The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-05-22
GINzBERG WANTS $4,000.
He Was Kept in Russian Prisons Two
and a Half Years Without Cause.

I
and Half Years Without Cause.
New York, May % The Herald says:
John Ginzberg has asked the secretary
! of state to collect $4,000 for him from
| Russia to recompense him for unjusti-
| fable imprisonment and ill treatment by
| the cars servants.
| Ginzberg tells a story which is support
| ed by official papers. He was born in
Loheshin, Poland. He came to America
when he was IA years old, and on Aug
! ust 10, 1885, took out naturalization pa
pers before the United States circuit
court in Wilmington, Del. He saved a
little money and in October 1894. made up
his mind to visit his parents.
He secured a passport good for two
years signed by Secretary Gresham.
When he reached Hamburg his passport
was examined and was approved by
Charles H. Burke, the American vice
consul and he passed through Germany
without trouble He entered Russia at
Schuching, a frontier town opposite
Prostken, in Prussia. He went at once
to the custom house to present his pa
pers 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
Then they locked him up once more,
taking his passport or his citizenship pa
pers and without telling him why.
From Schuching 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 logged and subjected to
other ill-usage. At Pinsk he was inform
ed that he would be held for trial on the
charge of having become citizen of the
United States without leave of the car.
His sister and some friends secured bail
for him and he was released, but with
out his passport. He could neither get
employment nor leave Loheshin. He
says that he often was without sufficient
food and that he was in constant fear
of being sent to Siberia.
He laid the case before the United
States minister, Clifton Breckenridge who
took a lively interest in it. Consul gen.
eraI Carroll also fnterceded for him and
Ginzberg managed to get word to Rob
ert NJ. Lewis, banker in Glasgow, Mont.
who owed him a debt of gratitude for
having warned him of attempt to
rob his bank Mr.. Lewis sent him money
and Minister Breckenridge also helped to
relieve 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 car. After saying that
he had heard of the cars goodness and
calling upon heaven to preserve him, he
explained that he had come to Russia
only to satisfy a filial desire to see his
parents once more and that he had in
tended to do no wrong, having left home
when a boy and being ignorant of the
Russian law. He humbly prayed the
car to let him go.
Ginzberg thinks that 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
years and half after his arrest TO per-
petual enlistment 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. Mr.. Schwick said that he
hoped the case would bring about
rangements with Russia for the protec-
ton of naturalized citizens. He has the
certificate of citizenship and the passport
which were carried by Ginzberg and
turned to him after his trial They
worn and soiled with much handling and
bear TRANSACTIONS in Russian on their
backs for the information of the cars
subjects who were charged with the
prosecution of the exile.