New-York tribune., 1910-12-19
|GREEk LINER BRINGS
PRISONER IN CHAINS
Captain Refuses to Allow Man TO
Be Taken to Ellis Island
by Officials.
lSAYS HE is A OEFAUlTER
immigration Authorities VIII Ask
Washington To-day for Orders
Ship Searched for
Hours.

down upon the Greek liner Themistocles.
In yesterday from Piraeus and the Med
tterranean, and put her through one of
the most careful searches that has ever
been made of a vessel in this port The
inspectors were not looking for concealed
dutiabIe hnery or jewels, but for dis
eased aliens, who. 1t had been reported.
were coming on the ThemistocIes. to be
smuggled into this country without pass
ing through Ellis Island
They were also looking for a man.
said to be a Greek army officer, who
had been arrested at sea by the captain
Of the ship on a charge of embezzlemsnt
and brought here in chains. The captain
had made the arrest ON the strength OF
a wireless message received when tbs
vessel was far at sea, and when the i'm
migration men demanded the prisoner
the skipper refused to permit him to be-
taken to Ellis Island He said he had
been ordered to take the prisoner back
to Piraeus To-day the immigration au-f
thorities will register a formal protest
to the Greek Consul and viii take ths
case up with Washington
The army officer is listed on the pas
senger list as Spiros Soures but that
is said to be an assumed name. Tha
captain of the vessel declared he has
been instructed by the Greek govern
ment to hold the officer aboard and
that that was his reason for not turning
him over to the immigration officials.
Search Goes on for Months.
Several months ago infornlaticns
reached this port that unscrupulous i'm
migration agents at Mediterranean ports
had been offering bribes TO sailors and
stewards to conceal aboard steamships
aliens suffering from trachoma and other
deportable Affections The method OF
the agents was to demand big sums
from the afflicted persons anxious TO
come to this country, In exchange for
guarantee that they would be landed
here safely without having to pass
through Ellis Island The price Of a
steerage ticket plus bonus Of about the
Same amount was usually asked of the
prospective traveller before the agents
would agree to conceal him on the
steamship
Several aliens were thus handled, their
names being omitted from the manifest
They were caught. however, going ashore
at this port, and when il was found BY
the immigration officials that their
names had not been recorded on the
ships manifest fines we're imposed upon
the ship owners.
Williams Gets Warming.
Information that this scheme had been
put into effect on the Thenistocles be-
fore her departure for this city wa. sent
to Commissioner Williams. and h.
planned to have the vessel searched.
The Commissioner was Informed than
the vessel was bringing to this port a.
number of aliens suffering from conts-
sious and incurable diseases, which would
insure their deportation should they pasa
through Ellis Island 1t was said thar
several of the diseased immigrants hs.f
been rejected before as passengers BIZ;
the steamship lines and that thew had
paid large sums to fraudulent AGENTS
abroad to enable them to enter thiS
country by subterfuge
As the imnigra ton inspectors have m
right to search q vessel Commissioners,
Williams called upon Collector Loeb for,
assistance in finding the diseased aliens,
reported to be on board the Theusistocls..
When the Themistocles came tIp sronv
Quarantine yesterday she was boardef
by inspectors from the admeasurer's of.
nee, and from the second. third and fiftN
divisions of the customs service Alters
her manifest had been checked by ft%
immigration inspectors u thorough
search was made from stem TO stern. AS
the customs inspectors have the Legal
right Ia look into every Granny OF a
steamship Captain Paramythiotis ss>
signed officers to lead them about every
to the grirny coal bunkers.
Liners Captain Protests.
The Greek skipper was told what th4
inspectors were searching for, but he de-.
clared it was unnecessary. as he had On
board no aliens except those listed on hss
manifest He cheerfuIIy consented tn
the search, but protested against mus
tering his crew for inspection !
When told that he would have to Iirs
up his entire crew. from stoker 10 chief
officer he questioned the right of the in
spectors- He said he was willing il thA
proceeding was regular. but he asked to
postpone the muster of his men until ha
could consult with the Greek Consul
The customs officials. however. soon read
TO him the United States laws on .hs
subject, and he piped his men 10 quar-
ters.
The inspectors through an interpretsrs
questioned several pallid stokers re-
garding their employment on board. AMI
while they gave fairly satisfactory an
swers a special guard was placed on the
vessel. and will be maintained there un~
til she leaves port
GAYNOR'S BROTHER DEFEATED