Mr. Olney to Mr. Hengelmüller.
Washington , January 13, 1897 .
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 23d ultimo, relating to the case of Boris Adler, a naturalized citizen of the United States, at present an inmate of the psychiatric department of the General Hospital of Vienna, whose authorities request that he be returned to the United States.
This case was promptly brought to the attention of the governor of Indiana. I am now in receipt of a reply from the executive department of that State, dated the 4th instant, to the effect that Boris Adler was a resident of Indianapolis, Ind., and that he has a brother residing in that city who is poor.
It appears from the papers submitted in your note that the unfortunate man can not be brought from Vienna to his home without the attendance of a warder for the whole journey, thus adding greatly to the expense of transportation and making it beyond the financial ability of his brother to undertake it.
Should he be returned to the United States, however, there does not appear, according to the letter of the governor of Indiana, that there would be any objection on the part of the State authorities to receive him and place him in an insane asylum.
As explained in previous correspondence on recent cases of like character, such as those of Amalie Roeber and others, the Federal [Page 14] Government is without authority of law or appropriated funds to bring such persons back, even at the instance of their relatives; but, on the other hand, it makes no demand upon other governments to remove foreign lunatics who have been admitted to State or district asylums, confining itself in exceptional cases to giving information through the diplomatic channel, in order that the relatives may have the opportunity to care for the individual. Your inquiry appears to have been of this class, and is accordingly answered by conveying to you the information received from the executive department of Indiana.
In returning the inclosures contained in your note I avail, etc.,