The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-18
HOW IMMIGRANTS DISAPPEAR.
Many Escape From the New York
large O0lcc.

| Many Escape From the New NOrk
large Onicc.
NEW YORK, Nov. 17.-The story OF the
disappearance OF Isidoro Tsrmini. an aged
| Italian immigrant. at the Barge Office.
which came to light few days ago. calls
! attention to a curious phase of immi-
grant affairs. Every year from one to
two dozen steerage passengers in the Gus
tody Of the United States authorities dis
appear some time between the date of
their arrival at the steamboat docks and
what should be the date OF their depar-
ture. A considerable number also drop
out OF sight at the docks while still in
charge OF the steamship company. When
this occurs the transportation company
must locate the missing passenger or pay
fine Of $1,000. The case of Termini is
some mystery attached to it. In the ma
jority of instances the immigrant merely
takes French leave in order to escape the
tedium of waiting for his vouchers or the
uncertainty Of an appearance before the
board Of enquiry.
From March until July. and from Sep
about 1000 immigrants arrive each day at
the Barge ONCE. The number reached as
high as $500 in one day in May Of thi;
year. They are OF all natiODllities and
grades OF intelligence TO be found among
the laborng classes OF Europe. ignorant
of the English language. and entirely I'M
schooled in the ways of Barge Offices. They
are examined and tlcketed in Il crowded
building at the end of Battery Park, n
..N2 Ill Ill.
station for 1000 cabin passengers day.
In view OF the entire arrangement. ii Is
thought hardly matter for surprise that
a dozen persons disappear in the course
Of twelvemonth.
A great many have every reason for dOdg-
ing out Of sight as soon as the steamer
touches land, and 1t is curious that so
few attempt to escape. America opens up
a vast field of promise to the average i'm
migrant When he fnds himself exposed
to the rigors OF strict medical examina-
ton, search into his past records and
his pecunary affairs. terror seizeS him. He
finds himself quasi-prisoner under about
as strict guard as may be maintained with
out military or police discipline. His mind
travels fast to the conclusion that there
is danger OF his being turned back. Fear
quickens his wits. and he sets to work to
devise means for getting away; and get
ting away is ridiculously easy. partly on
account Of inadequate accommodations, and
partly because he cannot be kept very
strict prisoner
Curiously enough, 1t is not the healthy
young men and boys who elude the Of
ficials but, more often, old people, women,
and children. The young and robust i'm /
usually pass inspection, and are |
released within 4 few hours, and, cOnse- |
quently. there is no reason for them to |
escape. This year. so far, eight persons |
who were to have appeared before the |
board OF enquiry have escaped. From the
history of cases in the past, it seems
possible that the old Italian who disap-
peared may have tried to escape by jump
ing in the water near the Jersey shore. on |
the trip to Ellis Island. He might have
and. seeing the shore only few strokes
away. thought to escape in the darkness /
from the boat.
In August stowaway. an Italian FAMED
Gozetti. was sent to Ellis Island to awlit
enquiry as to his antecedents. He was
evidently afraid of the outcome, for on
he trip over in the afternoon, he jumped
mo the water. and attempted to swim
ashore. He either miscalculated the dis
lance or became confused. and mstook
Staten Island for the Jersey shore. pLd
W ludhe the longer ]
he was drowned. and his body was recov-
,red few days afterward. Detained i'm
migrants are sent from the Barge Office
70 Ellis Island to stay all night in the
Government buildings in the course OF
erection there. They are taken across in
he ordinary passenger boats, and every
ew days some attempt to escape. They
ire often assisted by their friends who.
n a good many instances, find it cheaper
o help them to get away than to couch
or their maintenance, before the Board
Il Enquiry.
The hospital is on Ellis Island and Of
ers good opportunities for making off, be-
ause the discipline has to be more lax
here. When Il soldier deserts he does SO
t the risk of his life: but when. an i'm
Migrant once gets away. he can snap his
myers at authority. Attempts are always
made to locate them and to bulldoze them
nto coming back for examination. but there
S actually no penalty which can be en-
creed for smuggling ones self into the
ountry. Not in one case in hundred is
ny report or enquiry made by relatives
r friends of an immigrant who slips
through the Barge Office. Detectives from
he Barge Office who try TO locate the run
ways are usually told that they have not
cen SEEN and that their relatives are in |
Italians show NEST skill per-
APPS, III SInuSsliHS tuttuSeiNGS ashore.
Women are shrewd in escaping boards
+ enquiry, and their stratagems are
sually of simple and obvious sort. In
une, Marianne Pagnatti arrived with her :
law from Italy. The daugh-
erinlaw was given pass which en-
tiled her to walk out at the front door |
the Barge Office free woman. The
lother-in-law was detained temporarily.
t the gate the daughter presented the
ass, nonchalantly throwing thumb over
er shoulder to indicate that it applied
the woman back of her also. The ca:e-
peper failed to notice that the card read
,r one instead of two. Children held
ave been spirited away from the hos 4
tai by their parents. In some cases the n
migrants disappear, not knowing that it 7
necessary to pass inspection. In the Fl
infusion incident to landing the steerage :.
,ssengers notice that the cabin passen-
,rs attend to their baggage and go away
ithout let or hindrance, and occasionally
n immigrant quite simply mixes with =
lie crowd and walks away with his friends,
ltirely ignorant that he may be costing
e steamship company $1,000.
"If Immigrants were all English said ]
equity Commissioner insolvency, ten +
mes more would take informal leave of
lie Barge Office than do SO now. In =
lese cramped quarters only simplicity !,
i'd the confusion of IDEAS after long !,
,yage and in a strange country prer"nts | 4,
ln grants who want to escape from get =
ng away" g
few criminals nave ever 4
ipped past the officers. h