No. 352.
Mr. Langston to Mr.
Frelinghuysen.
Legation of
the United States,
Port-au-Prince,
Hayti, Feb. 25, 1885.
(Received March 11.)
No. 715.]Sir: I have the honor, referring to your dispatch,
No. 324, dated January 20, 1885, to state that, on the 12th instant, in a
dispatch of some length, in clear and positive, though respectful, terms, in
obedience to your instructions, I asked the Haytian Government to give Mr.
d’Almena, who had been too long already detained in the common jail of
Port-au-Prince, his liberty. I transmit herewith a copy of my dispatch.
To this dispatch Mr. St. Victor replied in a brief line on the 13th instant,
advising me that the subject had been referred to his colleague, the
secretary of state of justice, for his consideration, and upon receiving his
response he would communicate it to me.
I herewith transmit, with its translation, a copy of such reply.
But on the 23d instant, instead of letting me have, as he had agreed to do,
the opinion of the secretary of state of justice in this case, Mr. St.
Victor inclosed in a brief dispatch a letter from that official covering
another letter from Mr. Ernest Bonhomme, “le juge d’instruction,” as he
terms himself, who states that he believes that the supplementary
examination which the secretary of state of justice seems to have asked him
to institute would be completed this week.
I transmit herewith a copy and translation of Mr. St. Victor’s dispatch, a
copy and translation of the letter of Mr. Pierre, and a copy and translation
of the letter of Mr. Bonhomme.
I have advised Mr. St. Victor to-day that his reply thus far to my demand for
the release of Mr. d’Almena is insufficient, and in obedience to the
instructions of my Government I insist upon his release.
I have the honor to transmit a copy of my dispatch to such effect.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 716.]
Mr. Langston to Mr.
St. Victor.
Legation of the United States,
Port-au-Prince, Hayti, February 12, 1885.
Sir: In calling your attention once more to the
case of the American citizen, A. C. d’Almena, who has been confined in
the common jail of this city since the 10th of December last, charged
with being the accomplice of the abuse of confidence committed against
the National Bank of Hayti, as implicated with Mr. F. B. Coles, when the
said Coles was chief of the bookkeeping of the bank, after full and
careful examination of a large number of witnesses, as I am advised in
the case, without implication or probable guilt being found against Mr.
d’Almena, and after sixty-three
[Page 496]
days of detent ion and imprisonment, a large part of that time haying
been passed by Mr. d’Almena in enforced close confinement, I beg to
enter to your Government my earnest though respectful protest against
the illegal, severe, and unnecessary treatment which it accords this
American citizen, treatment which is clearly violative of all
international right, while I ask in the name of right and justice his
immediate release. And this, Mr. Minister, I do upon the positive
instructions of my Government.
With the renewal of my exalted consideration,
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 2 in No.
715.—Translation.]
Mr. St. Victor to
Mr. Langston.
Department of State of Foreign Relations,
Port-au-Prince, February 13, 1885.
Mr. Minister: I have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your letter of the 12th of this month, relative to the
imprisonment of Mr. A. C. d’Almena, an American citizen.
I make haste to communicate this dispatch to the secretary of state of
justice, and I shall not fail to make known to you the response of my
colleague so soon as he shall have sent it to me.
You will accept, &c.,
[Inclosure 3 in No.
715.—Translation.]
Mr. St. Victor to
Mr. Langston.
Department of State of Foreign Relations,
Port-au-Prince, February 23, 1885.
Mr. Minister: In acknowledging the receipt of
your letter of the 12th February, instant, I told you in my dispatch
that communication thereof had been made to my colleague of justice.
I have the honor to transmit to you under this cover copy of his letter
of the 21st instant, and of that communicated bearing the same date and
the No. 17 of the judge of instruction near the civil tribunal of this
district, addressed to my colleague.
These two papers are relative to the affair of d’Almena.
Accept, &c.,
[Inclosure 4 in No.
715.—Translation.]
The secretary of state of the
department of justice to the secretary
of state of foreign relations.
Republic of Hayti,
Port-au-Prince, February 21,
1885.
My Dear Colleague: While demanding of the
public prosecutor of the district why the affair of Mr. d’Almena has not
yet been sent to the chamber of council, I have communicated to him your
dispatch as well as a copy of the letter of Mr. Langston, minister of
the United States of America. This officer of the parquet has just sent
the reply of Mr. E. Bonhomme, judge of instruction of the district to
whom this affair is referred—reply which I communicate to you herewith
inclosed, praying you to return it to me when you have no further need
of it.
My most profound compliments.
A true copy.
The chief of bureau of the department of foreign relations,
[Page 497]
[Inclosure 5 in No.
715.—Translation.]
The judge of instruction
to the commissary of the
government.
Republic of Hayti,
Chamber of
Criminal Instruction,
Port-au-Prince, February 21,
1885.
Mr. Commissary: I acknowledge the receipt of
your letter of the 20th instant and the papers you have sent me in your
communication.
I am upon the point of accomplishing the supplement of information which
you have required me to make. I hope to be able to finish next week.
I salute you, &c.,
P. S.—I return to you also the dispatches communicated.
A true copy.
The chief of bureau of the department of foreign relations,
[Inclosure 6 in No. 715.]
Mr. Langston to Mr.
St. Victor.
Legation of the United States,
Port-au-Prince, Hayti, February 25, 1885.
Sir: In acknowledging the receipt of your
dispatch of the 23d instant, with its inclosures, a copy of a letter
from your colleague of justice, addressed to you, under the cover of
which a copy of a letter addressed to him by Mr. Bonhomme, was found, I
have the honor to state that it does not appear to me that you have so
far shown anything like justifiable grounds upon which to hold Mr.
d’Almena in prison.
You will recollect, Mr. Minister, that seventy-five days have elapsed
since he was put in confinement, quite long enough, one might conclude,
for making the most difficult and certain charge against him upon the
evidence and the law, should such exist, and now the extent and measure
of your reply upon Mr. Bonhonime’s letter is that “the supplement of
information” which the minister of justice has required of him he thinks
will be closed next (this) week.
But, Mr. Minister, upon what principle of law or usage can Mr. d’Almena
be longer held? Once more, therefore, upon the instructions of my
Government, I insist upon his release.
Awaiting your early solution of this case,
I am, &c.,
