MILITARY - SERVICE

CASES OF JOSEPH GRESSER, RUDOLPH TEUTSCH, JENS CORNELIUS ANDERSEN, AUGUST DALESCH, GEORGE VON STADEN, SIEGFRIED ZEHDEN, SIEGMUND WOLLENBERG, FREDERICK H. KRUSE, AND JULIUS BURGER.

Mr. White to Mr. Hay.

No. 1237.]

EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATEE,

Berlin, April 30, 1900. SIR: Referring to Mr. Jackson's dispatch, No. 1142, of December 30, 1899, I have the honor to append hereto a memorandum report of certain military cases, more particularly mentioned below, which have not as yet been referred to in the embassy's correspondence with the Department, and I am, etc.

AND. D. WHITE.

[Inclosure.]

1. Joseph Gresser was born in Uissigheim, Baden, March 16, 1866, and when about 17 years old emigrated to the United States, where he subsequently became naturalized as a citizen in Indiana. Upon his not presenting himself for military service at the proper time, certain property coming to him by inheritance was attached. The embassy was informed of this fact (by his attorney, Carl Burger, of Karlsruhe), on November 16, 1899, and intervention was at once made (F. O., No. 612) in his behalf. Attention was again called to the case (F. O., No. 640) on December 27. To the embassy's notes the foreign office replied under date of January 12, 1900, in a note in which it was stated that the attachment complained of had been removed, and certain money paid to Gresser's father on account had been ordered to be refunded.

2. Rudolph Teutsch's case was brought to the attention of the embassy by the United States consul at Cologne, in September, 1899. After considerable correspondence it was ascertained that Teutsch was born at Venningen, Rheinpfalz, on September 20, 1865, that when about 18 years old he had emigrated to the United States, where he had become naturalized as a citizen in 1889, and that he had returned to Germany in June, 1897; also, that he had been ordered to leave Prussia by the police at Cologne in September, 1899, but the order had not been put into execution. Upon the representations of the consul, intervention was made in Teutsch's behalf (F.O., No. 595) on October 17, 1899, and after correspondence in regard to the reasons for Teutsch's wishing to be allowed to remain longer in Prussia, the foreign office replied, in a note dated January 16, 1900, that he would be permitted to remain until the 1st of the next April.

3. Jens Cornelius Andersen informed the embassy, under date of November 11, 1899, that upon returning to his home in the province of Schleswig-Holstein, after an absence of about nine years, he had applied for permission to remain two months. He had, however, without formal order of expulsion, been given to understand that permission would not be granted him. Andersen had in his possession a passport (No. 12347) issued to him by the Department of State on October 5, 1899. He had returned to Germany for the purpose of visiting his aged mother and expected to be back in the United States, for business reasons, by the end of January. Intervention was made in his behalt (F. O., No. 614) on November 18, and the case was referred to again on December 27. Under date of January 16, 1900, the foreign office informed the embassy that Andersen, who appears not to have been molested in the meantime, had left Germany of his own accord.

4. August Dalesch, a naturalized American citizen, was arrested at Greifenhagen on January 23, 1900. Upon his case being investigated by Consul Kehl, of Stettin, it was ascertained that Dalesch had deserted from the German navy in 1893. Under the circumstances the embassy declined to intervene. Attention was paid to the case, however, by Consul Kehl, and under date of March 13 he informed the embassy that Dalesch had been released from imprisonment, but had been ordered to report for military service. In December Dalesch had broken his arm and it is said that he will never have the full use of it again. It is therefore probable that he was not found fit to serve, as nothing further has been heard of the case.

5. George Von Staden, a naturalized American citizen of German origin, informed the embassy, under date of August 22, 1899, that his papers had been taken from him by the local military authorities at Bremervörde. Intervention was at once made in his behalf (F. Ŏ., No. 594), and a few days later, September 1, Staden informed the embassy that his papers had been returned. The foreign office informed the embassy of the same fact under date of February 9, 1900.

6. Siegfried Zehden called at the embassy on December 27, 1899, and stated that he had been ordered by the local Berlin police to leave Prussia by the 15th of that month and that subsequently permission had been granted him to remain two weeks longer. He was born in Berlin in 1858, and had emigrated in 1877, becoming naturalized as an American citizen in New York, October 27, 1882. He had made a short visit to Germany in 1883, and had been residing in Berlin since September, 1899. He desired to be allowed to remain for three or four months longer. Intervention was at once (F. O., No. 639) made in his behalf. Under date of February 22, the foreign office replied to the embassy's note in this case, stating that Zehden and his family had gone to Prague on January 4, and that consequently further consideration of his request was useless. Efforts subsequently made by the embassy to communicate with Zehden at his Berlin address and in Prague were without result.

