New-York tribune., 1872-07-30
THE LATEST SPANISH OUTRAGE

The readers of THE TRIBUNE had occasion
to note, the other day, some details of an
outrage which was alleged to have been COM
mitted on a Spanish subject on American soil
at Spanish instigatiOn. One Buenaventura
Pereda, who is said to be deserter and
thief from Cuba, was traced to San Francisco
and kidnapped by detectives and compelled
to give up the property which he had in his
possession. That this was done without
shadow of law or authority was apparent.
No writs or warrants were issued; no process
at law-civil or criminal-instituted, and no
demand was made on our Government by the
Spanish Governments, under whose direction
the whole transaction was conducted just
look at the facts.
Aman who is claimed to be a deserter from
the Spanish army in Cuba, and thief
from the military chest of Battalion San
Quentin, at Santiago de Cuba, after
iourneying from st. Thomas to New-York,
Panama, Peru, and san Francisco, is enticed
into a hotel in the latter city by a party OF
detectives stranger, and unable to speak
word of English, he Is Informed, through an
Interpreter, that he is a deserter from the
Spanish army; that be is to be put into irons
and sent back to Cuba to be shot; that the
officers. who show their badges Of authority,
have documentary warrant to do tins, unless
he will give up the money which he has stolen,
"a they say, from the Spanish military chest.
lie refuses to dsgorge the money and denies
his guilt. admitting only that he is deserter.
Hurried into a close carriage and guarded by
detectives. he is taken to the house Of the
snonish Consul for San Francisco, one Mar
tin and there ordered by him to be taken to
the city prison. Next, Martin, accompanied by
Chief of Police Crowley and the detectives,
visit the captive Pereda, and try to persuade
him to sign paper saying that he gives up the
money voluntarily, the officers having by this
time hacked up the amount (S35OOO in gold
and gold notes. in a carpet-bag and taken
,,ossoss,on of if. Pereda utterly refuses to do
this. but at last, worn out by seven or eight
bours of threatening, and receiving back
Il 600 of the gold on condition that he will
Iooyo tbe country and say nothing about it, he
s;,,ns tbo agreement, which had been modified
several times before he would put his name to
= So thouch deserter and a reputed thief,
Consul Martin and the detectives let MN 20
scot free and with a part OF the plunder; they
keep the remainder.
po,eda instead of going away, Instituted a
civil suit for false imprisonment and recovery
Of the money from Martin. 1t then came out
J., o,;dopce that Martin had acted solely on
ordors from Mr.. Uriarte, COnsul-General OF
Snain at New-York; that Urlarte and Martin
had instructed Lees, the detective VINO had
charge of the job, to do all that had
been done. and had agreed to give Lees
Oh per cent of the gross amount
of money recovered from Pereda. When Mar
tin was sued in San Francisco by Pereda, he
refused to exhibit the authority under which
he acted, saying that the correspondence was
privileged communications with his own Gov
a,,,ont and could not be fOrcibly produced
NV order of any United States Court. SO it
turned out that this man, Pereda, was seized
in a city of the United States by municipal
detective and police officers, and compelled,
under coercion, to give up property in his pos
sossion and sign statement that he did it
Voluntarily; and all this under the sole author
ity of the Spanish Consul-General at New
York!
Failing to recover his money in the courts,
the Jury in the case having disagreed, Pereda's
counsel filed petition, setting forth the facts,
in the State Department. According to our
dispatches, Mr.. Fish, after examining the
case, decides that he can take no action
therein unless the matter is brought before
him by the regularly accredited representative
of the Spanish Government That is to say,
he can take no notice of this outrage upon
American soil unless ho is told Of it by tho