River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1905-06-22
Braun should have mailed from Buda-

cOntafn opinions and fragmentary
facts, which are usually eliminated in
the formal report he Lakes on his
return from his tour. fancy the Hun
garian police would be more edited
by such letter than by the report
even though the last report made was
discussion in the department as to
whether it should be printed or not
in the annual it was referred directly
to President Roosevelt. There are four
copies. One is in the hands of Mr.
Sargent, another in the care of Secre-
tary Metcalf, and third on the presi-
dents desk, while the fourth, retained
by Mr.. Braun, is in New York in very
safe hands.
"Inasmuch as my agents and CORE
spondents operating on the continent
have at several times crossed trails
with Mr.. Braun, I am not violating a
confidence in disclosing some of the
things which Mr. Braun unearthed
They are but fair samples Of the
whole, and show in a startling man
ner how we are being duped as a peo-
pie by the immigration incitation
agencies of Europe-not alone steam
ship agencies and immigration agents,
but continental governments and
charitable societies Differed by people
of high reputation.
Exporting Criminals.
For instance, Mr.. Braun learned OF
the practice in communities where the
jails were overcrowded of liberating
prisoners and giving them assistance
to go to the United States, thus treat
ing us as if we were no more than
a penal colony sustained for their ben
eft. In one community in Hungary
where he conducted Investigations he
found that in the past three years
280 prisoners had been liberated either
at the expiration of their sentence or
before their terms were served, and
that the police records showed 100
United States. In connection with this
a member of the Hungarian parlia-
ment, in making 2 speech, deplored
the laxness of the government in al
lowing criminals who had been de-
ported to the United States to re-
turn with their pockets filled and wits
sharpened for further nefarious opera
tions.
''Mr. Braun also made specific disclo-
sures concerning institutions near
Buda-Pesth from which parties of
pauper children were sent in the care
of fictitious parents, paid for the job.
When this family was safely passed
through Ellis Island the father and
mother divided their ready-made
progeny, and, going from city to city.
abandoned the little ones on the
streets to be picked UP by the police
and placed in American asylums.
"Of violations of the contract labor
law he found abundant traces. Agents
representing presumably one of the
large railroads with terminals in New
York was busy soliciting Austrian la
borers around the head of the Adriatic
and shipping them in small parties to
New York. They were conducted to a
small town on the line of the rail-
road and sorted out into the gangs
which the railroad supplied to con-
tractors, manufacturers and others
along the line in need Of cheap labor.
Oddly enough, I reported to the de-
partment on the same subject, about
the same time, the same facts derived
from entirely different sources.
Nominal Husbands.
"On one occasion Mr.. Braun was
h ;e1 10
station at Frankfort, when a group of
women entered and sat down near
him. From their conversation he was
appraised in a very short time of their
disorderly character, and by paying
close attention learned that one of
United States, with the intention of
going to st. Louis to join large party
of women recruited from st. PAUL., in
Hamburg. She had letters from scores
OF others who had entered the United
States in defiance of the laws, describ-
ing their adventures and relating how
the agents who were conducting the
scheme provided each with a nominal
husband at the foot of the gangplank.
From later observations and investiga-
lions he was convinced that thousands
of these women had entered the United
States in the months of May and June
alone.
"In Jerusalem he found most inter
esting and amusing variation of fraud
ulent naturalization. For a long
period of time a large colony of Jews
had been living there in more or less
luxury on the proceeds of begging let
tiers which they sent out to religious
and charitable people in all parts of
the world. The Turkish police, divin-
ing at last that there was something
illicit in the livelihood of these people,
demanded a share, and when they did
not get 1t the letter-writing beggars
had their houses broken open, were
divide. At last one of them secured
a citizenship paper from his brother
in Chicago and on the next occasion
of a police visit he appealed to the
consul, DR.. Merrill, and the police were
set back. Immediately the demand for
American citizenship papers raised the
market as high as 500 per certificate,
and now the colony is enjoying the full
privileges of American protection,
though many of them have never seen
the Atlantic.
Caught in the Act.
Perhaps the most sensational thing
in the suppressed portion of the last