Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-08-13
THECASE DURRELL
Reparation Demanded from Hawaii for
Ills Arrest and Imprisonment.
LETTER FROM MINISTER WILLIS.
Evidence Against the Claimant on
File In the ONCE of Marshal Hitch
cOck-Many of His Statements Fro
nounced Untrue.
nOunced Untrue.

! August 1st, have been received here per
steamship Warimoor:
On the 2lst uitimo United States Minis
! ter Willis sent 10 the government re-
| quest for reparation TO be made to one
! lanes Durrell, an American citizen, on
! account of his causeless arrest and i'm
prisonment during the prevalence Of
/ martial-law last January. Mr.. Wilis's
! letter is as follows:
| LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
HONOLULU. July q, 1895.
| Hon Francis NJ. Hatch. Minister Of
Foreign Affairs:
| Sir have the honor TO place here
with a copy OF the affidavit Of James
! Durren. who was born in the State OF
1 Louisiana in 1858. and resided in the
| United states until September, 1891. He
then came to this city and obtained
/ temporary employment as a cook In the
/ Arlington Hotel
ION November s, 1894. he irchasfd the
/ lease and good will of cisal store and
! saltwater and fruit stand. and gradu-
/ ally built up n lucrative business. On
! January 9Th last, whilst quietly seated in
! his store he was arrested without ex-
PLANTATION or conviction OF any charge
/ against him. and confined In Jail on com
/ mon prison fare until February Hth fol-
/ lowing. a period Of seven weeks, and
/ then discharged without any trial.
/ charges, explanation. or opportunity OF
| defence. nor has he since his release been
| informed Of the cause of his arrest He
| declares that he has never by word or
| deed forfeited his allegiance to, or his
right to protection by this government;
I a..
| thing directly or indirectly against the
| Government of Hawaii or its laws; that
| he has never expressed sentiments antag-
| onistic to that government, or IN any
| way counselled, encouraged, aided or abet-
| ted Its enemies, either in armed rebellion
or secret plotting, and that he never
possessed any information which under
existing laws II was his duty TO report
| TO your government.
These statements establish In the
! opinion OF the President OF the United
| states, a prlma-facie claim for indemnify
| from the Hawaiian Government 10 MI
| Durrell. ! am instructed, therefore, 10
| bring his case TO the notice OF the Ia
| waian authorities. leaving no doubt In
their minds of the confidence felt AT
! Washington that Hawaii will not refuse
to tender adequate reparation to this
injured citizen of the United States, nor
hesitate TO take prompt measures to
exonorate him from the imputation whlch
| this arbitrary treatment has LETT upon
| his good name.
with sentiments Of high esteem. etc,
| | am.
Your obedent servant,
ALBERT s. WILLIS.
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Pleni-
potentiary Of the United States
To Mr. Wills's letter was appended a
.IftrFf a
! before United States Consul Ellis Mills
on the eth OF April last. In addition to
the allegations set forth by Mr.. Willis
! Durreu claims damages OF s-J,vJ on ac-
count OF injuring his business, MS feel-
ings. and his reputation.
Mr.. Hatch read the letter OF Mr.. Will
| nss In the Senate on the 2jtn. In an
| swer to question he stated that the
government would investigate the matter
and send a reply to the communication.
EVIDENCE AGAINST DURRELL.
Marshal Hitchcock, who had been COM
| piling the evidence on record in his ONCE
| against Durrell. declined 10 state the
nature Of it. lie stated, however tnat
! his report would show that the evidence
against Durrell was abundant and would
| fully satisfy the American people that
he was properly arrested and confined.
He said that Durrel was three fourths
| American Indian and one fourth negro.
! having kinky hair.
The Marshal said that the affidavit con-
| tanned false statements about the diet ana
| treatment in prison. as well as being I'M
true about the compliments innocence OF
! REASONABLE language. IL IL learned thit
from the time OF his arrival here Durrel,
| IKE majority Of the colored men, be
| came a sympathizer with the Royalists'
and latterly fen particularly under sus-
picion as being engaged in the conspiracy
| which eliminated in the instruction OF
January. after which outbreak martial
law was proclaimed. and all persons
strongly suspected Of active comphelty
were arrested. Durrell was one OF the
first taken up. the evidence against MIN
being especially strong.
As rule. only leading conspirators
were brought to trial before the military
commission. besides those captured in ac-
tual war OF the persons arrested ana
confined on good evidence OF compnclty
the large majority were released without
trial. as the government desired 10 aVolu
severity. and the labor and expense AZ
tending the carefully conducted trials was
very great Durrell, being an obscure per
son. was thus released without trial
The store specified in the affidavit IS
small shed a few feet square. renting FOR
sle per month. The business in soda-Wa-
ter. milk-shakes, cigars and fruit may
have amounted TO gross receipts OF - OF
81 per day. II belongs TO the grade known
a. peanut-stands.
The Hawaiian Star observes: when not
engaged in a lucrative business MI Dur
reu worked as a cook. and we are reila-
bIy informed, with rather Indifferent sue
cess. \ coupe Of hundred dollars VIII
in all likelihood patch up his mental an
piiish and that sum will certainly nut
him on easy street The $1,000 then must
be for the alleged outrage on an American
citizen. If that is really the case, then
the figures should be multiplied seVerai
times. No tribunal would entertain such
a charge for pulling the tail feathers iroh
the American Eagle.
FEAR AMERICAN HOSTILITY.
Tho government are viewing this action
Of ar Wulis's with serious Apprehension.
Thev fear that it indicates active nos
,ilitv towards them on the part or inc
American administration. and that II is
designed TO encourage and lead the va.
10 a series Of similar demands from Great
Rritain. and perhaps others Powers "H,eh
II would be distressing and perhaps rum
nrs ia this government 10 comply with.
IL is feIt by them to be a singular
ching that the American Minister, aiter
,eariv four months Of silence, suddenly
nreeerts such "A matter, which thus comes
| H. the nature of surprise. III aiSp
raises the question why, on receiving the
c,,fr, hast April from so presumably un-
objectionable a character as this Ameri-
20, negro. the Minister made no inquiry
IN, M, case from the authorities here,
who could probably have satisfied MN Oh
us groundlessness.
why he has transmitted without IN