The Washington times., 1901-08-22
BRIBERY CASE NOT REPORTED.
Treasury Not Advised of Immigra-
ton Omce scandaI.

II. A. Taylor. Assistant Secretary of the
Treasury, who has under his jurisdiction
matters pertaining to immigration, said
yesterday that, yet he had received
no information from New York regard
ing the reported bribery case at the port
of New York of an inspector of iInmigra-
ton by a steward of French trans-At
lantic steamship line. The story as re-
ported from New York is as follows:
Steward Ernesto Sapelli of the Com
pagnie Generate Transatlantique steam
ship La Gascogne, is alleged to be the
man who, on Sunday last bribed a Unit
ed States Treasury official detailed as an
inspector of the immigration service. to
pass alien Italians as United States citi-
zens. He planned in this way. 1t is
claimed, to enable nine men to avoid the
scrutiny of the Ellis Island officials. The
bride is said to have been SAL and a gold
piece of 10 francs.
Sapelli was arrested on La Gaseogne by
Deputy United States Marshals Blake and
McAviney. who were directed to this duty
by Assistant United States District At
torney c. S. Houghton, after he had adj
vised with DIR. Lorenzo Ullo, of the law
firm of Ullo & Ruebsamen, attorney for
the United States Commissioners of Immi-
United States Marshal William Henkers
office he was vehement in indignation. and
protested that he had done nothing to
warrant his arrest He wore the uniform
of steward of the French Line. and
was garrulouS about his career. He as
serted that he was once in the service of
the wife of Count Lyof Nicolaivitch Toll
stoy, the Russian novelist.
He was arraigned before United States
Commissioner Alexander by the marshal.
DIR. Ulio appeared with District Attorney
Houghton, and Inspector Junker made
complaint In part as follows:
William e. Junker, being duly sworn.
says he is an officer of the Government.
to wit, an inspector of the United States
immigration Service, and as such officer
1t is his duty to inspect all immigrants
arriving on vessels from foreign ports to
the port of New York. and to discharge
United States citizens returning as steer
age passengers from foreign countries;
that on the 18th day of August 1901. said
Ernesto Sapelli. steward of the French
steamship La Gascogne, did unlawfully
promise, offer, and give to the said VIII
liam E. Junker a certain sum of money.
to wit, Sf1 in United States money and
one 1O-franc piece, with intent to influence
the said William E. Junker to do an act
in violation of his lawful duty, to wit, to
discharge aliens who were not entitled
to lana. for a consideration of IS apiece"
Commissioner Alexander decided to hold
Sapelli in s., 500 bond. The prisoner clamor-
ed for lawyer. and again protested that
was committed TO the Ludlow Street Jail.
The story of the immigration frauds,
said Assistant Commissioner L. F. Nc
Sweeney, was correct, but / deprecate
any sensationalism in this regard. We
are utterly in the dark as to the extent
and duration of this scheme to get immi-
grants through. 1t may be sporadic
case of petty money-making. and il may
be more serious. So far | have discov-
cred no evidence of collision between
Treasury officers and Sapelli or between
Sapelli and the officers of the steamship
company"
DR.. Ullo said 1t was likely that the
arrest of Sapelli would be followed by
others.