Mr. Townsend to Mr. Hay.
Brussels, May 8, 1900.
Sir: In reply to Department’s despatch No. 41, dated April 24, 1900, I have the honor to report the following facts relating to the expulsion [Page 48] from Belgium of Paul Edwards, an American citizen, on the ground that he was practising the art of healing contrary to the laws of the country.
On March 27 last two young Belgians, each about 22 years of age, called at legation, stating that they were city reporters on two different newspapers here, and requesting the legation to intervene to prevent the expulsion of Dr. Edwards, an American citizen, who had the day before been ordered by the minister of justice to leave the country within twenty-four hours. One of them presented a letter from Paul Edwards stating his case and requesting the intervention of the legation to the end that he might be permitted to remain three weeks, or even indefinitely. It was observed that Paul Edwards gave his address as No. 3 Chaussée de Haecht, which is a small tavern and lodging house within a few hundred yards of the legation. As it seemed an unusual proceeding that he should send two Belgian reporters to plead his cause, neither of whom could give a satisfactory explanation as to the reasons why Mr. Edwards did not come himself, and who contradicted each other, when questioned separately, on several points connected with the case, they were requested to ask Mr. Edwards to call in person at the legation. A few hours later Mr. Edwards appeared, accompanied by a young woman, whom he introduced as his secretary and interpreter.
He exhibited an American passport issued by the ambassador in London, and stated that he had come to Brussels for the purpose of placing his son in a school here, and incidentally to practice the art of healing without medicines by the laying on of hands, hypnotic suggestion, and personal magnetism. His story was very similar to his written statement, transmitted by the Department in the despatch above referred to, though lacking many details and assertions which the latter contains. Mr. Edwards stated among other things that he had been summarily ordered to leave the country without warning, and that the authorities did not claim that he had broken any law.
The young woman who accompanied him admitted, however, when questioned in French, which language Mr. Edwards said he did not understand, that they had received a warning from the police previous to the receiving of the notice of expulsion, which was to the effect that Mr. Edwards could only remain in the country provided he refrained from practising his art and ceased to receive patients with that end in view, as it was contrary to law for anyone not provided with an approved medical certificate to practice the art of healing in Belgium. Mr. Edwards was informed by the legation that the United States recognized the principle of international law that every State had the right to expel any foreigner whose stay in the country was considered to be inconsistent with public welfare, provided that such expulsion should in no way be due to the nationality of the individual, and that it should be carried out according to the laws of the country after a due investigation of the facts. He was further informed that the law of Belgium was very explicit on this point, no one, either native or foreigner, being allowed to practice the art of healing unless provided with a physician’s diploma which had been examined and approved by the authorities. As the Government of Belgium had the right to refuse the hospitality of the country to any foreigner whose presence was considered to be inconsistent with public welfare, there was therefore nothing for him to do but to accept the inevitable and leave the country. [Page 49] Once beyond the frontier, one hour by train from Brussels, he could collect his evidence and institute his claim against the Government, and at the same time receive his numerous patients, whose progress toward recovery, he affirmed, was being seriously interfered with by his enforced departure. This advice Mr. Edwards refused to accept, saying he desired to remain here. The following day after his departure I received a note from him requesting me, in addition to his claim against the Government on account of his expulsion, to adjust a dispute which he had with his landlord on the eve of his departure, involving an amount of some forty odd dollars for board and lodging. In reference to the latter case, I informed him that it was not within the province of the legation to take up a private matter of this nature; that he had better place the affair in the hands of a local lawyer for settlement.
