New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-30
ELLIS ISLAND AFFAIRS
coroyrI, WEBER ON THE WITNESS STAND.
rvr SENATE AND HOUSE COMMITTEES ON IN.
,.-,o, prcrur THEIR IAPoRs

THE SENATE AND HOUSE COMMITTEES ON IN
MIGRATION RESUME THEIR LABoRs.
Tho Senate and House Committees immigration
,med their Investigation OF the management OF
gairs on Ellis Island yesterday at O'Clock, In the
rs,cult Court room In the Postoflce Building Among
the members present senators Chandler. PROCTOR
nm and Dubois, and Congressman stump, covert
Wright and Geissenhainer. Colonel weber was his'
called TO the witness stand. Senator Chandler asheu
hin, 10 tell about the typhus cases brought over on
the Massila . ,
nThere were sixty or seventy of the Massilia's
nasenaers out OF about go who were detained for
special inquiry" said the witness lhey "e''
through the regular routine passing the reee"9
clerks as usual. Most OF the passengers were 'e"S
from Russia. Their original destination, leafheo ro'
them had been Palestine There they hau oee"
turned away and they went back 70 'ohS'a"''" ,
AGAIN they were not wanted, and they next iouuu
,nmsc,ves in Naples When they reached this port
they had been going about from place 10 piace io'
eight months and members of families hao oee',
separated. one woman had lost hcr huso"'"' CIV
MANY parents their children. some OF the pasSo"eo
had money when they started, but on account oi 'o
unnecessary delays in reaching mere "e'o ue,
non tbev arrived And their trials and ripuhuohs
did not end when they reacheo 'h's po''' i0'
about twenty Of them BACK. . i.
.wbv were not the Jews permitted 10 remain III
pnssa, Did you learn that I" ASKED MI Ci"'
{. pecause no foreign Jews are Perm''eu "
~ prussia. An edict to that effect has been
,ssued by the Russian Government. O"'. a
-. ORC nermitted to remain. KNOW Vi 'aSo
'o"H .morican lew WAS expelled from Russia
r.,.ua, weher then explained the methods OF the
,,osIca,,on Department under his SUPERVISION anu
told how destitute passengers had been 'nueu ai'"
he had received guarantees from the Nuu'' iieo'
charities and other societies that ne Immigrants
landed should be cared ior' -
"Who gave you authority 10 acoep' QUIZ" e''''
tees IN asked Mr.. Chandler. ~
The treasury Department" the reply. up
- that time had been taking boeds from 1rlehdS
NJ the Immigrants, but the guarantees from Upo s0
cietes consider much better"
Al, n man comes over In the steerage, ana wheh
he reaches your department tells you toat ne ms
hcen promised work. would you permit him 10 "hu
asked Senator Chandler.
aNo. sir: that would be violation OF the con-
tract labor law" -,
mt ~ ANYBODY went to you after the ARRIVAL
q, tle n,on and said he would furnish work for the
newcomer, would you admit him TO TINS country
ayes was the brief reply from Coiohel "eper'
~rl,eu that is not evadiDg the contract labor ia"
"No'
The witness then went on. TO SHOW IN reply 10
n question from Senator Proctor, that there was
difference between the intelligence OF Tire natiohsh-
ties landed at Castle Garden. The following heureS
were given by Colonel Weber to show how many
people Of the different nationalities were ianoe'
during the month Of March, over fifteen years OF age
who could neither read nor write: ScahoihaNi~iS
consisting OF Swedes, MOI Hcgans ana Danes Ia VI
I per cent Germans, per cent; from treat Dri'aih'
s per cent Russia 10 per cent; Austria ana hungary
rs Der cent Italy, AZ per cent, and Poland W per
cent.
"Those figures show that the Swcdes. Norwcgians
and Danes are the most intelligent immigrants lanoed
said Colonel Weber "The statistics for the month OF
March on that point are fair average
Colonel Weber was then questioned by Senators Du'
bois and Proctor and asked II immigrants were fire.
ouenty sent back when he thought they woniu hot
make desirable citizens.
ayes. SIR have sent immigrants back when tney
each had 800 in their pockets The men looked as
70 they would probably become inmates Of our states
prisons. and for that reason l sent them back
Had the men ever been convcts or inmates OF
poorhouse ~ he was asked.
"No. sir"
"Then don't you think You might have made an
error In dealing with the you refused to laad'
Don,t Won think IL would have been better 10 nave
,emItte three men instead Of one to decide the case
Colonel Weber said he did not think that any I'M
movement could be made in the present system: ne
Was on the stand for about three hours and wheh Ge
hearing adjourned at 30 O'Clock he had not toa
The members Of the committee all they desired 70
know He will probably be again placed on me s'1ld
sd,ourncd other witnesses Will also be hoard To-Day
Senator David b. Hill was conspicuous Dy MS ao
sence at the afternoon session nc was on manu- ma IN, ~
a. n was u1avodaby postponed till the afternoon lac
did NOT trouble himself TO come again every Wllcr
senator and Congressman who discovered In me morn
ing that the Investigation could not 90 on al tat ue
was present at the afternoon hour appointed