[Inclosure in No. 240.]
Mr. Uhl to
Baron von Rotenhan.
Embassy of the United States,
Berlin, January 13, 1897.
F. O. No. 154.]
The undersigned ambassador, etc., of the United States of America has
the honor to invite the attention of his excellency Baron von
Rotenhan, acting secretary of state for foreign affairs, to the case
of Casimir Hartmann, a naturalized American citizen, born in
Alsace.
The embassy is informed that when about 15 years of age, in May,
1886, Hartmann was taken by his mother to the United States, and
that about five years ago he became naturalized as a citizen there.
In July last the family returned to Alt-Lixheim, in Alsace, where
Hartmann’s mother owns property. On August 1, 1896, Hartmann was
arrested and taken to Finstingen, where he was kept in prison for
two days and then released. On November 9 he was again arrested and
taken to Saarburg, but was almost immediately set free again. On
December 28 he was for the third time arrested and was taken to
Saargemund, from there to Gottingen, and eventually to Goslar, where
he was impressed into the Prussian military service, and where he is
now said to be serving as a soldier in the Seventh Company of the
Second Hessian Infantry Regiment, No. 82, his American papers having
been taken from him.
The undersigned has the honor to request that his excellency will
kindly cause this case to be investigated at once, and that, if the
facts therein are found to be substantially as stated, his
excellency will further use his good offices to effect the immediate
release of this American citizen from enforced military service in
Germany, and to obtain the return to him of the certificate of his
American naturalization.
The undersigned avails himself, etc.,
