Dear Genners,
There is an interesting article in the Brooklyn Eagle, dated Sept 5
1891 (page 6, left-most column) which described a possible fraud
involving Jewish immigrants to the US. They were sold tickets "on
the installment plan" (which seems to be an undesirable thing to do).
The ticket was often sent with a fictiticious bill of sale but
permitted them entry into the US.

No wonder some of our ancestors fudged the dates of their entry! If
their entry was "less than legal" they could pretend that they
"didn't remember" the actual date of entry!

You can read it for yourself at http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/eagle/

Select the date you wish, and then select the option to read the
entire page. (You can enlarge portions of it by selecting each
portion ...)

Barbara Zimmer
Virginia