Mr. Sherman to Mr. Hengelmüller.
Washington, June 18, 1897.
Sir: Referring to your note of the 4th of November last, relative to the case of Albert Levy, an American citizen, who is confined in an asylum in Austria as a person afflicted with chronic insanity, I have the honor to inform you that the Department has just received from the office of the executive branch of the government of California a reply to a letter addressed to the governor of that State by the Department on December 9 last, in reference.
It appears that the case was at once referred by the governor to the police authorities of San Francisco, who have been unable to obtain any information in regard to the matter except that Levy was thought to be of unsound mind when he resided in California; that he had no [Page 16] relatives in this country so far as can be ascertained, and would appear to have been married to an Austrian woman who did not accompany him to the United States.
A letter from the office of the governor says that the State of California can take no action in the matter; that it cares for all dependent afflicted persons within its borders, but has no law authorizing its officials to send abroad for persons who would be a proper charge upon the State if they resided within its jurisdiction.
Accept, etc.,