Calling attention to the statement in the Treasury letter to the effect
that hereafter the Swiss consul at New York will be informed when
objections are made to the landing of Swiss immigrants at that port,
[Inclosure.]
Mr. Batcheller
to Mr. Blaine.
Treasury Department,
Washington, July 31,
1889.
Sir: Or the 29th of May last, in
acknowledging the receipt of your letter of May 27, inclosing a copy
of a note from the Swiss legation, dated May 17, requesting
information in regard to the deportation in April last of certain
Swiss immigrants, etc., you were informed that the commissioners of
emigration at New York had been called upon for the desired
information, and that further advices would be promptly sent to you
upon receiving their answer.
I now have the honor to say that their answer has just been received,
and that the information which they give in regard to said
immigrants is as follows, viz:
“That those immigrants did not come here in violation of the
provisions of the labor contract law, but were rejected for the
following reasons:
“Albert Bornhauser, Jacob Fricker, and Jacob Grieder, alien
immigrants, who arrived April 7, 1889, on steam-ship La Gascogne, from Havre, were on April 9
adjudged by the Castle Garden committee of the board of
commissioners of immigration to be persons unable to take care of
themselves without becoming a public charge, and by the decision of
the collector of the port, made under date of April 11, 1889, the
said immigrants were not permitted to land.
“The cases of the other immigrants, referred to by the Swiss
legation, were as follows:
“Catharine Bucher, a native of Switzerland, aged forty years, who
arrived April 7, 1889, on steam-ship La
Gascogne, and who had been convicted of crime in
Switzerland and had served a term of imprisonment. She was adjudged
by the commissioners of immigration to be a convict, and unable to
take care of herself without becoming a public charge, and by the
decision of the collector of the port, made on April 11, 1889, she
was not permitted to land.
“Victor Fluri and his two children, natives of Switzerland, arrived
April 7, 1889, on steam-ship La Gascogne. He
had abandoned his wife in Switzerland, had but 55 francs in money,
and on April 9, 1889, this immigrant and his children were adjudged
by the commissioners of immigration to be persons unable to take
care of themselves without becoming a public charge. Under the
decision of the collector of the port, dated April 11, 1889, Victor
Fluri and his children were prohibited from landing.
“The board of commissioners of immigration have, as suggested by the
Swiss legation, given instructions that hereafter the Swiss consul
at New York be informed of all cases of Swiss immigrants prohibited
from landing at this port.”
Respectfully, etc.,
Geo. S. Batcheller,
Acting Secretary.
