Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-10-22
SEVERAL ERRORS.
The German Government Has Not Sent a
Letter Here

The Inicliigmccr yesterday morning.
stated that
An Official document was received YES
tcrday by Ralph Heyman, son Of Mr. Never
iieynEAn' the well-known clothier, which
caused iAe family some uneasiness. The
paper is from Berlin, is sealed with the
imperial seal, and signed By high officials
IN the name OF the Emperor. aud IL orders
young Heyman 10 report forthwith m the
military authorities of Germany and serve
the term fixed by law in the army Of the
empire
No such demand was ever made on
Mr. VI. lcyman, nor his son, and no
'oihclal document sealed with the
Imperial seal, and signed bv high
officials ia the name OF the Emperor.
was ever received by Mr.. Heyman. his
son, or any one else. Mr.. VI. Heyman
was asked about the matter yesterday.
and said:
Il never received a letter from the Ger
man authorities relating % my son i'm any
way. neither did my son receive such n
letter. The only foundation know of for
such story is the fact that some time AGO
! received letter from my brother-in-law.
at Soutz, IN Alsace, stating, among other
things, that an Official had called there 10
know what had become OF the boy regis
tered as having been born there in October
1870. They told the officer. and that was
all there was of il. You see. when was
in Soutz, in 1870. my son Ralph was born.
IN my brOther-in-law's house. and as tho
law required that all births be registered
within ten days, | made the official entry.
and even appended TO it that the child's
parents were American citizens. Of Wheel
ing, w. Va. The entry was made because
the law required it. The thing has caused
us no anxity. and we desired no publicity"
Mr.. Heyman's son added that he had
been much surprised at the published
version of the affair, which was unde-
Srable.
During the afternoon a reporter Of
the REGIsrEE asked Mr. II. NJ Russell
what claim the German government
would have upon child born in Ger
many, OF American parents. In reply
he said:
LAS understand the matter. think
there would be no claim whatever. Our
laws recognize a child Of American
parents, born abroad, as an American
citizen, and that claim would be adhered
to in this case, as in others. Foreign
nations have sometimes intimated that
our laws in this particular were too
liberal, but don't imagine any serious
question could arise out of claim for
military duty in such an instance as is
here cited. Nattcl's Law Of Nations,
chap. xix, says:
"'It is asked whether the children born
OF citizens in foreign country are citizens
The laws have decided this question in
several countries, and their regulations
must be followed. BY the law of nature
alone. children follow the condition Of their
fathers, and enter into all their rights;
the place Of birth produces no change in
this particular, and cannot, Of itself fur
nish any reason for taking from a child
what nature has given him. | say "of
itself, for, civil or political laws may. for
particular reasons, ordain otherwise. But
! suppose that the father has not entirely
quilted his country in order TO settle else
where. If he has fixed his abode in a for
eign country, he is become a member OF
another society, at least as a perpetual in
habitant, and his children will be members
Of it also
The Revised Statutes Of the United
States, Sec. PIP. says:
"'And the children of persons who now
are, or have been, citizens of the United
States, shall, though born out Of the limits !
and jurisdiction of the United States, be !
considered as citizens thereof
IL can't imagine said Mr.. Russell.
in conclusion, that there is anything
in the claim, If one has been made, to
cause uncasincSs."