Mr. Clayton to Mr.
Hay.
Embassy
of the United States,
Mexico, September 9,
1903.
No. 1945.]Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a
copy of my note of the 7th instant to the foreign office, relating to
the murder of the American citizen, John E. Week, at Zamora, State of
Michoacan, about March 3 last. I have the honor to transmit also a copy
of other correspondence relating to the case.
In connection with this subject, I respectfully invite the attention of
the Department to the following cases where American citizens were
murdered, resulting in the nonapprehension of the murderers: Benjamin Y.
Garcia, Victor Gerster, J. S. Stanfield, Philip Nesdal, J. W. Cullen,
and William Savage.
In the case of J. S. Stanfield, although his supposed murderer, J. H.
Green well, was arrested by the Mexican authorities, no efficient effort
seems to have been made to prosecute his case.
I consider that the apparent inefficiency on the part of the Mexican
officials in the aforesaid cases calls for strong representations to the
Mexican Government by this embassy, and in view of the fact that the
representations that have been made to the foreign office heretofore
have been barren of results, it is my opinion that the subject in
general should be brought to the attention of the President. If the
Department concurs in this opinion, I respectfully suggest that it would
add great weight to such representations if my action should be based
upon its instruction.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1.]
Mr. Clayton to
Mr. Algara.
Embassy of the United States,
Mexico, September 7, 1903.
Mr. Secretary: The Department of State has
brought to my attention the case of John E. Week, who was murdered
at Zamora, State of Michoacan, about March 3, 1903, and has
instructed me to take such action as may be necessary to have the
assassin brought promptly to justice.
Upon this subject I quote from a communication of the United States
consular agent at Guadalajara, under date of the 5th instant, as
follows: “I have been obliged to gather my information by
correspondence. One correspondent wrote me that he had a personal
interview with the judge having jurisdiction in the case, and the
judge said: ‘The murderer was known and there were several
eyewitnesses to the murder; however, the Government had no money to
apprehend murderers.’”
The aforesaid consular agent telegraphed me on the 5th instant as
follows:
“I can not learn that the murderer of John E. Week has been
apprehended or that efforts are being made to apprehend him.”
I earnestly invoke the good offices of the Mexican Government toward
bringing the murderer of Mr. Week to justice.
I have, etc.,
[Page 666]
[Inclosure 2.—Telegram.]
Mr. Clayton to
Mr. Light, consular agent at
Guadalajara.
Embassy of the United States,
Mexico, September 5, 1903.
Wire me if the murderer of John E. Week has been apprehended.
[Inclosure 3.—Telegram.]
Mr. Light to
Mr. Clayton.
Consular Agency of the United States,
Guadalajara, September 5, 1903.
I can not learn that the murderer of John E. Week has been
apprehended, or that efforts are being made to apprehend him.
[Inclosure 4.]
Mr. Light to
Mr. Clayton.
Consular Agency of the United States,
Guadalajara, September 5, 1903.
Sir: Your telegram of this date, inquiring
as to the murderer of John E. Week at Zamoro, was duly received and
answered.
As the Government does not authorize me to incur the expense of a
personal investigation of such cases I have been obliged to gather
my information by correspondence. One correspondent wrote me that he
had a personal interview with the judge having jurisdiction in the
case, and the judge said: “The murderer was known and there were
several eyewitnesses to the murder. However, the Government had no
money at its disposal to apprehend murderers.” I then tried to learn
by correspondence the names of the eyewitnesses and the murderer,
but have failed to obtain it to this day, although I have written to
my correspondent twice.
The murderer of Philip Nesdel (an American) in this State, at
Navidad, about the 2d of October last is still at large. I am unable
to learn that the murderer of William Savage has been tried for his
crime. He was arrested and thrown in jail. While there he killed a
companion who occupied the same cell. It was stated that he would be
tried, sentenced, and shot for that offense, which would make it
unnecessary to try him for the former offense. All this information
I get from correspondents.
Believing it to be important that I be informed of these matters
officially, I addressed a letter some time since to the secretary of
state asking this information, but while an abundance of time has
elapsed since I wrote to gather the information, I am without a
reply. I have made some allowance for the fact that there has since
that date been a change of secretaries and governors. It is my
intention to take this matter up with the governor soon after his
return to this city. I went once to his office for the information,
but he was away then, and he has been out of the city considerably
of late. I called the attention of the former governor (Curiel) to
the murder of Nesdel, and he assured me that an effort was being
made to locate and apprehend the murderer; that he had fled and his
whereabouts were unknon. I shall be glad to receive any instructions
in these cases which your may have to give me.
Very respectfully,
Edw. B. Light,
United States Consular
Agent.
