Mr. White to Mr. Hay.
Berlin, August 4, 1902.
Sir: I have the honor to report that on the 21st of May last the embassy was informed, through the United States consul-general at Frankfort on the Main, that one Leo Hess had received an order from the local authorities to leave Prussia within three weeks, and that he had addressed a petition to them requesting to be allowed to remain there for four months longer.
Hess was born in Germany and went to the United States when about 13 years of age. Subsequently, as shown by papers in his possession, he obtained a release from Prussian allegiance and became naturalized as an American citizen in the superior court of the city of New York on January 8, 1883. He returned to Germany and went to Frankfort with his family in April of this year and took an apartment, where his wife was subsequently confined. Early in May he received the order above referred to, which only mentioned him personally and not his [Page 458] family. Hess expected to return to the United States in July, while his wife remained in Frankfort until next year.
The embassy immediately addressed a note to the foreign office, supporting Hess’s petition and requesting that he might be allowed to remain as he desired. No reply having been received to this note, another note was addressed on July 1, and on the 2d instant an answer came from the foreign office. In this it was stated that on account of his wife’s confinement in April Hess had been granted permission to remain until August 1, but that a longer stay could not be permitted, and that the order expelling him could not be withdrawn. The reason for this is stated to be on account of false information given by Hess to the authorities upon his arrival at Frankfort. Hess is said to have then affirmed that he was born in New York, whereas investigation proved that he was born in Germany. It is noted, however, that through the embassy’s support Hess has virtually been accorded all he wished for.
I have, etc.,