Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-19
HEBREWS TO RETURN.
Twenty-Eight of Them Will Be Sent
Back to Russian Ports.
ASSISTED TO THE UNITED STATES.
Startling Testimony Got From Them by
Treasury officials.
WORK OF A BRITISH HEBREW OFFICIAL
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH.

| ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATCH.l
NEW YORK, July 1S.-Twenty-eig Rus.
sian Hebrews who arrived here last week
are detained at the Barge Office, pending
| the action of the Treasury Department on
the results of an investigation which Gen.
'eral O'Beirne has been making among them.
General O'Beirnes investigation is the re-
| suit of this letter from A. B. Nettleton. As
sistant Secretary of the Treasury. The let
ter is dated July TO-
The department is in receipt of q letter
from the Department of State, dated 7th
instant, transmitting copy of dispatch
from the American Minister at London, who
calls attention to cutting from the Times,
issued on the Goth ult which seems to be
an authorized publication of a dispatch
from the British Ambassador at Berlin, from
which it appears that strenuous efforts are
being made by British official, who is said
to be a prominent member of Hebrew
social organization, to divert from England
the destitute eXpatriated Russian He brews
who are coming into Germany at the rate of
700a day, by warning them that the labor
market of England is overstocked and sug-
gests that they be sent to America or
Palestine.
A Close Inquiry Ordered.
In case it should be decided to bring this
matter to the attention of foreign govern
ments it would be essential that the depart
ment be well informed of all particulars
where it is found that any such immigrants
are arriving at our ports. You are therefore
requested to closely question any such Rus
sian Hebrews who may arrive as immigrants
at your port, and if you find any who have
been diverted from their original destina
ton to this country by foreign officials you
will take and record such testimony, with
the names and official rank Of persons who
are active in the matter, and promptly re-
port the facts to the department"
The testimony of all the % who are de-
tanned has been taken in the form of afi-
davits The affidavits are all very much
alike and show that the makers were assisted
in coming to this country. Leiba Steen is
fair sample. Steen says that he is %
years old, married and has two children.
Until three years ago he lived in Resza,
Russia, where he worked at his trade, black
smithing. Work failed him and he went
to Ostrow. From there he was driven out
by the authorities when the edict was made
expelling Hebrews from Russia.
Assisted to This Country.
He determined to come to America, but
had only money enough to pay his fare to
the seacoast. On the way to the coast he
was arrested on the frontier and thrown
into prison. He was visited in the prison
on the third day of his confinement by a
of some society or committee
the name of which he does not know. This
official gave him some clothing and Is
marks. On his arrival at the seacoast
ticket to America was given to him.
Some of the other affidavits are mole e1-
plicit even than Stems. One man stated
that he had been assisted all the way. An
other stated that he had been advised to go |
to Philadelphia instead of to New York, as
it would be easier for him to land at Phila- |
delphia than here.
General O'Beirne said this afternoon that |
he had debarred the % immigrants from
landing on the ground that they were likely
to become public charges. They will be
sent back to the ports from which they came