Mr. Hengelmüller to Mr. Olney.
Washington, November 16, 1896.
Mr. Secretary of State: In your obliging note of July 31 last, No. 124, your excellency had the kindness to inform me that the competent authorities of the State of New York did not hold themselves bound to receive the American citizen, Amalie Roeber, in any insane asylum in that State, inasmuch as it did not appear from the documents submitted that she had been a resident of that State within the last twenty years.
The Imperial and Royal mayoralty (statthalterei), whom I duly advised of this statement, has of late again requested me to endeavor to secure her reception in an asylum for the insane in this country. The above authorities refer, in support of their request, to the fact that the American citizenship of Amalie Roeber is proved beyond a doubt by the inclosed documents (to be kindly returned), and that, therefore, the right in principle of the demand can not be questioned.
I further invite your excellency’s attention to the additional circumstance that at the time of receiving the aforesaid American citizen, the Imperial and Royal Hospital in Vienna was solely guided by views of humanity, and did not first endeavor to obtain certitude upon minor circumstances which would have aided in insuring at that time her reception in one or the other asylums of her country.
It appears to me no more than equitable, therefore, that the burden of the support of Amalie Roeber, whose American citizenship can not be questioned, should be borne by an asylum of her own country.
In view thereof I have the honor to request your excellency to cause suitable action to be taken looking to her reception in an asylum here, and at the same time to inform me as early as practicable of the manner by which this will be effected.
In order to aid in determining the question what public institution [Page 12] in this country the duty devolves upon of caring for Amalie Roeber, I beg to submit the following data:
The aforesaid was a child 9 years old when she removed to New York with her aunt; according to the inclosed1 marriage certificate she there married at the age of 23 Emil Roeber, whose certificate of naturalization is likewise inclosed, and she appears to have lived with him partly in Boston and partly in New York until 1888.”
In looking forward to an obliging reply from your excellency in this matter, I avail, etc.,
- Inclosures not printed.↩