Sunday Washington globe., 1902-04-06

was Lueuelsi was taken prisoner by the
government of Hayt The German Consul
agent called on the government of Hayti
for The sum of So, 500 a day for every day he
was imprisoned. Finally the German gov
ernmeut sent man of war to demand Sao,-
600 for eight days imprisonment, in de-
fault of which It would lombard the city
Immediately.
What the Prussian government demanded
of another nation, and that too a weak one,
it should be required 10 give to ours.
The Prussiau government saw in the
writing of my four petitions that / was not
insane; for insane persons could not COM
pose such documents, It's agents prepared
false statements against me, and four
doctors were directed to make false affida.
Wits.
would not be surprised if the German
government should attempt to throw the
whole responsibility upon the American
Consul and Ambassador. Mr.. White and
his secretary, Mr., Jackson, manifestly did
not do their duty properly; but the Prus-
sian government told them so many false
hoods and perpetrated so many intrigues
that they finally concluded that must be
insane and dangerous
The Prussian bureaucrats and diplomats
are destitute of honor truth and justice.
They are disposed to indulge only in tricks
and brutality
pray that Mr. White be instructed to
present to the Emperor the four copies of
my petitions already sent, marked exhibits
H, d" "I," y, and x, and the certificates
showing my faithfulness to the government
in time of war as we'll as during my entire
military career. My record durirg this
whole period is shown to be most excellent
See exhibits "E," IF" &C." M" and
M
The Emperor will doubtless be surprised
to find the corruption existing in his own
country. He is desirous of knowing the
truth, and will, am confident, do ample
justice when fully advised of the facts IN the
case. The most effective message to stir
the German government allow me to sug-
gest from ample personal knowledge of its
people, is the kind that Admiral Dewey
employed in Manila Bay.
As man who was a thoroughly law
abiding and patriotic citizen of Prussia so
long as l was a subject of that government,
and who became equally law-abiding and
patriotic in the United States after my
citizenship was transferred, make my ap-
peal for justice and right, and respectfully
submit this my personal statement and
accompanying documents in the fullest
assurance.
have to the honor TO remain, very re-
spectfully, your humble servant
FERDINAND HoLzENDORF.
Here is the reply of Secretary Hay:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
WASHINGTON, NOVeNlbeT rs, 1900.
ALbhoRSo HaTf, Esq, Washington, d. c.:
SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of
your letter Of November a. 1899, relative
to the claim of Ferdinand Holzendorf
against the German Government
This claim is for 100000 damages for the
claims nt's confinement in an insane asylum
in Germany during period of four hundred
and sixty-six days, beginning May H. 1893.
The claimant is Of German origin and was
formerly in the service of the Imperial
Government, and was discharged on account
of some offeuse showing signs of mental
arrangement, and was confined at different
times in insane asylums at Frankfort on the
Main, Eichberg, Marburg and Hama 1t
appears that physicians were unanimous in
considering him a dangerous lunatic that
on February S, 1889, he escaped from the
asylum at Hama, reached the United States
and was naturalized September I3, 1897, and
in November following returned TO Berlin
with an American passport, II is reported
by the American Embassy, No. 488, July 8,
1898, that 1T was claimed that he came here
(Berlin) in order to secure the payment Of
a pension, and this he succeeded in effect
ing so far as payment was not barred by
limitation and by loss of German nation
qlifW Hn1ganflnrf than 5a a 4 gf,r
heavy damages on account of his former
confinement which he claimed had been
illegal, and upon his being convinced that
he could not be successful, he again COM
meuced to threaten violence and he was
consequently locked up"
In another dispatch from the Embassy,
No. 1850 January -, 1900, it is stated that
he (Holzeudorf) acknowledged that he
had made 'threats to do injury TO certain
persons of high position, explaining that he
had done so in order to force the authorities
to pay attention to him, as they were other
wise unwilling to consider his complaints
In your letter urging the claim it is stated
that " "Holzendorf was never insane and was
illegally aud wrougfullY confined in the
asylum" II is shown tht on the 28th or
79th Of December, r898 he was adjudged
insane; that this judgment was appealed
from and reversed, and that on his final
trial he was released and discharged from
the asylum.
The claim now presented is for false inn
prisonment The Department has reached
Inc conclusion that, in view Of the ante
cedents and circumstances Of the case, want
of probable cause for the apprehension and
confinement complained of does not clearly
appear, 1t does not follow that because the
prosecution Of the inquest of lunacy finally
failed, it was set on foot maliciously. There
is no common law or international liability
IN such case for false imprisonme nt unless
there is shown unlawful detention and that
all remedies before the local tribunals have
been exhausted, resulting in a denial OF JUS
tice.
The Department is therefore unable to
entertain the claim.
am, sir, your obedient servant,
JOHN HAY
Mr.. Holzendorf sent Secretary Hay the
following rejoinder
WASHINGTON, D. c., February rs, I907
HON JOHN HAY,
Secretary Of STATE.
SIR: have the honor to acknowledge the