File No. 9160/18–30.
Chargé Sands to the
Acting Secretary of State.
American Legation,
Guatemala, October 14,
1907.
No. 15.]Sir: I have the honor to inform you that I have
received from the consul general in this city information concerning
what seems, at first sight, to have been a very violent and unprovoked
attack on several American negroes living in the town of Zacapa, by the
governor of the Province, Gen. Ariz, and the officers of his suite.
Immediately upon receipt of Mr. Kent’s report, I communicated with the
minister for foreign affairs informally, requesting him to cause an
investigation to be made of this affair. This he promised me to do, and
to-day, in an official interview he again assured me that he would do
everything in his power to have a prompt, impartial, and thorough
investigation. I have no means of following the progress of the case at
Zacapa, unless I am permitted to order the consular agent at Puerto
Barrios to proceed to Zacapa and make a full report.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1.]
Consul General Kent to the American
Legation.
American Consulate General,
Guatemala City, October 2, 1907.
No. 782.]Sir: I have the honor to inclose copies of
the complaints of Simon Shine and George Milliken, two American
citizens, together with copies of several documents,1 wherein it is shown that a
most brutal injury has been inflicted upon these American citizens
at Zacapa, this Republic, by the jefe politico, or governor, of that
department.
It would seem proper that this officer should be brought to
punishment and that an indemnity should be paid to his victims.
I submit these complaints for your consideration and for such action
as you may deem proper.
I am, sir, your obedient servant.
[Inclosure 2.]
Chargé Sands to
Consul General Kent.
American Legation,
Guatemala, October 14,
1907.
No. 5 Consular.]Sir: Referring to your No. 782 of October
2, and to your 805, dated October 9,1 concerning the beating of Messrs. Shine and
Milliken, American citizens, at Zacapa, I have to inform you that
upon receipt of your first communication I requested the minister
for foreign affairs to cause an investigation of this affair by the
proper authorities, which he promised to do.
I have had to-day an earnest conversation with His Excellency on this
subject, in which he gave me every assurance that a strict and
impartial investigation was in progress at Zacapa, of which he hoped
to furnish me details very shortly. Permit me to observe that the
claiming of an indemnity for these men, as you suggest in your No.
782, is a matter for the State Department to decide upon. In no case
is it permitted for the legation to bring a money claim
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against that Government to
which it is accredited without special instructions from the
Department of State. Our duty ends with the bringing of the guilty
parties to justice, whether they are the Americans or the jefe
politico and his officers.
I have to request that yon will inform the consular agent at
Livingston (Puerto Barrios) that the Government of Guatemala has
promised this legation a prompt, thorough, impartial, and strict
investigation, and that the minister for foreign affairs has given
me his assurance that these men can return to Zacapa in perfect
safety.
Let him so inform Milliken and Shine, if they have not already
returned to their residence.
I have to request also, that you will instruct Mr. Reed to continue
to keep you minutely informed of the progress of the case.
I am, respectfully,
