The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-01-09
GERMANY PLANT.
Full Text Of Count Won Ar
cos Letter About the
Arrests on the
Elbe.
A TREATY VIOLATION.
The German Consul Should Have
Been Notifed-Unele Sans
Protest in the
Xenia Case.
WAS UNDUE VIOLENCE USED?
Serious Charges Against the Hobo
ken Police Made in Very
Pacific Tone.
TREATY VIOLATION.
WAS UNDUE VIOLENCE UsED'

ldOluJ 1OhCs
The JERSEY CITY NEWS lays before It's
readers today the letter of Secretary OF
State Blaine to Governor Albeit in refer
ence to the riot which took place in
Hoboken on the night OF October 4, 1889.
and also the full text OF the letter of
Count Arco, Minister Of Foreign Affairs,
to Secretary of State Blaine.
Governor Albeit today communicated
with Chief of Police Donovan. of Ho-
boken, In reference to the matter and on
Thursday morning next it is expected,
the Governor will take testimony In Ho-
boken with a view of finding out the true
state OF affairs.
SECRETARY BLAINE TO GOVERNOR ALBEIT.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
WASHINGTON, December 2s, 1890.
HIS Ercellency the Governor Of Nel0 Jersey,
Trenton, Nesc Jersey
SIR:-I have the nonor to enclose here
with copy of q note Of accompanying
documents communicated by the German
Minister to this Department on the 18th
OF November last. in relation to the arrest
of certain persons on the German
steamer ''Elbe," at Hoboken, on the
nights of the 4th and 5th of October, by
the police of that place.
Complaint is made that the proceedings
of the police were not conducted in ac-
cordance with the rules laid down in the
treaty between the United States of
America and the German Empire of
1871. and that, besides, they were attended
with unnecessary violence.
AS IL is very important. on grounds OF
comfy as well as Of treaty, that all pro-
ceeGings In respect to foreign vessels in
our ports should be characterized by
due regard for their national character,
have the honor to request that an invest.-
cation of the present complaint may be
made with view to the correction of the
irregularities which seem to have oc-
Cured. Anenswer to the ministers note
will be deferred until the reception of
your reply.
have the honor to be
Your Excellency's obedient servant.
JAMES g. BLAINE.
ENCLosURE-THE GERMAN MINISTER TO
Mr.. BLAINE, November 20, 1890. Copy
with accompanying documents.
IMPERIAL GERMAN LEGATION
WASHINGTON, November 20 1890
Mr. Secretary Of State:-
During the night between the 4th and
5th of October, 1889. an affray occurred at
Hoboken, n. j., between a number OF
policemen and a party of firemen belong
ing on board of the steamer Elbe, near the
wharf of the North German Lloyd
steamer. During the affray, one Of the
policemen was quite roughly handled
The policemen tnen obtained reinforce
ments, and to the number OF about thirty
(many Of them not I'm unifOrm) rushed on
board OF the vessel, whittier in the mean
time. the firemen had retreated.
The officers of the vessel, who had been
aroused by the noise. stood on the gang
plank, of the steamer. where an electric
light made everything as light as day,
among them were the second aad fourth
officers, together with the second
engineer, who were in full uniform.
Mr.. Won Bardeleben, the first officer
(who, as | would again remark, was in
full uniform) asked the policemen as they
rushed on board OF the vessel what they
wanted: he also asked them whether they
had been authorized to come on board by
the Imperial German Consulate General.
whereupon, instead OF a reply, he re-
ceived several blows on the mead, by
which he was rendered unconscious, and
bled profusely.
The second officer, who was likewise in
full uniform, and VINO stood by the side
of Mr.. Won BarGeleben, was struck on
the back of the head by the police (blood
being DRAWN and was otherwise NAL
treated.
Several other persons belonging to the
crew. who had taken no part in the atfray
between the policemen and the firemen.
were also roughly handled. The police
men, armed with revolvers aud clubs,
rushed into the place where the fremeu
lodged, pulled them out of their beds
without stopping to consider whether
they had taken part in the atfray or not,
beat them with their clubs and dragged
them ashore with nothing on but their
night clothes. AS tine firemen were
dragged along blows rained upon them
constantly.
Plege, the overseer of the firemen. who
had nothing Whatever to do with the dis
turbance, was arrested on the following
day, as was Fireman sVilke, who had
been on watch the whole night and had
not been ashore at all.
Won Bardeleben, the first officer, and
Rollman, the second engineer, were like
wise arrested, two hours before the de-
parture of the steamer. They were, how
ever, released on 81 800 bail.
1t is 10 be remarked in this connection
that the officers, notwithstanding the
fact that no permission had been given
by the Imperial consular authorities, had
no intention whatever to prevent the
policemen from coming on board of the
vessel, but that they would, on the con-
trary, If they had been properly requested
to do so, have assisted the police IN ar
resting the guilty firemen, and that the
latter in nowise resisted arrest.
No communication was sent by the
police authorities of HoboKen, either be-
fore or after the arrest, TO the Imperial
German Cons ulate General at New York
AS the conven tion os December IL. 1871,
between the German Empire and the
United States expressly stipulated shall
be done.
So far as paragraph of article 12 of the
aforesaid Consular Convention is con-
cerned, 1t is maintained by my govern
ment, IN accordance with the position
heretofore takenby it in similar cases.
that the obligations duly TO notify the
Imperial Consuls extends even, If not to
al, official proceedings held by American
local authorities on board of German
merchant vessels, at least TO all proceed
lngs whereby the interests OF the vessel
and those of its service are essentially
Affected. This is the case when persons
belonging to the crew Of vessel are ar
rested 1t must, it Is true, be admitted
hat this obligation TO give notice may