The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-09-22
ROOSEVELT FRIEND
or IMMIGRANTS
incidents Of Presidents Tour
of Ellis Island.
QUICK ACTION IN DETENTION CASE


woman with Four Children HELD
since july Freed at once by Chief
Executivc's order--A Mother with
Baby Given s5-PIeased with mn
Austrian's use Of American Money.
There were 2,40T immigrants on ellis
island when President Roosevelt made
his recent tour OF inspection, but it is
doubtful If more than seven knew they
were being inspected ana questioned 81
the chief executive Of the nation whose
government had attracted them from
their homes on the other side of the
ocean, says the New York World
II was 2.40 p. IA. when the president
reached Ellis island. lie had luncheon
FIRST, next he announced the appoint
ment Of the Investigating commission,
and then be began his inspection, which
has probably no parallel In tie Official
acts Of chief executives Of the United
States.
He went up to the main floor, where
the hundreds Of immigrants were be-
Ing registered. He posted himself be-
side Inspector Gustav Thies The first
Immigrant to come along was an Aus
trian, Mps. Rosa Klausner In a direct,
emphatic way the president put ques-
lions through an Interpreter to the be-
wiIdered woman, who had no idea who
was talking to her. She said she was
coming here to join her husband, q
baker She exhibited S15 In United
States bills which her husband had
sent her.
"That is what | like to see, said the
president. ut means something when
man sends American money 70 bis
family on the other side Going to
the desk of the next Inspector, the
president questioned woman. She
had basket On her arm. The cover
began to wiggle, and then came a
faint cry. The president peeped into
tie basket ana saw a chubby seven
month-old baby, who yelled nightly
when the president peered more closely
1t him.
Then he put some questions 70 the
woman which revealed one Of those
cases which are very common on Ellis
sland. Tire woman was Adele Waite,
twenty six years old, from Leutenants-
aorf Germany Size had come to the
United States to marry the father Of
her baby, Conrad Wiukler OF 93 sum
ner street. Adams, Mass The inspector
told tile president that the man would
De notified of tile woman's arrival and
that it he came to Ellis island and mar
ried her she would be allowed 10 land
Il not, she would be sent back to Ger
many
THAT IS sad, very sad, remarked
Mr.. Roosevelt Then he called Jacob
Riis to him. lie gave Mr. Riis five
dollar bill and told him to give it to the
woman. When Mr.. Riis gave her the
money and told her who the donor was
he sat down on a bench and, lifting the
baby out Of the basket wept
Another woman who was questioned
by the president was told later who he
was. She had three one dollar bills
bearing the portraits Of Presidents
Grant and Lincoln in her hand. She ex-
AHMED these portraits, took one look al
Mr. Roosevelt and, shaking her head
theoretically, said, "Nal Nap
Over In the room where the women
and children are detained there was q
pathetic scene. One woman OWNED the
Importance Of the visitor and began tc
shrek, moan and tear her clothing Mr.
Roesey elt started toward her, Their
turned away and spoke 70 Jacob Riis
lie went back ID the woman
She was Mrs. Chaje Levin, a Slav
with four children, the eldest boy Of
nineteen and tie youngest a girl d
seven. They have been detained on El
lis island since July 80. They arrived
at New York in the steerage Of the
Barbarossa On the same vessel were
her husband and a fifth child, q daugh
ter, who travelled III the second cabin
The husband and the child with hin
were both afflicted with trachoma, al
eye disease which bars the suffere'
from landing. The steamship officer
were ordered to detain the father an,
child on tile ship. but the two escaped
and no trace Of them has since beer
found
Then the mother and four children
were detained on the ground that thel
had no means Of support owing 70 TIL
disappearance Of the man. Later whei