Mr. White to Mr.
Hay.
Embassy
of the United States,
Berlin
,
December 31,
1900
.
No. 1492.]
Sir: Referring to Mr. Jackson’s dispatch No.
1416 of September 29 last, I have the honor to transmit herewith a
memorandum report of certain military cases, mentioned particularly
below, in regard to which action has been taken during the quarter
ending to-morrow, and which have not as yet been the subject of
correspondence with the Department.
I am, etc.,
[Inclosure.]
- 1.
- Hermann Karl, a naturalized American citizen of Bavarian
origin, was arrested in Bremen upon a charge of theft. His case
was reported to the embassy by Consul Diederich, and
intervention was at once made in his behalf, on November 5, 1900
(F. O., No. 828), as the consul was of the opinion that the case
was liable to be complicated by the fact that Karl had not
presented himself for military service before his immigration.
Under date of November 24 the foreign office replied to the
embassy’s note, stating that all practicable expedition would be
used in disposing of the original charges, and that Karl would
probably not be molested on account of his evasion of military
service, as steps had already been taken to cancel his sentence
to pay a fine. This information was duly communicated to Mr.
Diederich, from whom nothing further in regard to the case has
been heard.
- 2.
- Adolph Brück was born at Fürfeld, Germany, in 1874, and
emigrated in 1893 to the United States, where he duly became
naturalized as a citizen in New York in 1899. In July, 1900, he
came to Germany for the purpose of visiting his parents, and
after remaining at Fürfeld for three days went to Austria and
Bavaria. His case was brought to the attention of the embassy by
his father, no correspondence having been had with Adolph
himself. Adolph had returned to Fürfeld again on September 3,
and had been compelled to leave on the 8th, an order to leave
within forty-eight hours having been served upon him in the
meantime. On September 10 (F. O., No. 803) the embassy made
intervention in his behalf to the end that he might be again
permitted to return to Fürfeld to remain until about the middle
of October, when he intended going back to the United States.
The embassy also asked for the return of the money (208.18
marks) which he had been forced to pay as a military fine to the
Grand-Ducal Hessian authorities. Brück apparently returned to
Fürfeld without further molestation, and under date of October
21 his father notified the embassy that he had left for the
United States. Under date of November 29, however, the foreign
office wrote to say that the fine in the case had been refunded
(as the embassy was already aware), but that the Hessian
authorities had not found it practicable to grant Brück the
desired permission to visit his former home.
- 3.
- Heinrich Bernsmann appealed to the embassy for its assistance
on November 15, 1900, and intervention (F. O., No. 830) was at
once made in his behalf to the end that he might be permitted to
remain in Prussia for four weeks longer. Bernsmann was born in
Berlin in 1869 and had emigrated to the United States with his
father in 1882, becoming a citizen through his father’s
naturalization in 1888. He visited Germany in 1899 and returned
again in September, 1900, since which time he had lived in
Berlin. Under date of November 12 he had received an order to
leave Prussia within eight days. Under date of December 15 the
foreign office notified the embassy that, in view of its
intervention, permission had been granted Bernsmann (from whom
nothing had been heard in the meantime) to remain in Berlin for
four weeks, as desired, but that the Prussian authorities were
not willing to cancel the order for his expulsion which had been
issued on account of his evasion of military service.
- 4.
- Christian Bodri (Bodry), through his attorney, had been in
correspondence with the Württemberg authorities with reference
to the removal of an attachment [Page 520] which had been put upon certain property on
account of his evasion of military service. Bodri had been born
in Württemberg, but is at present an American citizen, residing
in New York City. The embassy eventually took his case up, on
October 19, 1900 (F. O., No. 820), and under date of the 19th
instant it was informed by the foreign office that the
attachment complained of had been removed.
