New-York tribune., 1922-04-04
Tlldict Five i'm
In1nn11i 2 ration
Graft ESii,n,s!:, @,
Ccon,i0ucd trom pace ono

'Con,'0uod froT pace ono
for Il sum less than that stipulated by
the Inspector, in which case there was
either compromise or q squabble, de-
pending upon the nature of the rela-
tions between the two Usually. Mr..
SeiiG related, compromise was ef
fcctcd.
An example was tho case of a rela-
tive who was to pay landing agent
$50 to admit his two brothers. held
Up at the point of embarkation for
tumiFation. The mans three sisters
had preceded tho brothers to this side,
and, fearing that the brothers would
not be permitted to land when they
hnaIly arrived, the relative sought to
arrange the matter with the landing
agent. 1t so happened that the land
lhg agent was under the influence Of
liquor when the boat with the brothers
arrived, and he was not on hand to
take them of. The inspector, however,
was there. According to the evidence,
the Inspector said he would admit
them for $50, he brothers com
planned, whoreupon the inspector is
sand to have accepted the fee stipu-
lated by the landing agent. The rela-
tive had been tipped off to the landing
possibilities by furniture dealer. The
furniture dealer had supplied the fur
niture with wnicn the relative fitted
up an apartment for the incoming
brothers and sisters
On another occasion man car
ranged for the admission of his two
sens when they arrived. A certain
inspector, duly apprisad of their COM
ing. saw to it that instead of entering
a. aliens, the sons appeared en- the
manifest prepared for citizens. He
simply transferred the names from the
alien manifest to the citizens list and
everything was O. X. The inspector
who h2ndlcd the case Of The two sons
WaS subsequently found out and con-
v.tted
Frequently an aliens name would be
stricken eff the alien manifest and in
stcad o. being transferred to the
citizens manifest, was omitted alto
" hen the purser did this honestly
the inspector would do it dishonesty
IN certain. other instances persons
were admitted after their arrival at
Ellis Island. There was the case Of
man rejected time and again, because
OF contagious eye disease. An in
poctor caused tho papers in this case
to be altered so that it appeared tho
wife was the ono held for examination.
The result was that whom the doctor
examined the wife he found her CON
dItion satisfactory and admitted both,
since There was no question raised as
to the mans condition.
Aliens Are Re-examined
Mr. Selic told Of cther cases to show
how the graft system worked. In all
such cases whore evidence Of this graft
has been found, he said, the aliens ad-
mtted have been brought back to Ellis
Island for investigation as to their
dcsIrabiiity as immigrants. Many
times these immigrants were entirely
innocent o. wrongdoing, Mr.. Selig ex-
planned, as, for instance when they had
been led TO believe that their passports
wero invalid or that they would be de-
tanned at Ellis Island, where condi-
tions were described as too terrible to
think of. in such cases they would
gladly pay money to government in
Spcctors or 10 landing agents to escape
this detention.
The investigation is expected to give
evidence OF conniYancc by missionar-
les or agents of societies whose func-
ton it is TO meet incoming aliens and
look out for their welfare, the Fed
eral authorities declared Mr. Selig
said he did not doubt that the graft
extends through every agency con
noctcd with the landing Of immigrants
at this port.
immigration inspectors receive from
81 100 to SO. 600 a year, according to
Commissioner Tod, who said, follow
ing the handing up Of the indictments
yesterday, that he had implicit con
fidcnce in most of his 5OO-odd en-
ploEees, and that he hoped the public
would not get the impression that the
entire force was involved in the graft
ring.
He described the condition as seri-
Gus, particularly from the viewpoint