frei, at Klingnau, in Argovie, to secure transportation to New York for
two women, viz, Fridolina Vögelin, aged seventeen, and Theresa Hauser,
somewhat older, two notorious and depraved prostitutes, living by their
shameless calling, who are reported to have been frequently arrested in
other communes and cantons and returned by the police to Böttstein on
account of their dissolute and immoral life.
The legation is further informed that the said commune council through
the agency of Frei contributed 390 francs for the passage of these women
to New York, 350 francs of which was paid to Rudolf Werdenberg, an
emigration agent at Basle, who furnished them tickets from Basle to New
York, and that the remaining 40 francs was divided between the two
women, who are now on board the Suevia, which sailed from Havre on the
16th of March.
The law of the United States of 3d March, 1875, as published in Feuille
Fédérale Suisse, II, 661, of that year, sufficiently explains the views
of the United States respecting such shipments.
Should these women evade the vigilance of the authorities at New York,
they must, if of the character described, inevitably augment the number
of prostitutes in the United States. Were they of stainless character,
their destitute condition would, with almost equal certainty, consign
them to the public charity there.
The undersigned therefore entertains the hope that the high federal
council will cause these women to be returned to Switzerland, and that
in the future efficient means may be taken to prevent the communes from
assisting persons to emigrate who must, of necessity, become burdens to
the public charity, or otherwise objectionable, upon their arrival in
the United States.
While reserving to his government the further discussion of this subject,
the undersigned avails himself of this occasion to renew to his
excellency Mr. Droz, President of the Swiss Confederation, and to the
high federal council, the assurances of his most distinguished
consideration.
