The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-18
ILL TREATED At ELLIS ISLAND
ENGLISH WOMAN TELLS or BEING
HELD UP THERE.


Quarters for TWenty-eOur Hours says
she Could Have Escaped by bribery.
Special Gable Despatch to THE SUN.
LONDON. Sept. ls.-In connection with
the detention OF steamer passengers by the
immigration authorities at Ellis Island the
Telegraph this morning prints conspicu-
ously q communication from q. Il. Sims
relating the experience Of Mrs. Mary Ann
Bully. who arrived at New York on the
steamer Carmania on "a n TO visit q sick
sister.
She was a second cabin passenger, but was
amply provided with funds. She was
/ amazed when she was held up and not al
lowed to continue her journey. She was
detained with fifteen other second cabin
passengers and was packed among Storage
passengers in filthy quarters on Ellis Island
for twenty-four hours.
She was compelled TO sleep In company
with Eve foreign steerage passengers
WHOSE habits were filthy. She was with
out decent accommodation. and had no
food except a single cup Of tea and a slice
Of bread and butter. Her baggage was de-
tanned for two days after she was released.
Mr.. Sims, upon learning OF the matter.
made inquiries through the Cunard Steam
| snip COMPANY, WuiCu doCuttuitlOA Nhab AiS
Bully's detention was due to the fact that
she was afflicted with curvature Of the
spine. Mr.. Sims asks:
Are second cabin passengers visiting
America for pleasure or TO see friends to be
packed with steerage passengers on Ellis
Island and detained a day and night amid
loathsone surroundings because they are
anne or manned, or not quite straight
backed2 In what way can a woman Of
fifty. with curvature Of the spine, money in
her pocket and friends in America affect
the welfare Of American citizens during a
short visit to their hospitable shoresH The
simple fact ia she did not appreciate a hint
given 20 a number OF the passengers that
IL they left the Carmania they would have
TO pay so many dollars.
He adds: Mrs. Bully occupied a position
Of the highest trust with me for twenty
years. She was known to many distin-
guished and popular Americans. Some OF
them doubtless will be ready to testify
to the commissioner entrusted with an
inquiry that the officials subjected a deli
cate English woman to abOminable treat
ment without the slightest justification.
II was her misfortune, not her fault, that
she failed to appreciate the hint a. to the
cost Of freedom from annoyance
Three young women from Paris, who
arrived here on August % in the second
cabin OF the steamship Baltic, were held
for nearly two days by the immigration
authorities at Ellis Island despite the fact.
they say, that their stories could easily have
been verified. One Of them offered TO cable
10 Paris for references but was not per-
mitted to do 80. They say they were only
released only because one OF their riends
was q member Of the Masonic order.
The young women are Jeanne Boyer,
Ninon Schimpf and Marguerite Inglessi
They are now staying with friends, Mr.. and
Mrs. Arthur Nary, at 222 West Thirty-fourth
street. Miss Boyer il at the head OF the
millinery department OF a large firm here
and the others nave been employed in a
millinery establishment in Paris.
Il worked here last season." said Miss
Boyer, and when | went Jack TO Paris in
the spring l told my two girl friends Of the
fine wages made here. Ninon and Mar
9lerite both decided that they would like
to come back with me, so ! engag ed passage
for us all on the Baltic. On our arrival here
we started to go down the gangplank but
were not allowed to land. An Official told
us we would have to go to the Island where
they take the immigrants. ! did not under
stand this, but no information was given
to me.
Il sent for one OF NV friends. Miss Belfort,
who came to the island, but she was not
allowed to see us. They told her to come
back the next day. We had TO stay on
the island that night and were made sleep
in O bedroom with a negro family and a
lot Of Objectionable people. Ninon was
hystsrical all mig hit and we were all Of us
terribly frightened.
The next day Mr.. MAX. a brother-in-law
OF my employer, heard OF our detention
and demanded our release. This was re-
fused and he threatened TO take the matter
TO Washington. Then the chief officer
discovered that Mr.. MAX was q brother
Mason and set us at liberty. They were
very kind TO us when we anne to go away,
90 they must have thought that they had
made a mistake
The young women say that the Ellis
Island officials took it for granted that
thew were OF bad character and had been
licensed in France. Tn girls assert that
they were asked to produce their -certih-
Gates Of health They say that they were
asked what house they were going to live
in here and numerous questions which
should only be asked OF prostitutes. The
Young women we're nearly Frustrated
when they finally reached their friends
house.
They forwarded yesterday a complaint
to the French Consul n they are de-
termined TO obtain redress for the in
dignities to which they say they were sub
jected. Their friends are arranging to
have the French Consul see the girls to-
morrow with a view to taking steps TO
bring their case to the attention Of the De-
partment OF Commerce and Labor.