7. Siegmund Wollenberg called at the embassy on December 23, 1899, and stated that he was born in Posen in 1839; that after performing military service he emigrated in 1864, and that, as shown by the certificate in his possession, he was naturalized as an American citizen in New York in 1883. In 1890 he had returned to Germany and had since resided in Prussia, without molestation, until a few days before, when he was ordered to leave by the 29th of December. Wollenberg said that it would be impossible for him to comply with this order without serious loss and inconvenience for himself and his family, but declared his readiness to return to the United States in the spring. Intervention was at once made in his behalf (F. O., No. 635). On March 3, 1900, the foreign office informed the embassy that, to their regret, the Prussian authorities did not feel at liberty to allow Wollenberg to remain in Prussia until May 1, as he had been punished for fraud (betrug), but that out of consideration for the embassy's request he would be permitted to remain until the 1st of April.

8. Frederick H. Kruse emigrated to the United States when about 14 years old and resided there continuously for more than ten years. In November, 1899, after naturalization in New York, he returned to Germany for the purpose of spending a few months with his mother. He was at first ordered to leave Prussia at once, but subsequently, under date or December 7, permission was granted him to remain for six weeks from the 30th of November. The case was brought to the attention of the embassy by the American consulate at Bremen, and on December 30, 1899, intervention was made to the end that Kruse might be allowed to remain in Prussia until the spring (F. O., No. 643). As the consul at Bremen reported that Kruse had subsequently received a notice to leave Prussia before January 11; that he had complied with the same by moving to Bremen, and that nevertheless his mother continued to be annoyed on his account, the case was again referred to in a note dated January 20, 1900 (F. O., No. 654). Under date of March 5 the foreign office replied that to their regret the Prussian authorities did not feel at liberty to permit him to remain longer in the country as an exception had already been made in his case in allowing him to remain as long as he had.

9. Julius Burger's case was brought to the attention of the embassy by the consul at Nuremberg on December 22, 1899. Burger was born at Trunstadt, Bavaria, March 3, 1875, and had emigrated to the United States when about 18 years old, having there become naturalized as a citizen, at New York, December 29, 1898. He returned to Germany on a visit in December, and on the 14th of that month had been compelled to pay a fine of 200 marks to the local authorities at Nuremberg, against his protest as an American citizen, and in order to avoid arrest and imprisonment on account of his not having performed military service. Intervention was at once made in his behalf (F. O., No. 632), and under date of March 16, 1900, the foreign office replied in a note in which it was stated that the repayment of the money collected from Burger had been ordered.

J. B. J.

MILITARY-SERVICE CASES OF PETER F. HINRICHSEN, MAX ABEL, F. P. AND E. F. WAGGERSHAUSER, ALBERT GANSLEN (GÄNSSLEN), AND PHILIP ENOCH.

Mr. White to Mr. Hay.

No. 1284.]

EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES,

Berlin, June 30, 1900. SIR: Referring to the embassy's dispatch No. 1237 of April 30 last, I have the honor to append hereto a memorandum report of certain military cases, more particularly mentioned below, which have not as yet been referred to in the embassy's correspondence with the Department, and I am, etc., AND. D. WHITE.

[Inclosure.]

1. Peter F. Hinrichsen first communicated with the embassy in regard to possible trouble growing out of unfulfilled military obligations in January, 1900, and after certain corrrespondence intervention was made in his behalf (F. O., No. 671) on March 1. After a residence in the United States for about seventeen years, during which he had become naturalized as an American citizen (as shown by passport No. 13794, dated Washington, November 29, 1899, in his possession), Hinrichsen had returned, last autumn, to his former home at Wrixum auf Föhr. Soon after his arrival he was notified by the local authorities that he must leave the country by March 15. Toward the end of February he informed the embassy that he was not in a condition to travel at that season of the year, and, his statement being supported by physician's certificate, the embassy then made intervention to the end that he might be allowed to remain in Prussia until May 15, 1900. The attention of the foreign office was again called to the case (F. O., No. 692) on May 1-Hinrichsen having apparently not been molested in the meantime and under date of May 2 the foreign office replied that the desired permission had been granted.

