The New York herald., 1921-06-16
AMERICANS THROWN.
INTO BELGIUM JAIL
Are Locked Up in Brussels for
Six Days After Making
Bet. in PooIroom.
SUBJECTED 10 RIDICULE
freeman Bernstein Sends Ca
bic to Hughes Asking for
Investigation.
Special Gable to The NEW YORK HERALD.
Copyright, 1921. oV THE NEw YORK HER,Lp.

Special Gable to THE NEW YoRk HERALD.
Copyright, 1921. by THE NEw YORK HERALp.
New York Herald Bureau.
Paris, June 10.
Locked up in three Belgian prisons
from last Wednesday until Monday
night, much of the time without food
and subjected to the ridicule of crowds
and the insults OF policemen. and with
their appeals to the American Embassy
in Brussels unanswered, was the expert
encc of Freeman Bernstein, a theatrical
and sporting promoter, and Harold
Swift. q meat salesman, according to q
story Bernstein told THE NEW York
HERALD correspondent here to-day. All
this. he asserted. befell them because
they were in Brussels pooroom when
1t was raided by the police. Z
The pooroom was owned by Dave
Lion Of New York. who is known in
sporting circles as Daniel Lee, and who
also was arrested Another American
arrested. Bernstein said, was William
DAILY. a magnetic salesman. Both Lion
and DAILY are still in Jail in Brussels,
I Bernstein added.
Bernstein tonight, i'm despatch to
Charles e. Hughes, American Secretary
OF State, asked for the fullest kind OF
an investigation of 1.-THE uncivilized
treatment accorded him 'at the hands
or Belgian officials. with all my applica-
tions to the American Embassy un-
needed" and pleading for the release of
the two other Americans who are held
"on insignificant. charges without any
assistance from American officials
Bernstein refers the Secretary of State
TO Representative Christopher D. Sui
Ivan and Daniel ]. Riordan of New
York, who have been informed by Bern
stein that the Belgian police refused to
accept a million francs bail offered for
the release of the prisoners
Bernstein, VINO was accompanied by
his wife, May Ward. a cinematograph
actress. said he had sent a despatch to
certain Representatives in Congress de-
manding an investigation of the treat
,ment he received. Bernstein, who said
he was advised to leave Belgium as soon
as he was released from jail. told an
exciting tale of his experiences.
Our treatment should he warning
70 all Americans he said. 1--WE en-
tered the poolroom merely to put down
a bet on the days races When the
police entered the place every one there
vas searched. All the Belgians were
released, but four Americans were put
In cells without food for thirty-six hours,
tle Chief OF Police telling us that Ameri-
,ans had monopoliZed Brussels too long
and he refused to allow us to communi-
cate with the American Consul.
"At 10 o'clock that night we were re-
moved To an underground prison known
as the Tunnel" Water was pouring in
through the ceiling. There was no lf~ht,
and vermin infested straw on a raised
platform was the only bed
THE next morning we were hustled
back TO the central prison, while crowds
shouted about the damned Americans
Still we We're without food. We were
brought before the Chief of Police again
and he repeated his declaration of his
intention to clear Brussels of Americans
After dark we were taken to another
prison, where we were given a soapless
bath, finger printed and put in dungeon
cells. Finally a chunk of black bread
was thrown in to US in the dark This
was followed on Friday morning by a
bowl of warii coffee made of unroasted
beans, and we were ordered to scrub our
cells and to exercise under an armed
guard for ten minutes.
we sent several messages to Ambas-
sador Whitlock at the American EN-
bassy, but we never heard from the
Ambassa dor. Finally Mr.. Rockwell. a
consulate official. appeared and obtained
food from a hotel for $50 and secured
hearing before judge. Finally on Mon
daN we We're discharged. @after we had
been paraded in the streets handcuffed
under an escort of eight armed guards
All Sunday armed soldiers were placed
outside our cells
The only reason for this treatment
was that Belgian bookmakers protested
TO the police in Brussels against outside
pool rooms"
Bernstein said he left Lion quite i'll
and that he understood from Mr.. Rock
well that il might be several months be-
fore he was released.