Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-18
CONSUL LYALL Is SORRY.
ne Regrets Using Words Abusing Texan
Administration Of Justice.

Administration Of Justice.
GALVESTON, Tex, Dec. ls.-It has just come
to hight that the following letter is the one on
which Gov. Ross bases his letter of complaint
against Mr.. Lyall. British consul here:
GALVESTON, TEX. Oct. is, 1880.
DEAR SIR: lour letter Of October IL re-
cefred lou are quite mistaken If you think
overlooked that point You mention. / have
written AT least twelve or fifteen letters respect
ing your ease, not only to the governor. but
to editors of newspapers, and in every letter L
pointed out that YOU state nothing. tcld the
governo: that you had been unjustiy indicted
and unjus.ly sentenced and that in any civil
lied Ccuntry or in any honest court the case
would have been dismissed. L also told him
that You were unduly detained in prison and
that you ought never 20 have gone there a day,
dc. i also told the governor that, unless you
were released. that unless he showed proper
clemency would never let the matter drop,
but that would report the whole affair to the
British government and that would take care
to let the British public know what sort of JUS
tice was dealt 90 British subjects IN TeSaS, and
unless he released you after you had done two
years from the start Including time spent
under arrest before triaD should certainly do
SO, because, as 1 told the governor, it will be
my duty rs consul to do just the
same ~ j. would be the duty
of United States consul, so that his fellow
citizens are protected. / consider that you
not release you the best thing my government
car do will be to arrest three or four United
States citizens in Liverpool or elsewhere and
give them five years each on some pretense or
other, the same as they have done you. ire
main, yours obediently, W.T. LIALL.,
To Mr.. James Kelly. Huntsville.
A Netrs reporter called on Consul Lyall in re-
gard to the foregoing. Mr.. Lyall said in expla-
nation: ''Thatietter explains the whole thing.
When had been accused by Gov. Ross OF writ
ing him a disc ourteous letter was amazed, for,
in my correspondence with him. could find no
word that used that he could take umbrage at.
Therefore i was at n loss to understand TO what
letter of mine he referred to in his communities
ton to Secretary Blaine.
Now, 1 had not once thought of my letter
TO Kelly and the whole matter was explained to
me when read it in tine Ne'cs today. wrote
Kelly in response to an inquiry from him as to
what progress. if any. had made in his case.
had been disappointed by Gov. Ross and
wrote the letter while angry. had forgotten
all about il in connection with the complaint Of
Governor Ross. 1t never occurred to me that
the Kelly letter was the basis Of his letter to the
State Department. wrote ii not thinking about
prison rules, that all letters to convicts were
read by the prison officials do not think that
it is exactly proper that personal letter to II
British subject should have been brought out,
but that matters not. l admit that over
stepped the bounds of prudence and wisdom
in .penning it. could not have conceived
such thoughts. or at least l would
not have put them OH paper and sent them
through the mails, had not been angered. or
course know that such plea that will not
excuse me. / desire however, to withdraw the
sentiments expressed in The Kelly letter and
sincerely assure the governor that did not
mean the IN. or now, to show him his
government the slightest disre,pect. In
nv eagerness to disabuse the mind
of Mr. Kelly that I had been,
as he ntimated. tlilatory in his case, and the
further fact, as before stated, that had been
disap pointed in not securing for him as l
letter. / am truly sorry for it and
hope the governor will feel that my contrition
is sincere
Consul Lyall said that he would of course be
by his government.