2. Max Abel informed the embassy, under date of August 31, 1899, that he had been in Germany-at or near his former home-for about a year, and that he wished to be allowed to remain for a year longer. After correspondence—from which it appeared that Abel was born in Germany in 1875 and had emigrated in 1891 to the United States, where he became naturalized as a citizen at Chicago on October 16, 1896; and further, that he desired to remain in Germany in order to attend the wedding of a brother in June, 1900, and on account of other private business until October, 1900-intervention was made in his behalf (F. O., No. 574) on September 11, 1899, as he had been given to understand that it would be impossible for him to remain longer in Prussia unless he renounced his American naturalization and declared his willingness to perform military service. The embassy again invited attention to the case on December 27, 1899 (F. O., No. 640), and May 1, 1900 (F. O., No. 692). On May 20 a note was received from the foreign otuce in which it was stated that Abel, from whom no further complaint had reached the embassy, had already left for America.

3. Frederick Paul Waggershauser and Eugene Frank Waggershauser were born in Württemberg in 1878 and 1879, respectively, and accompanied their father to the United States, where both eventually became naturalized citizens. Their case was brought to the attention of the embassy by their attorney, and on October 26, 1899, intervention (F. O., No. 600) was made to the end that no military fines be collected from property coming to them by inheritance on account of their not having performed military service. Their case was again referred to in the embassy's notes to the foreign office of December 27, 1899, and May 1, 1900. On May 20 a note was received in reply, in which the foreign office stated that proceedings had been stopped and the names of the brothers stricken from the German military lists.

4. Albert Ganslen (Gänsslen) informed the embassy, in December, 1899, that an attachment had been placed upon certain property in Württemburg on account of his not having performed military service. After correspondence with him, the embassy made intervention (F. O., No. 668) in his behalf on February 19, 1900, with result that it was informed by the foreign office, under date of May 23, that the attachment had been removed.

5. Philip Enoch brought his case to the attention of the embassy in March, 1900, and on the 31st of that month intervention (F. O., No. 680) was made in his behalf, to the end that he might be allowed to remain in Prussia until August, 1901. Enoch was born in Russia in 1864, and had emigrated to the United States in 1885. He became naturalized as a citizen in 1890, and then returned to Europe and settled in East Prussia in 1897. He had been ordered to leave Prussia by June, 1900, but claimed that it would greatly endanger the health of his wife, who was soon to be confined, and that owing to investments he had made it would mean his financial ruin if he were compelled to leave Prussia at the time set. The case was again referred to in the embassy's note of May 1, and under date of June 10 a reply was received, in which the foreign office stated that Enoch would be allowed to remain in Prussia until October 1, 1900, but that permission for him to remain until August, 1901, could not be granted.

J. B. J.

MILITARY-SERVICE CASES OF LAWRENCE M. METZGER, FRANCIS XAVIER HOSSENLOPP, ALBERT GANSLEN (GÄNSSLEN), ANTON ESSER, OTTO GRAUL, FRITZ HILLENS, HIERONIMUS BAYER, SIMON MOELLER, WILHELM RITTERHOFF, AND ALFRED KNUDSEN.

No. 1416.]

Mr. Jackson to Mr. Hay.

EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES,
Berlin, September 29, 1900.

SIR: Referring to the embassy's dispatch No. 1284, of June 30 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 I am, etc.,

JOHN B. JACKSON.

[Inclosure.]

1. Lawrence M. Metzger, writing from his home in Grafton, Ohio, informed the embassy in March, 1900, of his wish to visit his former home in Alsace. After considerable correspondence, in which the embassy informed him as to how the necessary request for permission to do so was to be made, a note (F. O., No. 721) was addressed to the foreign office on June 5 in support of the petition which Metzger had sent to the local ministry at Strassburg. On June 30 the embassy was informed by the foreign office that the desired permission had been granted and that Metzger would be allowed to sojourn for three weeks at his former home at some time before the 1st of September, action against him on account of his evasion of military service being suspended during that period. Metzger then made the desired visit, and after having done so, and having thanked the embassy for its action in his behalf, he requested its further offices to the end that it secure the cancellation of the order of fine which had been made in his case. The embassy addressed the foreign office on this subject on August 1 (F. O., No. 774), but has as yet received no reply.

2. Francis Xavier Hossenlopp informed the embassy that he wished to be allowed to visit his former home in Alsace in a letter dated Brooklyn, N. Y., May 1, 1900, in which he inclosed a note of introduction from Senator Platt and a letter from the Secretary of State dated April 10. After certain correspondence the embassy, on June 11, addressed a note (F. O., No. 726), and under date of July 3 a reply was received from the foreign office in which it was stated that permission had been granted Hossenlopp to visit his former home for four weeks at some time before September 1, and that during that time proceedings against him on account of his not having performed military service would be suspended.

