The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-04-18
ABDUCTED ABROAD.
Switzerland and the United
States Embroiled Over the
Daughter Of Albert His.

WASHINGTON, April Is. 1Ss5.-Up to
tho close of the period covered by the
volume of Foreign Relations for lS9a'
there was an open question of consider
able interest pending between the United
States and the Swiss Republic.
In 1883, Carrie A. Turner, a citizen OF
the United States. and Albert His, a
citizen of Switzerland, married. At the
time they were both domiciled in New
York City and continued to reside there.
July %, 1887, there was born of this
union a child, named Constance Made
leinc. In the autumn of 1887, Albert HIS
returned to Switzerland; the wife re-
manned in New York with her child,
whom she supported by her earnings.
Ii the autumn of 1889 Mrs. His was
served, at New York, with papers in a
suit of divorce begun by her husband in
Switzerland She went to that country
and succeeded in preventing a divorce
on the grounds asked. and has. herself,
in the same court. secured an absolute
divorce. The Judgment of the court,
on the request of both parties, awarded
to the mother the custody of the child
and her upbringing and education.
Returning to America, Mrs. His con-
tinued to supper her daughter until
Albert His came to New York. and on
May 4, 1891, abducted the child by stealth
and took her to Switzerland, where he
has ever since detained her and has been
sustained In his action by the Swiss
Courts. Mr.. De Witt Warner has taken
a strong interest in the case. The cor
r~espondence begun by Mr.. Blaine and
Gresham, has been quite vigorous ON the
part of the United States. The final
statement of the position of the United
shows was made by Secretary Gresham,
October 81 last. as f~ollows:.
This Government claims the child on
American citizen. residing within the
territory of the United States, and sub
ject to its exclusive Jurisdiction and en-
ously abducted and taken to Switzerland.
in utter disregard of our sovereignty.
Even had the child not been a citizen
which the fathe obtained custody
amount to the crime of abduction, and it
is therefore significant and remarkable
it is said that in the light of the jul
dieial and legal principles in force IN
the acts with which Mr.. His is re.
preached were taken in the exercise, of
the paternal power Of which he has
never been declared RED de T 90 tho rms ng,n ian,
Of the Swiss Government. in abducting
father simply exercised his paterna1
! right, and that this government canno
complain of his act.
Does that government take the posi-
ton that one of its subjects may enter
the territory of the United States in de-
fanee of their sovereignty and authority.
and by stealth or force take from their
jurisdiction a citizen or even IN alien
having a lawful domicile here? If II
does, this government must emphatically
record it's dissent from a proposition 50
subvers:ve of the fundamenta principles
of sovereignty. The case cannot be
permitted to remain as it now stands;
it might in the future be cited as a
precedent against this government, and
therefore you will again bring the mat
ter to the attention Of the Swiss Govern
ment and demand such action on its
and sovereignty of the United States"