Birmingham age-herald., 1895-08-11
HAWAII ON THE ANXIOUS SEH' MT. Willis Is Pressing the Claim
 Of Dureel. THE THIN END OF THE WEDGE Which May Disrupt the Dole Government-The Charges and Counter Charges-Hon-
 ouIu Press Comment

Victoria, B. C., Aug. 10.-The following Honolulu advices, under date of August 1, have been received here per steamship Warimoo.
 On the 2Sd ultimo United States Minis ter Willis sent this government a request for reparation to be made one James Dureel an American citizen, on account of his causeless arrest and his imprison- ment during the prevalence of martial law last January. Mr. Willis letter is as follows:
 Legation of the United States
 July 21, 1895.
 Hon. Francis M. Hatch, Minister of Foreign Affairs-Dear Sir: 1 have the honor to place herewith a copy of the affidavit of James Dureel, from which it appears that Dureel was born in the state of Louisiana in 1858 and resided in the United States until September, 1894 He then came to this city and obtained tenn porary employment as a cook in the Ar lington hotel On November 1894, he pur- chased the lease and good will of a cigar store and soda water and fruit stand, and gradually built up lucrative busi- ness. On January last, While quietly seated in his store, he was arrested with out explanation or informa ton or any charge against him, confined in jail on common prison fare until September 27 following, a period of seven weeks, and then discharged without any trial, charges, explanation or opportunity of defense, 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; that he has neither done nor spoken any thing directly or indirectly against the of Hawaii it's laws. that he has never expressed sentiments an tagoniStic to that government or Tn any way counselled, encouraged, aided or abetted it's enemies, either in armed re- bellion or secret plotting, and that he never possessed any information, which, under existing laws, it was his duty to report to your government. These state ments, in the belief of the agent of the United States, are prima facle claim for substantial indemnity from the Hawaiian government to MT. Dureel 1 am instructed therefore to bring thlS case to the attention of the Hawaiian authorities, leaving no doubt Tn ther minds of the confidence felt at Wash ington that the government of Hawai- will not refuse to tender adequate repar- ation to this injured citizen of the United States nor hesitate to take prompt meas- ures to exonorate him from the imputa- ton which this arbitrary treatment has left upon his good name"
 With sentiments of high esteem, etc., I am your obedient servant,
 ALBERT S. WILLIS,
 Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Pie nipotentiary, United States of America. TO MT. Willis letter was appended CODY of Mr. Dureels affidavit, sworn to before United States Consul Ellis Mills on the 7th of April last. In addition to the allegation set forth by MT. Wills, MT. Dureel claims damages for $2o,OoO on account of injury done to his busl- ness, his feelings and his reputation. MT. Hatch read the letter of MT. Willis in the senate on the 26th In answer to question on the subject he stated that the government would investigate the matter and send reply to the communication. Marshal Hitchcock has been piling the evidence on record in his office against Dureel, but declined to state the nature of it. He stated, however, that his re- port would show the evidence against Dureel was abundant and fully satisfac- tory to the American people that he was properly arrested and confined. He said Dureel was three-fourths American In dian and one-fourth negro, having kinky hair. The marshall added that the aff1- dayits contained false statements about the diet and treatment in the prison as we'll as being untrue about the complain ants innocence of reasonable language. It is otherwise learned that from the time of his arrival here Dureel, like majority of colored men, became sym pathiZer with the royalists, and latterly fell under suspicion as being engaged Tn the conspiracy which eliminated in the nsurrection of January. When martial law was proclaimed and all persons strongly suspected of active compllcity were arrested Dureel was one of the first the evidence against him being es- pecially strong. As rule, only leading conspirators were brought to trial before the military commission besides those captured in actual war. Of the persons arrested and confined on good evldence of complcity the large majority were re- leased without trial, as the government desired to avoid severity, and the labor and expense attending carefully con ducted trials was very g"eat. Dureel De- ing an obscure person was thus released without trial
 small shed few feet square on the cor ner of the Queen Emma premises, rent ing for SIP per month. The business is soda. milk shakes, cigars and fruit that may have resulted in gross receipts of $5 to $7 per day. It belongs to tne grade of the proverbial peanut stand.
 The Hawaiian Star observes: When not engaged in a lucrative business MT. Dureel worked as cook, and we are re- liably informed was a rather indifferent mechanic couple of hundred dollars would in all likelihood patch up his men tai anguish, and that sum would cer- tainly put him on "easy street. The s25. 900 then must be for the alleged out rage on an American citizen. No tribu- nal would enter so low charge for pull ing tail feathers, from the American eagle"
 The government is viewing this action of MT Willis with serious apprehension They fear that it indicates hostility to- wards them on the part Of the American administration and that it is designed to discourage and lead the way to series of similar demands from Great Britain and perhaps other powers, which would be distressing and perhaps ruinous to this government to comply. It is felt by them to be a singular thing that the American minister should after nearly four months of silence suddenly present such de- mand, which thus comes in the nature of surprise.
 It also raises the question why, on re- ceiving such a claim last April from a person of such presumably questionable