The herald., 1897-05-22
ForLong Held an American
Citizen
ARRESTED FOR NO oFFENsE
STARVED AND BEATEN BY RUS
SIAN OFFICIALS
John Ginzberg Wants Damages and
He Has Suffered Enough to En-
title Him to Redress

Associated Press Special Wire.
NEW YORK, May 21.-The Herald
says: John Ginzberg has asked the Sec
retary of State to collect $4,000 for him
from Russia to recompense him for un-
justifiable Imprisonment and i'll treat
ment by the Cars servants.
Ginzberg tells story which is sup-
ported by official papers. He was born
in Loheshin, Minsk Opinsk, Poland. He
| came to America when he was 14years of
age and on August 10. 1886, took out nat
uralization papers before the United
States court in Wilmington, Delaware.
He saved little money and in October,
1894, made up his mind to pay visit to
his parents.
He secured passport good for two
years, signed by the Secretary of State,
Mr. Gresham.
When he reached Hamburg his pass
port was examined, and was approved
by Charles II. Burke the American Vice
Consul, and he passed through Germany
without trouble. He entered Russia at
Schuichin a frontier town opposite
Prostiken, in Prussia. He went at once
to the custom house to present his paes-
port and was Immediately arrested. A
charge of trespassing on government
property was made against him and he
was fined nine roubles, which he paid.
The police, instead of releasing him,
however proceeded to strip him of his
money and clothing, which they sold.
They then locked him up once more,
without his passport or his citizenship
papers and without telling him why.
From Schuichin they sent him by short
stages from one prison to another, to
Pinsk He was often confined for weeks
in the prisons, by the way, where, he
says, he was fiogged and subjected to
other i'll usage. At Pinsk he wac in
formed that he would be held for trial on
the charge of having become citizen of
the United States without having asked
leave of the Gar His sister and some
friends secured bail for him and he was
released. but without his passport he
could net get employment nor leave the
place. He says he was often without
sufficient food and that he was in con-
stant fear of being sent to Siberia.
He laid his case before United States
Minister Breckenridge, Who took live
ly interest in it, Consul-General Carroll
also interceded for him, and Ginzberg
managed to get word to Robert NJ.
Leads, banker in Glasgow, Montana,
who owed him debt of gratitude in
having warned him of an attempt to
rob his bank. Mr.. Leads sent him money
and Mr.. Breckenridge also helped to re-
lieve his distress.
In spite of the assistance Of his friends
Ginzberg found that there was no
change in his case and he determined to
send a petition to the Czar After say
ing that he heard of the Cars goodness
and calling upon Heaven to preserve
him, he explained that he had come to
Russia only to satisfy filial desire to
gee his parents once more and that he
had intended to do no wrong, having left
home when boy and being ignorant of
the Russian law. He humbly prayed the
Car to let him go. Ginzberg thinks he
owed what he calls his speedy release to
this petition. The Cars secretary sent
word that he received it and a year
afterward he was brought to trial. He
was found guilty and sentenced last
January to two and one-half years
after his arrival to perpetual banish-
ment from Russia. He left gladly by
the aid of the money sent to him from
Montana. He lives in this city and found
work this week for the first time since
his return.
His counsel, Charles Schwick, has sent
his application for damages to the State
Department.