American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-12-20
Letter from MRS. Thrasher

sE6 4.sa HAVANA, Nov. %, 1851.
To His Ezcclleney Millard Fillmore, President Of
The United States, HE
HoNoRED Sir: The undersigned, mother Of
Mr.. John s. Thrasher, begs leave to call your
attention to the following facts respecting her
son. I'would, in the first place, state that he
was born in Portland, Maine, the native place
Of his parents, and is therefore an American
citizen. On the 18th of October, while in the
usual pursuit Of his business, he was arrested
and detained by the police, his property and
papers seized, and on the 21st of said month
he was placed in solitary confinement in the
city prison, and on the Oath in dungeon at
the Punta Castle; and during all this time, lun-
TIL the 7th instant, l,was not permitted to see
him. On the 7th he was allowed to see his
friends two hours in each day, when, to my sur
prise, he was notable to inform me Of the cause
of his arrest and Imprisonment. On the lth he
was informed that on the following day he would
be ebroughtupf for sentence. On the 18th court
martial assembled, consisting of seven military
officers, one of them being the president before
whom the fiscal prosecuting atty read the sew
eral charges against him, and without evidence.
He not being present, but under guard Of sol
diers in another part Of the building, did not
hear the charges, or know their substance.
After the reading, he was brought before the
court and asked by the President what he had
to say for himself in defence. To which he re-
| piled that he had been denied copy Of the
charges, and had not been allowed counsel in
bis defence; that he had asked time to enable
him to bring evidence to prove his innocence OF
all crimes or charges against him. But all in
vain and, after various questions were asked
in an insulting manner, he was again sent
to his dungeon, where, on the twenty first,
the fiscal, accompanied only by his clerk,
appeared before the grating and read to
him the sentence, approved by the Auditor
4 of War, because "the criminal had done moth
| ing to disprove the accusations against hin"
and signed by the Captain General without
remark. The sentence is "eight years hard
labor at Ceuta, in Africa, with payment of
COSTS" for the q crime of treason" ''deldto de
infdencia") He was then sent to the Moro
Castle, and two days after, when called on
the Captain General to ask that he might not
be sent away while the illness of his father pre-
vented his seeing him, was abruptly told that
he would sail in thirtysix hours time for
Spain, and he has sailed this day for Cadiz in
the ship Hispano Cubano, there to have his
sentence put into execution. The undersigned
most earnestly supplicates your Excellency, as
| the head of the government Of my nation, TO
hearken to the entreaties of a mother, that JUS
tice may be done. ask not for mercy; but that
the rights of my son, an American citizen, may
be promptly attended to, and that such instruc'
tions be sent to our Minister in Spain and Con-
sui at Cadiz as to procure bis immediate release
4 and his return to his country. My many years
residence here gives me knowledge of Spanish
character, and the indecent haste to send my son
away before the arrival of steamers from the U.
States adds to my fears of the consequences
Of even a few hours delay it having frequently
occurred that, on n pardon or release being
granted, it was pretended that the prisoner had
died, or could not be found, and he was left to
linger his life in dungeon. ! also beg that q
copy of all the proceedings, which were denied
to my son, may be demanded; ard should 1t
prove he has been most unjustly dealt with, las
| firmly believe he has, that there may be also
demanded pecuniary satisfaction for the loss of
| his property and his business from this govern
ment, which, against treaty stipulations, has
committed this gross outrage upon him, M
/ American citizen.
humbly ask your kind attention to this ap-
peal, which l cannot make in person in conse-
quence of the illness Of my husband. Having
the fullest confidence that it will not be made
in vain, | subscribe myself your Excellency 5
humble servant
/ FANNY 7. THRAsHER