The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-06-16
WHAT BECOMES OF
INSANE ALIENS?
INSPECTORS OF IMMIGRATION
HAVE LITTLE INFORMATION.
Their Duty Ends When the Unfortu.
mates Are Turned Over to the Steam.
ship Companies-Law Works a Hard.
ship Especially in the Case of Wo
men-Several Recent Gases.

"What becomes of the insane aliens
deported?o is a question frequently
asked Of the United States immigration
inspectors. When an insane immigrant
is reported to the inspectors the facts
are sent to headquarters at Washington
and the order of deportation issued.
The inspectors then take the patients to
the port where the alien landed and a
receipt is obtained. The insane are
returned to their home land at the cost
OF the steamship company and the gov
eminent ceases to be responsible.
Thru investigation by the State
Charities Aid association of New York
and the. Associated Charities thruout
the country it is brought to light that
the deported aliens are often given a
short shrift and that too many of the
cases end tragically. .ff
the situation is particularly unfortu-
nate. There have been sixteen aliens
deported by the Minneapolis inspectors
this year, several being women. The in
spectors have made every effort to see
that they are safely, taken care of as
Of Rose Sylvester, known as Sister
Aloysia, it was understood that moth
er superior from Chicago would accom-
pany her to France and the deportation
was delayed a month. At the end Of
that time word was sent that the mother
TO accompany her to New York. After
sne was placed on the steamer she was
given a berth the same as any passen-
ger, altho she was weak and had been
declared irresponsible. What her fate
was when she was landed 10 one knows.
A picture IS easily conjured up of the
unfortunate girl wandering, demented,
IN some seaport city of France
Another case was that of Peter Nell
son, paralytic, who was taken to
Canada and left at the nearest point.
me Canadian government could not be
| held responsible by the inspectors. nor
could a receipt be secured. The in
| spector notified the charitable organi-
cations. 49,. s-.-.
W. D. Morse, the head of the immi7
grafton service for Minnesota, Wiscon.
sin and North Dakota, received a letter
today from the Swedish vice-consul in
st. Paul, asking if information could
who had been deported, and if anyone
accompanied him across the ocean. The
answer necessarily was that there was
no record of the case after the patient
had been placed on the steamer.
1T does, seem to be, pretty harsh
treatment, said Mr.. Morse today,
.,'but the law exists and must be en-
forced, If there was no such law, all
the insane in Europe would be sent to
our shores. If there are abuses, the
steamship companies should be criti-
cized. What they do with the insane
we have no means of knowing. | sup
pose that some of the aliens who live
in the inland cities are dropped at the
seaports. If friends are not notified,
it is a matter for the government of
the alien to take up. I should think
in the case Of insane girls, that they
would be cared for in the hospital on
the vessels, but | do not know whether
| they are in all cases.
~ believe that in the investigations
| made by the inspectors, the names of
friends in s. the home country are
taken,' said E. D. Solenberger, man
ager of the Associated Charities. today.
elf that is so, the inspectors might be
instructed to notify the friends by let
ter. Also, it might be said that many
of the aliens would not become insane
if they could be admitted to state in
situations before they entirely lose
their mental balance. They might be
cured quickly, and if noto could be de-
ported before they become violent. In
sanity is a disease of the mind and the
4 patients should not be treated as Grim
inals. I understand that the Mime
sofa inspectors are particularly care
full