Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-07
WITH A FIRM HAND.
President Harrison Will Preserve
the Federal Authority.
THAT TROUBLE AT CEDAR KEYS.
An Official Answer to the Inquiries Made
by the Senate.
NECESSITY FOR A REVENUE CUTTER

WA sHINGToN, June 6.-The President
resolution of May 26, requesting informa-
ton concerning the alleged landing of an
armed force from the United States revenue
cutter McLane. at Cedar Keys. Fla, and
the alleg ed entry of the houses of citizens
bv force and their alleged pursuit OF citi-
zens of the United States in the surround
ing country, a letter containing what he
describes as all the information possessed
by the Executive Department relating to
the matters inquired about.
'sIt will be observed" says the President,
''that the United States Collector OF Gus
toms at Cedar Keys has been driven from
his office and from the town, and the admin
istratlon of the customs laws of the United
States at that port suspended by the violent
demonstration and threats of one Cottrell,
the Mayor of the place, assisted by his Town
Marshal. Mitchell. If it had been neces-
sary, as do not think it can be in any case,
for United States officer to appeal to
THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES
for immunity from violence in the exercise of
his duties. the situation at Cedar Keys did
not suggest or encourage such an appeal,
for those to whom the appeal would have
been addressed were themselves the lawless
instruments of the threatened violence. 1t
will always be agreeable to me If the local
authorities, acting upon their own sense OF
duty, maintain the public order in such
way that officers Of the United States shall
have no occasion to appeal for the interven-
tion of the General Government, but, when
this is not done, shall deem it my duty to
use the adequate powers vested In
the Executive to make it safe and feasible
to hold and exercise the offices established
by the Federal Constitution and laws. The
means used IN this case were, in my opinion,
lawful and necessary, and the officers do not
seem to have intruded upon any private
right in executing the warrants placed in
their hands. The letter dated August
last, which appears in the correspondence
submitted, appealing to me to Intervene for
the protection of the city of Cedar Keys
from the brutal violence OF Cottrell, 1t will
be noticed was written before the appoint
ment of the new collector.
SURPRISE AND REGRET.
"That the officers of the law should not
have had the full sympathy of every good
citizen in their efforts to bring these men to
merited punishment is a matter of surprise
and regret. 1t is q very grim commentary
Keys, that only a woman that had, as she
SAYS in her letter, 10 son or husband who
could be made the victim of his malice, had
the courage to file charges against this man
who was then holding a subordinate place
in the customs service"
The papers accompanying the message in
clude the correspondence between the De-
partment of Justice and Marshal Weeks,
and between the Treasury Department and
the custom officers and officers of the reve-
nue. cutter McLane. which was sent to Ce-
dar KEYS. The dated report of s. L. Es-
TRANCE. United States Deputy Marshal, who
WIS sent to Cedar Keys to search for Cot
trell and Mitchell, with warrants for
their arrest. shows that Cottrell was not
found, but Mitchell was arrested and re-
leased on bail.
Estrange says that he and Captain
Smythe, of the McLane, we're vlctlmized by
people who failed them several times in
their efforts to capture Cottrel. The captain
of steam launch, owned by E. Faber, de-
manded $50 day for the use of the vessel to
make trip up the Suwanee, where it was
believed Cottrell was hiding, when $40
day, it is said, would have been big price.
THE POPULAR OPINION.
After Mitchell's release he was reinstated
in Office, $50 one NAV safely in fer that the
policy of Major Cottrell has been fully in
dorsed. Not one word appeared in the
newspaper published here Cedar Keys) in
relation to the difficulties between Cottrell
and the Collector. The Attorney General
has been misinformed in the matter of our
searching dwellings unlawfully. In every
instance 1 asked permission, which, 1 am
pleased to say, was readily if not cheeriully
given. have been religiously scrupulous
on this point, and others will bear me out in
the fact that we were complimented on sew
eral occasions for the unostentatious
and orderly manner in conducting what we
conceived to be a most painful duty-but |
the rabble will talk and bluster."
The reports of Captain Smythe, of the |
McLane, and J. 81. Pinkerton, of the col |
Iiery at Cedar Keys, agree with the reports |
that have been published. Piukerton says:
81 had heard that Cottrell said that United |
States Attorney Stripping would not prose-
cute him, as they were particular friends, |
and must say that Mr.. STRIPPING discour- |
aged my action in the matter, and advised |
me to wait until Cottrell made further dme-
onstrations and then take a shotgun and |
shoot him if he interiered,'