Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-12-23
Arrest of Belgium ConyIcts at New York.

By the mails received per the Pacific last
week, Collector Red6eld, of New York, received
dispatches from F. A. Gale, esq.,, United States
Consul at Antwerp, placing him in possession
of information relative to the importation of
several ablebodied men, who were convicts in
the Belgium prisons, and sentenced to serve
long terms. Their crimes ranged from petit
larcenies to robberies on the highways. The
New York Times says
In communicating with the Collector, the
Consul states that the authorities of Antwerp
recently debated the question of the expediency
and cheapness of instituting prison deliveries
and sending the culprits to America. 1t seems
that our Consul was shabbily treated by the
Governor of the Province of Antwerp upon his
demonstrating with him. We copy below the
important portions of the Consups letter to
Collector Redfeld:
SIN regard to the shipment of the men al
luded to, my suspicious are founded upon the
facts that no government, at their own expense,
would send away men to q foreign land, in the
prime of life, and capable of performing mill
tdry duty, which is by law imposed upon every
subject above certain age in Belgium. The
Captain of the Rochambeau having protested
at this Consulate, against the illegality of car
rying said passengers, most earnestly remon-
Antwerp; and in regard to the shipment OF
convicts, / then demanded, as right, Sc
curity that they should not become charge
TO any city or county in the United States.
In reply to this demand, the Governor in
formed me that Captain Stackpole had re-
ceived a letter addressed to the Belgium
Consul in New York, from the Inspector ofthe
Emigration Service, a royal officer with in.
structions to take care that said Belgium sub
jects did not become chargeable TO the city of
New York. Said persons are prorided ,cith
passports from the Belgium government. This
information from the Governor here excited my
suspicious, especially as it was once discussed
in the Legislature of Belgium, whether it
would not be better to send to the United
States all criminals at government expense,
rather than to maintain them at home"
On Wednesday morning the ship Rocham-
beau, Captain Stackpole, arrived below New
York with the IL convicts and 100 paupers.
She was Immediately boarded by the police,
and the convicts arrested and brought to the
city. After hearing before Judge Bebee,
they were committed to the Toombs. The
Times adds
"0n examining the persons of the men ar
rested passports entitingthem to travel through
the United States were found concealed in their
underclothing. They were thoroughly ques-
toned, by the assistance of an interpreter, as
to the manner Of their leaving the old country,
and declared that they had not been prisoners
in Belgium, but paid their own passage money.
Finding, however, that their statements were
not believed, one of the party confessed the
whole affair, divulging the particulars Of the
system recently adopted by the Belgium gov.
vernment. Prison clothing, used in their cells
at home, were sent with them.
The State law makes the owners, assignees
and captains Of all vessels liable to heavy
fine and imprisonment lone or both, upon
proof Of their bringing convicts from any for
eign country and landing them on our shores.