3. Under date of July 11, 1900, the foreign office informed the embassy that the name of Albert Ganslen (Gänsslen)-see case No. 4 in the report accompanying the embassy's dispatch No. 1284, of June 30, 1900-had been taken off the German military lists.

4. Anton Esser brought his case to the attention of the embassy through the United States consulate at Cologne in May, 1900. Esser was born at Essen in 1875, and had been taken by his father to the United States in 1881, the father subsequently becoming naturalized as a citizen. In June, 1899, he had returned to Germany on a visit, with an intention to remain about two years. On April 26 he had received an order to leave Prussia within twenty-eight days. He claimed that he had been working in a factory as an apprentice, had earned no money, and must wait until his relatives sent him funds with which to return to the United States. On May 8 the embassy brought the case to the attention of the foreign office and requested permission for Esser to remain in Prussia until July 1 (F. O., No. 698), and under date of July 16 a reply was received in which it was stated that the permission had been granted.

5. The case of Otto Graul was brought to the attention of the embassy by Mr. Graul's father in December, 1899, and after certain correspondence the embassy addressed the foreign office in the matter (F. O., No. 660) on January 27, 1900. Mr. Graul is an American of German origin, residing in Boston, and he had been sentenced to pay a fine on account of his failure to present himself for military service. Attention was subsequently called to this case on May 1 and June 21. Under date of August 17 the embassy was informed that the fine complained of had been remitted.

6. Fritz Hillens was born in Germany in 1853, and went to the United States in 1873, becoming naturalized as a citizen there in 1879. He made visits to Germany in 1880 and 1884 without being in any way molested. On May 10 last he came to Germany again, and a few days later he was arrested as a deserter and imprisoned in the military prison at Hanover. The case was brought to the attention of the embassy by certain of Hillens's friends, and on May 21 a note was addressed to the foreign office (F. O., No. 710) in support of a petition for pardon which had been sent to His Majesty the German Emperor. Under date of August 20 a reply to the embassy's note was received in which it was stated that pardon had been granted on July 27.

7. Hieronimus Bayer was born in Württemberg in 1875, and in 1887 was taken to the United States, where he duly became naturalized as a citizen at Cleveland, Ohio, in 1896. On May 15 last, at the instance of the United States consul-general at Berlin, the embassy addressed the foreign office (F. O., No. 701) in Bayer's behalf to the end that his name might be removed from the German military list so that it might be possible for him to visit his former home exempt from military obligations and consequently not liable to be molested on account of their nonfulfillment. Attention was again called to this case on June 21 and August 24, and under date of August 25 a note was received from the foreign office in which it was stated that Bayer's name had been taken off the military lists.

8. Simon Moeller was born in Lippe in 1873. In 1892 he emigrated to the United States, becoming naturalized as a citizen in South Carolina in 1899. Soon thereafter he returned to Germany, and after remaining for about five months, during which he was married, he returned to the United States. During his visit he was, however, compelled to pay a fine of 300 marks in order to avoid arrest on account of his having failed to perform military service. On June 15, at the instance of the United States consul at Hanover, the embassy brought the case to the attention of the foreign office (F. O., No. 733), and under date of August 27 the money was refunded to

Moeller.

9. Wilhelm Ritterhoff, who was born in Germany, emigrated with his father about sixteen years ago, and through his father's naturalization during his minority, in 1890, at Dayton, Ohio, he became a citizen of the United States. As he did not report for military service, he was sentenced to pay a fine, and in consequence the sum of 228.56 marks was collected by the Prussian authorities from certain money which was due him. On September 15, 1899, the embassy called the attention of the foreign office to the case (F. O., No. 578), and reference was made to it again on December 27, 1899, May 1, June 21, and September 10, 1900. Eventually, under date of September 22, 1900, a reply was received from the foreign office to the effect that the money collected had been ordered to be refunded to Ritterhoff's representative.

10. Alfred Knudsen (case No. 2 in report accompanying dispatch No. 1142, of December 30, 1899) submitted his American papers to the embassy and it forwarded the same to the foreign office, in accordance with its request, on May 2, 1900 (F. O., No. 672). Further attention was called to the case on May 1, June 21, and September 3, and eventually, under date of September 23, 1900, the money (209.52 marks) which Knudsen had been compelled to pay as a military fine was repaid by the foreign office and duly transmitted to him."

J. B. J.