No. 430.
Mr. Bayard to Mr. Pendleton.

No. 265.]

Sir: I inclose copy of a letter, dated the 4th instant, from the Hon. W. W. Morrow, member of Congress from California, calling attention to the case of one Hans Jacobsen, of San Francisco, who alleges that he has been arrested while in the island of Alsen, on a charge of being a deserter from the German army.

You are instructed to bring the case to the notice of the imperial foreign office, with the request that it may be carefully investigated, [Page 582] and if the facts prove to be as stated that Mr. Jacobsen may be speedily released from arrest, as his business interests in San Francisco are reported to require his presence there.

I am, etc.,

T. F. Bayard.
[Inclosure 1 in No. 265.]

Mr. Morrow to Mr. Bayard.

Sir: I inclose the affidavit of J. J. Olsen, setting forth the facts relating to the citizenship of Hans Jacobsen, of this city, who recently visited Germany, and it is reported has been arrested while on the island of Alsen, in the Baltic Sea, on a charge of being a deserter from the German army. I also inclose certified copy of act of naturalization.

As Mr. Jacobsen is a citizen of the United States, his friends desire that his case may receive the attention of the State Department to the end that such representations may be made to the German Government, through our minister at Berlin, as will show the right of Mr. Jacobsen to be discharged from further arrest.

Aside from the indignity to which Mr. Jacobsen has been subjected, and against which he has the right to invoke the protection of the United States, he has, I am informed, business interests in San Francisco that will greatly suffer from his detention elsewhere.

I am, therefore, requested to ask for this case the earliest attention possible.

I have, etc.,

Wm. W. Morrow.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 265.]

Affidavit of J. J. Olsen.

State of California, City and County of San Francisco, ss:

J. J. Olsen, being duly sworn, on oath deposes and says: That he is a white male citizen of the United States of America, over the age of twenty-one years—to wit, of the age of thirty-two years; that he is at present, and has been for more than fifteen years last past, a resident of said city and county of San Francisco; that during the last nine years of said term affiant was well acquainted with one Hans Jacobsen; that said Hans Jacobsen was a native of Germany; that said Hans Jacobsen, on the 2d day of June, A. D. 1887, at said city and county of San Francisco, renounced and abjured all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty whatever, and particularly to William, Emperor of Germany, and was, on said 2d day of June, A. D. 1887, by an order of superior court of said city and county of San Francisco, duly given and made on said day, admitted and declared to be a citizen of the United States of America; that on or about the 25th day of July, A. D. 1887, said Hans Jacobsen departed from said city and county of San Francisco; that prior to said last-mentioned day said Hans Jacobsen had several times declared to affiant, during the course of a number of interviews held between said Hans Jacobsen and affiant, that it was his (said Jacobsen’s) purpose and intention to visit his father and his native land; that he expected and intended that his said proposed trip should occupy and extend over a period of about two months, and that it was his purpose and intention to return immediately to his business and his home in San Francisco; that affiant is informed through friends of said Jacobsen in Germany, and verily believes, that shortly after said Hans Jacobsen reached his destination, he was, while on the island of Alsen, in the Baltic Sea, arrested on a charge of being a deserter from the German army, and affiant is informed and verily believes that said Jacobsen was afterwards carried to the town of Flensburg, Germany, where he was then, and ever since has been and still is confined and imprisoned on said charge.

J. J. Olsen.

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 3d day of November, 1887.

Lee D. Craig,
Notary Public.
[Page 583]
[Inclosure 3 in No. 265.]

naturalization certificate of hans jacobsen.

No. 250.]

In the superior court of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California. Present, Hon. T. K. Wilson, judge.

In the matter of the application of Hans Jacobsen, an alien, to become a citizen of the United States of America, in open court, this 2d day of June, 1887.

It appearing to the satisfaction of this court, by the oaths of J. J. Olsen and Peter Christen, citizens of the United States of America, witnesses for that purpose, first duly sworn and examined, that Hans Jacobsen, a native of Germany, has resided within the limits and under the jurisdiction of the United States five years at least, last past, and within the State of California for one year, last past, and that during all of said five years’ time he has behaved as a man of good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and well disposed to the good order and happiness of the same; and it also appearing to the court, by competent evidence, that the said applicant has heretofore, and more than two years since and in due form of law, declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States, and having now here before this court taken an oath that he will support the Constitution of the United States of America, and that he doth absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty whatever, and particularly to William, Emperor of Germany;

It is therefore ordered, adjudged, and decreed that the said Hans Jacobsen be, and he is hereby, admitted and declared to be a citizen of the United States of America.

T. K. Wilson,
Judge
.
Hans Jacobsen,
Residence, 42 Spear street.

Witnesses:
Peter Christen,
Residence, Oakland
.
John J. Olsen,
Residence, 42 Spear street.

Office of the Clerk of the Superior Court,
City and County of San Francisco, State of California:

I, William J. Ruddick, county clerk and. ex officio clerk of the superior court in and for the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, said court being a court of record having common law jurisdiction and a clerk and seal, do certify that the above is a true copy of the act of naturalization of Hans Jacobsen as the same appears upon the records of said court now in my office.


[seal.]
William J. Ruddick,
Clerk
,
By
J. D. Wiseman,
Deputy Clerk.