The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1913-07-27
Prove Right Of Entry Into
United States. Though
Not Citizens.
MAN VOTES. HOWEVER
Has Been in Michigan Half a
Century and Will
Stay There.

MIR and Mrs. August Arndt. each Sc. ar
rived yesterday In the second cabin Of the
Hamburg American liner Kaiserin Au-
guste Victoria. bound for their home in
Saginaw. Mich. They seemed somewhat
feeble. Mr.. Arndt. who has lived here
since 1857. never was naturalzed. They
were taken to Ellis Island. to their tear
full dismay. and board Of special in
Quiry got to work on them. They speak
English with hardly perceptibie accent.
which was in their favor. and an inter-
prefer was not necessary to convince the
board that the old couple should be per-
mitted to 20 on their way.
The wife did most OF the talking as
tradition has many wives do. but the
old fellow put in an appropriate wora
here and there that helped their case.
Mrs. Arndt said she came from Bavaria
in 1850 In a sailing vessel. and II took
her more than forty days to get across
the Atlantic from a German port. She
was seasick most Of the way and later
homesick.
CiviI War Rutned Them.
Sne went OUT INTO lnt hNHisdu WluS
and was just thinking about returning
to Germany when. in 1857. she met her
| August. and they were married. That
was near Saginaw. or the site Of Saginaw
and they prospered until the civil war
came. Then they lost everything. They
retrieved their fortunes by going into
the hotel business. About two months
ago they decided to take look at theii
old homes In Germany.
| The old couple were much disappointed
with the aspect Of Germany. Nearly ali
their old friends were dead and those left
did not look like the memory Of them
stored In the minds OF the Michigan
pioneers. The faces in the old towns
were mostly new faces Of unfamiliar ex'
preston. Mr.. and Mrs. Arndt felt like
a pair Of ghosts from the village grave
yards. They had become Americanized
They decided that they had made a mis-
take going back and headed for New
York on the first liner they could catch
L. Citizen of Michigan.
The old fellow admitted that he hat
never become u citizen of the United
| States. but that he had been for Ions
time a voter In the state of Michigan
and that he had helped to elect some OF
the greatest Presidents Of the United
States" II was found that the Constitu
tiOn OF Michigan permits an alien VIII,
declared his intention of becoming a
citizen two years and six months priol
to November s, 1894. to vote.
As to, the probability of their becomin,
public charges the old fellow said:
'Why should YOU be afraid Of ou
being charges" I can prove to you tina
own houses in Michigan. We hav
enough money to support us for man.
years yet and we do not expect to live yer.
many. have been voting for Presi
dents since Llncolns time, Sometimes
have voted the Democratic ticket ant
sometimes the Republican. Maybe hav
voted for some bad Presidents, bu
mostly, I think, have voted for tn
best. The last one I voted for was MI
! Taft
The special board decided that the oil
couple should not have been held up. am
apologized to them and let them take tn
ferry to the Battery. whence they Wen
to the Grand Central station and theme
to their adopted State. They said the,
| never would leave IL alive.