Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-12-28
O'DONNELLS DEFENCE.


| WAsHlScroN, D. G., Dec. al.-The Presi.
dent Today transmitted TO the house the re.
port oil the secretary of state with volumipous
correspondence In response to the resolution
calling for communications and panprs
| Relative TO the execution of Patrick OD,n.
NELL" The correspondence covers the period
from Sept. "a to Dec. 10. Mr.. IIoppin in.
forms Secretary Frelinghuysen of the arcs,
OF O'Donnell, and of his anxiety to have q
solicitor TO undertake his defence. He added
that he did not believe it TO be the duty of
the United States government 10 provide
professional legal assistance for one of lie
| citizens accused Of crime in Great D,it.;,
even II he were desli ute, aud tina, ,hcrn
seemed to be nothing in his case to make +,
an exception. lie had therefore declincd 70
instruct some one to defend him cxccn, Indey
directions form the department Of state
October 9th Secretary Freighuysen writes
TO Minister Lowell directing him 10 osccr-
tam whether O'Donnell was an American
citizen andif so to do whatever was ncc~s.
sary to secure his proper defence. Enclosed
In lhls communication is a letter from Con
gresham Finerty transmitting rrsolu,iono
adopted at meeting in Chicago, urelnr unon
the secretary of State the necessity If in,
media'e action by the United States TO vindi.
cate the right of O'Donncll to n fair trial
I The reply of Secretary Frclinehuysen To-
flnerty is also enclosed, and in il The sccrc.
lary says 1T is not doubted that lie mr.
ouseu VIII receive a ialr trial and that proper
au w ,lat cnu VIII be given by the repre-
scn.a.ises OF inc United States in London as
| xptg
lions" October 9th, Mr. FrclinrhuvseHn "n
closes to lIoppn request of Spna,9r oIn gu,
and others that William +. IIvncs s'V s"d
William NJ. O'Bricn be authorized 10 arn "m,
IN court IN behalf Of O'Donnell. lie olsa
enc!oses his reply thereto, stating That hc
Understands General Pryor and cy.Jrdrc
ruiierton are to take part in the rlefcncs
Mr. Lowell DelDy absent from London Mr.
lioppin replies stating that he bo; como w. :.
the conclusion that the certificate of mimi ~
lzation produced by O'Donnell wos eith"r
granted 10 some other person bearing tbr no,
unusual name OF Patrick O'Donnell, or that
y \. was iraudulently obtained by the prisoncr '
l.. Is possible, nc says, that the State deparl.
llent may decide that the simple fact of thc
prisoners possessing certificate Of na,urali-
i ha.Jn IN nis own name is sufficient proof of
dent iacts 1t seemed to him that 0,nea
nelis defense had been properly secured and
mat II was not necessary for him 10 lnkc anv
further Turtle steps in that direction, Ocioher
sard Hoppin informs Frcllnghuyscn iha,
further Inquiries concerning O'DonnrlI,s ni
iegeu citizcnship have impressed him with
! inc apparent truth of ODonnell's siateuen,s
Inc question of O'Donnel's citizenship !.
summed up in accumulation from lhe soc,
retaiy OF state tothe President which saws I ,hr
statements made in behalf of O'Donno liz
right to claim American citizenship nrc com
hlctlng, The secretary reviews ihc cvi wi cUn
al considerable leng 9Th and con,inuas
~ Donnell has certificate of naturnIiz,tio
lie may have obtained it by mistake Of thc
court or by his own mistake, or there may NV
be mistake in the statements he now ma nl"S
and yet be an absence of fraud. and ne ,he
certificate is prima face evidence Of ci,izo ono
ship and as l do not see by the evidence I IIa,
O'Donnell practiced fraud upon tho T,;,o a
States, the legation at London was ins, r'aeu
ca to consider O'Donnell's Citizenship cs,oh
iished.' Then follows cable corrrsn5p G donco
between Messrs. Frelinghuysen and 1 LoWrII
and Lord Granvlle's reply to LowelI's ro
quest for delay in ODonnelrs execution MI
OF which has heretofore been published u"