The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-22
Arrival OF fAuPgRs FROM BELGTux.


ARRIVAL OF lAUPERS FROM BELGIUM.
1 -~S>>>~>-~S~>>~~~~~~~~>~~
Twelve Supposed Convicts pat In ahe TomlI
Their own Relation o. the Matter.
We published In the HERALD Of yesterday an sccoun,
Of the arrival Of the packet ship Rochambeau Captain
Stackpoe, from Antwerp, with about hundred and
sixty passengers, twelve Of whom supposed to be
convicts and the remainder paupers The attention OF
city authorities directed to the matter by our
Consul at Antwerp, who in letter to the Coestor OF
this port-hr Redneld-rcceived time before the
arrival Of the vessel expressed his belief that number
Of her passengers convicted criminals and that they
were sent here at the expense Of the Belgian gov.
ernment On the arrival Of the vessel, she was
boarded by Sergeant Bell of the Mayors Once in
pany with two three Others who took twelve the
posed criminals In charge and brought them to the city
leaving the remainder to the Of the
Of Emigration. The twelve were committed to the
Tombs to await an examination which will bo held at
ten O'Clock this morning.
As there appeared to be uncertainty in regard
the true character OF these men, paid them visit
yesterday, desiring to obtain account Of the affair
from themselves. They all confined in coils like
the other prisoners but far their appearance might
be considered expressive of their character they
not certainly look like criminals. All provided with
passports with very few exceptions and these had
certificates Of good moral character Among those with
whom We conversed was one named Delahaie, who had
served Ave years in Africa In the French service AMI
6fteen in the Belgian army. He had several certia
Gates from his officers, and showed u.s. with the pride
Of old soldier the honorable discharges he had OBJ
tanned after period Of twenty years in the ranks
Among his papers recommendation from the Gov
Of West Flanders bearing hS seal and other
Of authority He had become reduced in circumstances
and being unable to procure relief he accepted the
offer Of the to pay his passage to this
try rather than enter poorhouse in his In the
same cell with him was another, named Lambert Sou
venir who had also been several years in the Belgian
army.
In the cell Immediately opposite found Alexander
Joseph Augustus vandervelde, who formerly sub
lieutenant In the service, and subsequently, be.
travelling agent for dry goods establishment
In this capacity however, he did not appear to have
succeeded very WELL and having failed in procuring
other employment he to this country as last re-
sort the government having offered to defray his ex
penses. At one time, while he relating his story
he became quite excited and indignant at the idea Of
being thrown into prison Immediately his coming
to what he said he had supposed free country He
would like he told U.S. to have been able to show his
certiacacs but they locked his trunk and that
had been taken from him. This he regarded as great
outrage, and lie asked with much warmth If poverty
considered acrime in America and IL for other
than that he poor was to be consigned to
prison. Through some mistake his name had not been
entered upon the keepers book. As we're leaving
him, he expressed his willingness to work at any
patton by which he could make subsistence He seemed
to be educated man. and appeared to feel the degraded
position in which he had been placed most keenly.
The story Of all these men the The mayors
A.
them their retitonng for work. II they would not
prefer to to America il they provided with the
means and they expressed their willingness under the
impression that here, they would have dculty
In procuring employment They also accepted it the
only way in which they could escape the poorhousc
which some of them acknowledged having lived short
time previous to their departure The expense Of sup
porting pauper in the depots de mendcie they are
called is from twenty five to thrtytwo centimes per
cay which is equal to about six cents. Whenever it
can do 1t successfully, the Belgian govcrment,
rather the communes, omit opportunity to
their treasury by throwing their paupers on
for sapport But they not the only parties that
have pursued this system-it has been carried by
other European governments well the Belgian. It
remains to be seen, however, whether the pas
sengers By the Rochambeau really paupers; and
we hope the matter viii be subjected to a most
rigid investigation this morning. Several years ago. 1t
may be remembered, East and West Flanders were in
most impoverished conditionthat working classes
i'm consequence Of the introduction Of machinery o
substitute for manual labor The typhus fevor ragged
with fearful violence too among the most destitute and
the government the only Of relief presented
them with the opportunity Of emgrang to the United
States Afew took advantage Of but the great majority
preferred to take their chances in the Land Of their birth
to leaving for in which they would but
strangers, the people Of which spoke a language en-
tirely different from their own.
All who are now in the city prison told us-and al
though in separate cells their statements agreed in
ry particular-that when they went board the Ro-
chambeau, at Antwerp, they in charge OF gems
daymes policemen and from this fact probable the
suspicious Of Consul originated. When the vessel
boarded by Sergeant Bell he told them that they
would have to accompany him to the Office of the Belgian
CONSUL who would provide them with money and render
them whatever other assistance they might require.
This is their statement Of the affair." and they expressed
their willingness to take their oaths that they had
never before been in prison for any crime offence
The report published in Of the morning papers, that
they attempted to resist the officers in the discharge OF
their duty Is without the slightest foundation Mr.
Bell himself Informed Some Of them said that they
had while in Antwerp waiting for the vessel to SAIL
been lodged in of the prisons, but they
PEELED to consent to this, IL the only shelter
open to them.
On leaving the Tombs went to the Mayors Office,
where found Sergeant Bell who told that they had
while under his charge, conducted themselves In
peaceable manner, and evinced their willingness to 6,
with him wherever he desired to take them. Will,
here another Belgian, named Brseckmans, VIII
had arrived from Antwerp in the Sarah G. HYDE an
who had been in the city two days looking for employ
ment. He had been at the ofRce of the Belgian
Consul and that Official, unable 10 do anything
for him. sent bim 70 the Commissioners OF
Emigration by whom he was again sent, in company
with OF their clerks named Wcrmerskirch, to tn
Mayors Office Mr. W. had introduced him to the notice
Of the officials here convict and told that Braeck
mans had acknowledged this himself When We asked him