Mr. Blaine to Mr.
Phelps.
Department
of State,
Washington, May 1,
1891.
No. 245.]
Sir: Your attention is invited to the inclosed copy
of a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, dated the 29th ultimo, and
to its accompaniment, copy of the affidavit of Nikolaus Bader, an alien who
was,
[Page 510]
on the 23d ultimo, refused
permission to land by the superintendent of immigration at New York.*
Bader declares in his affidavit that he is a native of Germany; that “his
passage to this country was paid by the authorities in Stauzach, Germany,”
and that “in 1864 he murdered a girl with whom he was in love, and for which
he was imprisoned and served one year, when he was declared insane and
confined in an insane asylum, where he has been twenty-four years, and from
which he was discharged somewhat over a year ago; that he requested to be
sent to America, and the authorities then sent him here.”
It is the wish of the Department that you present the case, by a temperate
but firm and explicit note, to the consideration of the imperial
Government.
I am, etc.,
[Inclosure in No. 245.]
Mr. Foster to Mr.
Blaine.
Treasury Department,
Office of the
Secretary,
Washington, April 29,
1891.
Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith a
copy of the affidavit of Nikolaus Bader, an alien who, on arrival at the
port of New York on the 23d instant on the steamship Waesland from Antwerp, was prohibited from landing by the
superintendent of immigration at that port as belonging to the excluded
classes, and has been returned by the same vessel to the port from which
he came.
If Bader’s statement be true as set forth in his affidavit, he was sent
to this country by the authorities of Stauzach, Germany, with knowledge
that he had been convicted and imprisoned for murder and afterwards
confined for insanity.
The case is submitted to you as being one that might properly be brought
to the attention of the German authorities.
Respectfully yours,
Charles Foster,
Secretary.
[Inclosure.]
Affidavit of Nikolaus Bader.
City and County of New York,
ss:
Nikolaus Bader, being duly sworn, deposes and says: That he is 59 years
of age, is a native of Germany, and arrived at the port of New York on
the 23d day of April, 1891, per steamship Waesland from Antwerp, and is accompanied by none. Deponent
further states that his passage to this country was paid by the
authorities in Stauzach, Germany, and that his intended destination is
New York city, to which place deponent has passage tickets. Deponent’s
occupation is that of laborer, and that his object in coming to the
United States is to seek work. Deponent says his health is pretty fair
and he has with him $1 in money and ____ of the value of $ ____.
Deponent has been an inmate of an almshouse, and has received public aid
and support, and has been convicted of crime.
Deponent has no relatives or friends in this country; that in 1864 he
murdered a girl with whom he was in love, and for which he was
imprisoned and served one year, when he was declared insane and confined
in an insane asylum, where he has been twenty-four years, and from which
be was discharged somewhat over a year ago; that he requested to be sent
to America and the authorities there sent him here.
Sworn to before me this 23d day of April, 1891.
Sven A. Smith,
Assistant Inspector.
