The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-07
CHARGES BY A CONSUL
DIR. SCHWEGEL SAYS INJURED AUS.
TRANS WERE SPIRITED AWAY.
He DenOunces the Railway
Company and Appeals to the
Legation at Washington.

CHICAGO. Dec. 6.-After vain efforts to
locate a number of Austrian immigrants
who he fears were in the wreck of the Wa
bash train No. 10. near Seneca, Mich. on
Nov. 2S, DR.. Hans Schwegel, acting consul
general of Austria-Hungary. proposes to
compel the railroad company to reveal the
whereabouts of his injured countrymen.
The Austrian legation at Washington has
been communicated with and the courts
may be appealed to.
These poor, ignorant immigrants, who
cannot speak a word of English. were spir-
tied away Immediately after the wreck
and | cannot trace them" said the consul
yesterday. THE Wabash Company is ex-
erting every effort to keep me from COM
municating with them. The claim agent of
the road takes advantage of their ignor-
ance and induces them to sign an absolute
release for a mere song. 1t is an outrage.
And | propose TO investigate the legality
of the proceedings from first to last. The
same outrageous and callous methods were
adopted by the Wabash road after the
wreck last summer.
What l want to know is this: Has a
railroad a legal right to spirit away vic
tins of accidents occurring on it's line to
parts unknown and then make it almost
impossible for them to communicate with
their friends? And | also want to know If
the victims become practically the prop
erty of the railroad company the moment
they are injured and if the road can carry
them wherever it wants TO.
After the wreck last June. at Cass,
Ind, a man named Angelo appeared at the
railroad hospital at Peru who could talk
the Italian language. He was called an in
terpreter and his business was To influence
the injured men to accept about SO for
their injuries. Now, after the recent wreck
this same man Angelo appears at the same
hospital as Interpreter. | saw him on both
occasions and know how he talked to the
men,
The June wreck to which Consul Schwe-
gel refers occurred at Cass Station, on the
night of June %. Seventeen passengers
were killed outright and several score in
jured. Twenty-seven injured were taken to
the railroad hospital at Peru on the night
of the accident. DR.. Schwegel tried to
communicate with the injured Italian i'm
migrants and declares that he received
shabby treatment at the hands of the hos
pital officials and was not permitted to talk
brought to the notice OF the Italian lega-
ton at Washington and then 10 the atten-
ton of the Department of State. On July
20 Governor Durbin forwarded 10 Washing
ton a denial of the charges and the case
was dropped.
The statement OF Consul Schwegel as to
the treatment he received is as follows: Il
went to the hospital" he said. and pre-
sented my card. A demand was at once
made on me for credentials from the lega-
ton at Washington. but at last DR.. Girls
void granted me permission. saying that ii
was all right for me 20 talk to the men.
but that he did not want me to help them
collect any damages from the railroad
company L was told to wait awhile in the
office of the hospital and | was never left
alone while waiting there. A number of
doctors treated me much like a burglar. |
was then permitted to see Andrew Dalpias
and Max Cow. / asked them if they did not
want to grant me the power of attorney
that / might legally look after their well
fare. They said yes. and | went away
telling the doctors that would send a no.
tary TO the hospital at once. When L re-
turned l was told that the men had
changed their minds.
Il do not know the whereabouts of half
or one-third of the victims, and am kept
ready fixed. Four men whom l know posi-
lively TO have been injured in the wreck
but nave been unabl To locate are gabrielle
canon. Constante Job. Ella Job and -
OdiriZZi.
In many cases. said Consul Schwegel.
he has received earnest appeals for aid i'm
finding the victims from native relatives in
different parts OF the country. One letter
yesterday was from Constante Giuliani. of
ani. Joseph Ebli. Eugene Ebli and Vigilio
Ebli had left Austria on Nov. IL and were
due to arrive or the Inflated train. They
have not been heard from since the wreck.
and their have not appeared on any
list of the injured.