Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-27
AN EMPHATIC PROTEST..
Prompt Action of Chief Elliot, Preventing
the Landing of a Crippled Idiot Immi-
grant-CoEent Reasons.

Prompt Action of Chief Elliot, Preventing
the Landing of Crippled Idiot Immi-
grant-COEent Reasons.
r. G. Elliot, Chief of the Department t
Charities, prevented the landing Of an alien
immigrant at Baltimore yesterday. The
case was one of girl 13 years ofage, named
Regina Warhues. She was shipped from
Bremen on the steamer Dresden and had
ticket for Pittsburg, where her father lives.
The following letter, apprising Chief Elliot,
better tells the story:
BALTIMORE, April "a.
Mr.. 4. c. Elliot, Chief of Department of Public
Charities, Pittsburg:
DEAR SIR-I beg to advise you that the
steamer Dresden, from Bremen. brought an
alien passenger, Regina L. W arhuess cnno.
who is cripple and idiot, in fact freak OF
Pittsburp was paid by her relatives in Ale
gheny City, who, we are informed, are willing
to take care of her. This board, however, will
not permit her landing, and will send her back
TO GERMANY unless a guarantee is signed in
due form, recorded and approved by your de-
partment A blank form as per copy herewith
has been forwarded to the relatives, who. no
doubt, will call on you to confer with you In
W. G. HmLKEN,
Secretary and Treasurer the State Board of
P. s.-Kindly advise of your decision.
In response to the postscript Chief Elliot
sent the following telegram:
Your favor of z4th instant Just received. 1
protest against the landing of Regina Warhues
and all similar cases. Shall express my views
more fully in letter of to-day. R. c. ELLIOT.
In addition Mr.. Elliot sent the following
letter:
Il; G. Hillken, Esq, Secretary State Board of
Immigration, Baltimore:
DEAR SIR-Your favor of 24th instant in re-
gard to the immigrant Regina L. Warhues, who
you characterize as "a cripple, an idiot and a
freak of nature" is just received.
have telegraphed you my protest against
permitting ner land all similar caSes) to leave
the ship that brought them to this country, for
eventually this class of persons becomes
charge upon the public.
L think the admission of this girl would be
violation of the spirit and letter of the immi-
grafton laws of the country.
Had the provisions of these laws been prop
erly enforced, this department would not now
nave IN charge over 200 insane and idiotic per-
sons. We believe that 80 per cent of our ex-
penses are incurred in maintaining foreign i'm
migrants and their offspring. Many thanks for
case. Very respectfully,
P. S.-The father of the girl Regina has lust
left my Office with his friend. After showing
MIN copy OF my telegram to you, l explained
the law bearing on the case and refused to ac-
quiesce in any arrangement for her admission.
r. c. E.
As stated in his letter, the father of the
girl called on Chief Elliot. He is a resi-
dent of Allegheny, and has been in the
country six years. He could not or would
not speak English, and had a young man
named c. 7. Wiederhausen with him who
spoke for him. The girl in question has
been kept by relatives in Germany for $50
a year, and the father thought he could
keep her here for less. She has been Grip
pie all her life, is 13 years old, and weighs
but 80 pounds. She is unable to stand on
her feet, and can eat nothing solid, sub
sisting almost wholly on milk.