[Inclosure.]
1. Ladislaus Golus brought his case to the attention of the embassy
in May, 1900, and after certain correspondence the embassy
intervened in his behalf (F. O., No. 704), on the 17th of that
month.
Golus was born at Gollub in 1873, and emigrated in 1890 to the United
States, where he duly became naturalized as a citizen in New York,
in April, 1900. He returned on a visit to Gollub soon thereafter,
and on May 12 he had been arrested and kept in prison, in spice of
his protest as an American citizen, until he had paid a fine on
account of his nonperformance of military service.
The embassy again invited attention to this case on June 21, 1900 (F.
O., No. 735), September 10 and 17 (F. O., Nos. 804 and 810), and
December 20 (F. 0.,No. 849). Under date of January 14, 1901, Golus
having in the meantime returned to the United States, the foreign
office notified the embassy that the money in question would be
refunded to his father at Gollub.
2. Xaver Sylvester Balz informed the embassy in December, 1900, that
he wished to visit his former home in Alsace, had made the usual
formal request, and hoped that the embassy would support the same.
He had been born at Buchsweiler in 1863, and when 18 years old had
emigrated to the United States, where he had duly become naturalized
as a citizen.
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On January 5, 1901 (F. O., No. 862), and again on the 10th of the
same month, Balz, having informed the embassy in the meantime that
the minister for Alsace-Lorraine at Strassburg had refused his
request, owing to the fact that a warrant had been issued for his
arrest on account of his evasion of military duty, the embassy
communicated with the foreign office in regard to the case, and
under date of January 24 a reply was received to the effect that
permission had been granted Balz to visit Buchsweiler for six weeks
at some time before the 1st of next June.
3. The brothers Michael, Nicholas, and Mathias Gent brought their
case to the attention of the embassy in April, 1900, and, after
correspondence, intervention was made in their behalf (F. O., No.
715), on May 30. They were born at Büschdorf in 1866, 1870, and
1874, respectively, had emigrated to the United States, and had duly
become naturalized as citizens at Creston, Iowa, where all three now
reside. Recently their representative at their former home had been
compelled to pay fines amounting in all to 624.21 marks on account
of their not having reported for military service.
Attention was again called to this case in June, September, and
December, 1900, and under date of January 29, 1901, the foreign
office notified the embassy that the fines had been remitted and the
money paid would be refunded.
4. Henry Kauffmann, writing from his home in the United States,
informed the embassy that he desired to be permitted to make a visit
to his former home in Alsace, and had already been in correspondence
with the imperial ministry at Strassburg in the matter. On January
29, 1901, the embassy addressed a note (F. O., No. 882) to the
imperial foreign office in support of Kauffmann’s request, and under
date of February 21 it was informed that permission had been granted
him to visit Strassburg for three weeks.
5. Alfred Nachtigall’s case was brought to the attention of the
embassy on January 22, 1901, and intervention was at once (F. O.,
No. 880) made in his behalf. Nachtigall had emigrated to the United
States from Germany without having performed military service, and
had duly become naturalized as a citizen in 1890, at Grand Rapids,
Mich., at which place he continued to reside. A previous effort,
made by his father, to obtain his release from German allegiance was
said to have been unsuccessful. Under date of March 23, the embassy
was notified by the foreign office that Nachtigall had been
recognized as an American citizen and his name taken from the German
military lists.
