I take this opportunity to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch of
June 18th, No. 37.
Joseph A. Wright,
&c., &c., &c.
Mrs. Klein to President Johnson.
Philadelphia,
Pa.,
June 26, 1866.
The humble petition of the undersigned, Caroline Klein, most
respectfully represents to your excellency the following:
I, Caroline Klein, residing No. 1819 South Second street, in the city
of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, am the lawful wife of
Frederick Klein, a native of the kingdom of Wurtemberg, Germany, who
became a citizen of the United States on the 4th of May, 1859, as
certified to by his certificate of citizenship granted by the court
of quarter sessions of Philadelphia, and recorded in the Department
of State at Washington, D. C., under No. 24,654, upon which
certificate a passport was granted to him, my said husband,
Frederick Klein, on the 23d of March, 1866.
My husband went to Europe about the 7th of April last to visit his
native country, Wurtemberg, which he had left about thirteen years
ago to emigrate to the United States.
Upon his arrival in Wurtemberg my said husband was arrested by the
authorities of that kingdom, upon the charge of being a fugitive
from military service; and, as I am informed and believe, is still
kept there in prison at some place at present unknown to me. My
relatives
[Page 34]
in Wurtemberg have
informed me by letter that my husband was arrested on the second day
after his arrival in Wurtemberg, and as I have received no
information from my husband himself, I have no doubt that he is not
permitted by said authorities to communicate or correspond with his
family or with the consul of the United States at Stuttgard,
Wurtemberg.
I therefore take the liberty to implore the good grace of your
excellency to exert your good offices for the deliverance of my
husband from prison. I pray you most sincerely to instruct the
consul of the United States at Stuttgard, that he may, in the name
of the President of the United States, ask the liberty of my husband
from the King of Wurtemberg as a matter of grace and good will.
From the above candid statement, and from the records above referred
to, you will perceive that my husband is a citizen of the United
States, and I do hereby assure your excellency, upon my solemn oath,
that my husband has never committed any wrong amenable to the laws
of his native country, except being a fugitive from military
service; and that my husband during all his lifetime, and especially
while living in the United States, always behaved as a man of good
moral character and integrity. These facts induce me to invoke the
assistance of the diplomatic agents of the United States.
Hoping that your excellency will grant this, my fervent prayer, and
favor me with an answer,
I am, most respectfully, your obedient servant,
His Excellency Andrew Johnson,
President of the United States of America,
Washington, D. C.
United States of America,
State of Pennsylvania, City and County of
Philadelphia, ss:
Before me, the undersigned, a notary public for the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, residing in the city of Philadelphia,
personally appeared on this 26th day of June, 1866, Caroline
Klein, wife of Frederick Klein, baker, residing in said city of
Philadelphia, and personally known to me as the identical person
she represents to be in the foregoing petition, who, after being
duly sworn according to law, did depose and say, that the
contents of the foregoing petition are true and correct in every
particular, which said petition she also signed in my
presence.
Witness my official seal and
signature this
26th day of June, 1866.
[seal.] JULIUS WOLFF, Notary Public.
Signature and seal of Julius Wolff on file in the State
Department, Washington, D. C.
