Mr. Olney to Mr. Tripp.
Washington , December 16, 1896 .
Sir: I inclose for your information a copy of a letter from Mr. Leopold Rieder, of Newark, N. J., of the 10th instant, complaining that on or about the 20th of June last, while he was in Austria, the authorities of that country took possession of his passport and refused to return it to him, notwithstanding his frequent requests that it might be restored to him.
You are requested to make inquiries in the proper quarter with a view to ascertaining the grounds upon which the Austrian authorities refused to return Mr. Rieder’s passport, and to make such representations to the Austro-Hungarian Government as the facts may be found to justify.
I am, etc.,