Mr. Lee to Mr.
Hay.
American Legation,
Panama, October 11,
1904.
No. 52.]Sir: I have the honor to report that John T.
Connors, a Pinkerton detective, furnished with an extradition warrant
from the President, arrived in Panama on the night of October 3, for the
purpose of taking into custody the person of Herman E. Haass (alias
Frank Edwards), alleged to have defrauded the National Corn Exchange
Bank of Chicago of approximately the sum of $20,000.
Through the kind and efficient cooperation of the authorities of Panama I
was able to send the detective back to New York with his prisoner on the
steamer sailing from Colon on October 4. Mr. Connors seemed much
surprised, and stated that in all his career he had never been connected
with a mission conducted with such celerity.
After taking charge of the money found on the person of Haass, the
detective left here in care of the chief of police the sum of $80 gold
to defray the expenses of the prisoner while on the Isthmus, as
follows,: Hotel Colon, $16; maintenance in Panama, $44. I have the honor
to inclose receipts for the above amounts, and also the sum of $20,
being balance remaining from the $80 left by Mr. Connors.
There will also be found inclosed a copy of a resolution from the Panama
Government giving up the person of Haass, at the request of the United
States, as an act of comity.
I am, etc.,
[Inclosure.]
Resolution.
The Government of the United States has requested through diplomatic
channels the detention and surrender of the American citizen Herman
E. Haass, alias Frank Edwards, charged with a crime.
As at the present time there exists no extradition treaty between the
United States and Panama, this request was made as an act of
international comity; and as article 18 of the penal code of the
Republic, founded upon the mutual
[Page 647]
duty of States, permits extradition in cases
such as this, the detention of Haass was ordered until the necessary
documents should be received.
Such being the state of affairs, the chargé d’affaires of the United
States informed the Government of Panama that a special officer of
his Government had arrived at Panama to take Haass in charge and to
convey him to the United States, and the chargé d’affaires requested
that the individual in question be delivered over to the officer,
and also presented various documents, duly authenticated, which set
forth that Haass had defaulted from the National Corn Exchange Bank
of Chicago with, approximately, $20,000, and therefore the agent of
the police was sent to take him in charge.
In view of the before-mentioned statements and considering thecrime
with which Haass is charged is a grave one, and that the punishment
therefor will exceed five years’ imprisonment according to the law
of the United States, it is resolved to acquiesce in the request of
the United States for the extradition of the American citizen Haass,
alias Frank Edwards.
This department will expect, in due course of time, a copy of the
indictment and sentence of the said Haass, in order that it may have
in its archives all the papers relating to the case.
Let this be copied, communicated, and published.
(Signed)
Tomas Arias,
Secretary of Government and Foreign
Affairs.
October 3,
1904.
