Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-09-25
REFUGEES IN THE CITY.
Arrival of a Family OF Russian
kxiIos Yesterday.
DESTITUTE AND Aaosc STRANGERS.
Thsy Tell the stosy az tho nssdshiPs iss'
posed Ia the tssa sf 1sTsany aad
OppFessisa thssash . fFissaiy Ia.
tesPsssss-nsbbsa at Their All.

A family of RUSSIAN Jewish exiles
were nnioaded NJ the door Of the county
sppsflntrndsnts of the poor last even
ing. Tho family eonss led OF tho father
aud mother aud four bright appearing
little children ranging ia ago from
twenty months 10 seven yaafs. They
had not cent IN money aud their per-
sonal effects wera enclosed ~ coarse
hsmp blanket making a bundle the
slke of bushel basket. The mother
and two children had losttbolr hats and
were compelled 10 go with heads bare.
They were scanuly clad and showed
evidence OF having been railrosding.
They were brought To the Office Of the
superlntcndcnts in patrol wagon, an
officer having been summoned To the
Union depot to take charge oiltbe'fanily
80 they could not speak the English
language and seemed 70 be steering for
no objective point. Persons OF differ
ent nat Qualities tried TO converse with
them but no one could be found around
the county Offices who could talk with
them IN their native dialect. The little
children played about the Office, rolling
on the floor like kittens, pointing To
the brightly colored pictures that
adorned the walls and calling their
mothers attention to them by childish
gestures. the while prattl!ng IN their
native tongue.
An Interpreter Found.
Superintendent Mitchell went in
quest of an interpreter and shortly
returned with Meyer Sander, a Junk
dealer at l05 kent-st., a Russian Jew.
1t was found that he was of the same
nationality as the stranded emigrants
and they at once surrounded him,
beginning an animated explana-
ton of their circumstances. Their
eyes sparkled with hope and
satisfaction as they poured forth their
story into the ears OF one who could
understand their situation. The hus-
band and wife were SO elated over find
ing some one of their own race with
whom they could talk that they both
kept up a continual fire until Mr.. Sand
Ter called them down and requested
| that but one talk at once. A reporter
! for the TELEGRAM HERALD was on hand
| and from Mr.. Sander learned that the
| family were Jews hanshsd from Rus
| sia. The husband and father of the
| family was man of small stature,
| dark, swarthy complexion and wore a
thin scraggy beard. He gave the name
| of l.. Zoffern and said that he was en-
gagged in mercantile business at Po-
| dulski, Russia, and that about two
months ago MS family and twenty-five
| others were or1ered to leave the coun-
try.
Robbed of Their Savings.
A committee, whose duty it was to ship
the undesirable portion of the popula-
ton took this mans hard earned savings,
| consisting OF sixty roubles. and pur-
chased passage for the family to Mon
| treal, Canada. The committee repre-
sented to him that he Was to be sent to
| the State of Kansas, where millions OF
acres of fertile farming land We're open
| for settlers, and that he could home
| stead portion of 1t. HIS route
through Russia and other European
/ countries was circultous, he having been
sent from one place to another until
| his money was about exhausted. lie
| finally boarded steamer at Hamburger
and came to Montreal. AT that place
they were met by the American
end of the exillng committee and
| were informed that there were
no more lands in Kansas for
homesteaders. The exiled families
were gwen tickets for various places
throughout the United States with no!
a cent with which to buy food or to get
a change of clothing. Zoffern and his
family were gwen ticket for this city
by the way of Detroit. Upon reaching
| here yesterday they found themselve:
among strangers without means to pro-
| cure a meal or nights lodging, They
were provided with food and lodging
at Lampman's on Canal-st. last night
at the expense of the county.