I naturally immediately investigated the facts relating to his expulsion to the end that if, as he affirmed, his expulsion was due in any way to the fact of his being an American citizen, his case should be taken up and vigorously supported by the legation. That there had been any feeling of animosity shown to him by the authorities on account of his nationality did not appear to me to be probable, as there are a great number of Americans residing here pursuing studies of various kinds, and I have yet to hear of any of them being molested in any way. In fact the feeling toward Americans generally seems to be of the most friendly nature, both on the part of the authorities as well as the people. I had an interview with the minister of justice on this subject and he assured me that there was not the least feeling of animosity toward Mr. Edwards on account of his being an American; that in fact when the case was first brought to his notice, and he decided on the expulsion for reasons of public welfare, he was under the impression that the individual calling himself Edwards, although being advertised as an American, was in reality an Alsacian. It was not until later, when he received a report from the local police district where Mr. Edwards was registered on his arrival, that he was aware that Edwards was in possession of an American passport. He showed me copies of the evidence collected in two similar cases of expulsion from Belgian territory, one of which referred to a French citizen and the other to a subject of the Sultan of Turkey. He informed me that not only was it contrary to Belgian law for any one, either a native or a foreigner, to practice the art of healing without a duly approved physician’s certificate, but that authorities on the subject held that the practice of hypnotism, magnetism, and similar mystic arts was a source of danger to the public, especially when performed by one not possessing a medical education. On this account only the Government had decided that the hospitality of the country should be withheld from Mr. Edwards. If the latter had evinced any disposition to refrain from practicing his healing art contrary to the law, he would have been permitted to remain, but he showed a decided determination to defy the law and to continue to receive patients, notwithstanding the warning which had been given him. Under these circumstances, the minister felt obliged to issue the decree of expulsion, which is usually applied to foreigners in such cases, rather than to administer the full penalty of law, as is the case when the culprit is a Belgian subject.
On receipt of the Department dispatch above referred to, transmitting the more complete statement of Mr. Edwards, I called upon the [Page 50] minister of justice and requested him to furnish me with a written memorandum embracing the principal facts in this case. In conformity with my request he has forwarded to me a letter inclosing a memorandum setting forth the leading facts, copies and translation of which are herewith transmitted. He informed me that the chief of police denied emphatically the statement made by Mr. Edwards to the effect that he told Mr. Edwards that the Government was making a mistake in ordering the expulsion.
The minister again expressed some doubt as to the identity and nationality of Paul Edwards, showing me a description which he had received of one E. Saltzmann, an adventurer of Alsacian origin. He called my attention to the fact that the description of said Saltzmann corresponded so exactly with that of Edwards, even in such an important detail as the loss of a certain finger of one hand, and the peculiar shape of the feet, evidently due to some kind of a deformity, that the authorities were convinced that he had obtained his American passport by fraud, or at least under a false name.
I called the attention of the minister to the fact that the passport in possession of Paul Edwards was a true and genuine American passport, issued to him in good faith by an American ambassador, after approving the evidence of citizenship submitted by the applicant, and as such must be recognized as prima facie evidence of Paul Edwards’ nationality. Furthermore, that until such indisputable evidence should be produced proving the said Paul Edwards had obtained his American citizenship by fraud, he must be regarded by the Belgian authorities as a bona fide American citizen.
The minister admitted this point, but again assured me that the expulsion was based on Belgian law, irrespective of the nationality of the individual in question.
He also informed me that, although Mr. Edwards did not charge a fixed amount for his services, he adopted the almost universal custom of the regular practitioners at bathing resorts on the Continent, who, as is generally known, do not charge a fixed fee, but leave the amount to the generosity of the patients, but unlike the regular physicians Mr. Edwards placed a plate in a conspicuous position on his table, upon which were observed several 20-franc gold pieces and coins of various denominations contributed by his patients. It appears quite evident that he was practicing his art here as a means of livelihood. I read at the ministry a number of clippings from various newspapers, the two most favorable to Mr. Edwards being cut from the two newspapers of Brussels which employ the two young reporters above referred to who came to the legation to plead Mr. Edwards’ cause. Other press articles were decidedly opposed to his practices, pointing out the danger to the public arising from the employment of mystic or hypnotic powers by one not versed in the science of medicine and anatomy. The minister informed me that Edwards had obtained various favorable press notices by paying for them.
Awaiting the further instructions of the Department in this affair,
I have, etc.,