Sequestration proceedings.
The case of the ‘"
Confederate States vs Word "’ to sequestrate certain debts out by them to ‘"Elkers &
Brother,"’ who, it is alleged, are alien enemies, was taken up in the
Confederate States Court, on yesterday, and argued at length by
P. H. Aylett,
Esq., the
District Attorney.
The facts of the case presented by the report of
Commissioner Watson, upon which the case was argued, are as follows:
‘
Isaac Elkers, a native of
Prussia, emigrated to this country many years ago, resided in
Mobile, Alabama, for many years, where he took out his last naturalization papers in 1849.
He established a large clothing store in
Mobile in conjunction with his brother, and afterwards in 1853 removed to New York and there established a branch house of trade.--He married in New York, bought a residence there, and voted there at the Presidential election of -- voting against
Lincoln.
He frequently visited
Mobile from 1851 to 1861, and continued a partner in the
Mobile house.
In 1861, immediately after the proclamation of
Lincoln, he shipped a portion of his goods to
Mobile and closed the
New York house, but remained in New York until September, 1861 when he returned to
Mobile, and took the oath of allegiance to the
Confederate States in November.
His family is still in New York, and it does not appear that he has sold his private residence in that city.
He alleges that, in consequence of ill health, and for other causes, he cannot remove his family South.
The Government contends that the defendant was an alien enemy on and after the 21st of May, 1861 and that his citizenship in New York continued until September, when he removed from that State, and that no change of citizenship after the commencement of hostilities between the
Confederate and the
United States can protect the property of an alien enemy from the sequestration act.
’
