The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1900-10-11
Terre Haute, Ind, Citizen Tells a
Hard Story in Regard to the
Kenosha Candidate.
BoBMRICH MAKES A DENIAL.
Before He Leaves the City This Morning
He Makes a Statement Declaring
That He Is an American.


telegram are substantiated with. aft
davids to attest to the truth of the
statements contained therein and by a
letter written by Mr.. Bohmrich in this
regard 1894. The teleg I'm is as
follows:
Terre ,Haute, Ind, Oct. ST. was
born in Germany, and l blame my
father and mother for it. I am
ashamed of it. To hi with Ger
many"
This was the sentiment with which
Louis G. Bohmrich, the present Demo
cratic candidate for Governor of Wis
consin, startled a crowd of German
Americans inuthe Delmouico restaur-
ant here on June IA, 1894, and he fol-
lowed it with an insult to the Jewish
race. He repeated the same statement
about Germany on Dec. z, 1894, and
was ordered out of the restaurant for
so doing. On December 10 of the same
year he wrote a letter to Herman
Mewes, the proprietor of the restau-
rant, saying he was sorry that his
statements of his belief caused him
any trouble, but at the same time he
could not help believing as he did.
These were his convictions, and he
was sorry they gave offense. He
begged pardon, and expressed the hope
that, Notwithstanding he believed as
he did, his pleasant personal relations.
with Mr.. Mewes would not be dis
turbed.
The statement was made about
O'Clock in the evening, and there were
sitting around the table at the time
Herman Mewes, the proprietor of the
restaurant; Herman Raabe, book
keeper of the First National Bank;
Theodore Markell, bookkeeper of Nc
Kean's Bank; Colonel George Edward
Pugh, ex-City Attorney; Louis Fink
binder, at that time a hardware
merchant, now retired; William
Peaker, now dead: Carl Kranz1eiter,
now of New York; Abe Reimold, who
was entertaining Mr.. Bohmrich, but
who is now in Worcester, Mass; Otto
now dead, and w. T. Beau
champ, livery man. Aaron Go1dburg
was not at the table, but he heard the
remark.
Struck by Man He Insulted.
The statement came so unexpectedly
that those present were all excited in a
moment Mr.. Mewes demonstrated
with Mr.. Bohmrich for casting such a
reflection upon his parents and upon
his native country. An argument fol-
lowed and the party arose from the
table, going to the front of the place,
where Mr.. Bohmrich repeated the
statement and whereshe also made the
remark, as Mr.. Goldberg came for
ward toward the crowd, that che could
always tell a Dutchman and a Jew,
they locked so much like hog" For
this latter statement Mr.. Goldberg hit
Mr.. Bohmrich on the nose, drawing
blood, and was only prevented from
inficting more punishment because
the others interfered.
This is in substance the story which
is told by the witnesses of this affair.
Mr.. Bohmrich was at the time in the
employ of the Petit Malt Company of
Kenosha, and one of his customers was
the Terre Haute Brewing Company.
He was here to get an order for malt,
and through Mr.. Reimo1d and Mr..
Peaker of the brewery got to be we'll
known.
Bohmrtch Makes Reply.
In reply to the story Mr.. BohmriCh
was seen this morning and made the
following public statement to repre-
sentative of this paper:
To the Public his whole affair
reminds me of the position in which
made my livelihood years ago, and
from which struggled to get from
under. The incident referred to is not
stated in its full truth by the party,
Mr.. Mewes, who for a lifetime has
enjoyed the blessings of American
Institutions and citizenship, and who
has made his living sitting at the wine
table by day and by night, denounc-
ed everything American in manner
that would make the blood of every
American Citizen, care not where he
was born, boil with indignation. l
ashamed of it now, that such foul
words of denunciation of American in
stitutions should fall from the lips of
a man born in Germany.
'tThe first attribute that Germany
demands from her citizens is loyalty to
institutions and the well being of the
nation. If Mr.. Mewes had spoken as
an American in Germany in a like
manner it would have gone hard with
him. defended America at the time
as best knew how and will always
do so, Notwithstanding the fact that l
am proud of my German ancestry.
GAS far as the treatment of my be-
loved parents is concerned, their letters
written in their last hours on this
earth, prove that they had across the
seas a loyal soma loyal American
citizen-who had American money to
spare and to send to them, making
their last life evenings even brighter.
s'I have never uttered word against
any Jew or sect, and l count among
the Jews many of my best friends.