Mr. Olney to Baron
Fava.
Department of State,
Washington, June 24,
1895.
No. 43.]Excellency: Referring to previous
correspondence and your interview with the Acting Secretary of State on
the 6th instant, relative to the nationality of the three miners of
Italian origin killed near Walsenburg, Colo., in March last, I have the
honor to inclose a copy of a letter from the governor of that State,
transmitting one from the clerk of the district court of Huerfano
County, from which it appears that Ronchietto and Vittone had taken out
their first papers, but had not completed their naturalization as
American citizens, and that there is no evidence that Danino or Danenio
had taken any steps to throw off his Italian allegiance.
Accept, etc.,
[Inclosure.]
Governor McIntire
to Mr. Uhl.
State of Colorado,
Executive
Office, June 15,
1895.
Sir: I have the honor to inclose a
statement by the clerk of the district court of Huerfano County,
giving the facts as he ascertained them concerning the citizenship
of certain Italians killed at Walsenburg. All the information
obtained inclines me to believe that the clerk’s statement is
correct.
I have, etc.,
Albert W. McIntire, Governor.
[Inclosure No. 2.]
Mr. Roof, cleric
of court, to Governor McIntire.
Dear Sir: I am advised by the Hon. Jesse G.
Northcutt, judge of the third judicial district of this State, that
you desire such information as has been obtained concerning the
citizenship of the three Italians recently killed in this county by
a mob, and herewith I have the honor to submit such information as I
have obtained from the records of this court and inspection of the
coroner’s records, and from conversation had with the coroner
holding the inquests and the deputy district attorney appearing on
behalf of the people.
The names of the three persons killed were Francesco Ronchietto,
Stanislao Vittoni, and Lorenzo Danenio. Of these Ronchietto declared
his intention to become a citizen of the United States before the
clerk of this court on July 7, 1894, the record of which is now on
file. Vittoni, at the time of his death had in his possession a
certified copy of his declaration to become a citizen of the United
States, under the seal of the district or county court of Las Animas
County, Colo. I am unable to advise as to the date or the court, but
I am informed that the copy was given to Dr. Cuneo, Italian consul,
a few days after the killing.
Danenio was presumably an Italian subject, no evidence having been
discovered as to his having taken any steps toward becoming a
citizen of this country. He was a witness at the inquest on the body
of A. J. Hixon (the alleged murder of whom was presumably the moving
cause of the mob), and on the stand was asked if he was a citizen of
the United States, to which he replied no.
None of the parties, so far as known, had at any time taken the final
naturalization oath.
I have, etc.,
Fred. O. Roof,
Clerk of the District Court of Huerfano
County, Colo.
