The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-06-27
RENTO1's MuRDERERs.
Three Of Them Finally Arrested by
the Honduras Government


WASHINGTON. June 26.-As the result OF
much vigorous urging and pressing by the
State Department. the government OF Hon.
duras has been brought at last 10 take steps
TO punish the people who committed the
Renton murder and to-day cablegram
was received from Mr.. Pringle. the United
States charge at Guatemala city. stating
that he had received a telegram from the
Honduras Minister OF Foreign Affairs an
nouncing that three of the persons implicat-
ed in Renton's murder had been arrested.
This has been managed from the be-
ginning by Assistant Secretary Uhl, and il
is expected that the firm stand OF the State
Department in this matter will have good
effect on the status of American citizens i'm
all the small republics of Central America.
The treaty between the United States and
Honduras contains a provision guaranteeing
in the strongest terms fun rights to protec-
ton for citizens OF one country sojOurning
in the other. but heretofore in all OF these
Central American countries the governments
have been made few efforts 10 give effect
to such treaty Stipulatlons where our citi-
Zens were concerned. One peculiar feature
OF the Renton case is that OF all the parties
10 the murder and assault and ncendarism
were foreigners, and not native Hondurans.
Because OF their prominent positions and
influence with the lesser native officials IL
has been difficult to induce the government
TO move against them. Six persons were
concerned in the murder, but IL is believed
that. a result OF the vigorous prosecution
Of the case BY our government. three OF
them have fed the country and escaped pun
Charles w Renton, with his wife and
niece. lived on fine estate near Browers
Lagoon. Honduras. IL was valuable prop
erty, largely due 10 Rent0ns enterprise.
Near his place was a large plantation he'd
by number of foreigners who coveted Rem
toms lands. They sought 10 drive him OF
by systematic persecution for a long time.
and. this proving Of no avail. resort was
had at last TO violence and fire March is
of last year Renton, who had vainly sought
was murdered I'm cold blood. his wife. who
tried 10 assis~ him i'm his defense. was
shot through the wrist the buildings and
crops were destroyed. and her child aud
niece were driven into the Jungle. Sne
made her way with infinite difficulty. an
after great hardship. to the coast and man.
Washing ton, she laid her case personally
before the State Department about the
States Minister Pierce VI. b. Young ON
March 10 that the naval Investigation had
fully established Rent0ns murder and di-
rected him TO urge the Honduras govern
ment 10 prompt action, that the guilty
parties should not escape punishment. and
the Minister responded that he had made
that the Honduras authorities had promised
TO take prompt action I'm the ease. but ap-
out their promise, for on the 24th of May,
nearly a month later. Mr.. Uhl found IL
fbst fhc President Was sappointed shat
Honduras had not acted promptly. and di-
rectng the Minister 10 again press them and
report progress. This seems TO have at last
moved the government. for the 2sth OF
May Minister Young cabled that as a rr-
suit of his urgency the Honduran govern-
ment had assured him that IL was prose-
cutting the case with the utmost vigilance.
and hoped to soon report satisfactorily.
from to-day's cable announcing the arrest
OF three OF the murdererS.