The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-11
BUSTAMENTE TO LIVE
Salvador Won't Kill the Poor
Old Monkey of the Hole.
CAN'T BECOME INTERNATIONAL.
According to Blaine His Arrest Was
an Outrage-Accordingt TO Gresh-
am, Entirely Justifiable.

Washington City. Sept. 10--Alihough no
Official report OF the forcible seizure on
board an American steamer OF Florencio
Bustamente by Salyadorean officials at
La LlbertaG has reached Washington
City. IL IS believed here from the pre-
sentation OF the facts made 10 the de-
partment that the seizure was lawfully
made, and that the United States cannot
make an International issue in this case.
For some time after the tragic killing Of
Gen. Barrund!a the policy OF the govern
ment was understood 10 be that passen-
ger on a United States merchant
vessel under such circumstances could
not be forcihly removed from the
ship but later on there was a
decided qualification of this doctrine.
and the position of the state depart
ment was precisely stated by Secretary
Gresham In a letter 10 the president OF
the Pacific Mall Steamship Company dat
ed December 80, 1893, in connection with
his complaint against the action of the
Honduras government in firing upon one
or that company's vessels for refusing
TO deliver UP a passenger. The secretary
wrote in part as follows: AS compre-
henstve principle il is established in inter-
national law that a merchant vessel in
foreign port is within the local jurisdic-
ton OF the country with respect 10 Of
lenses OF Offenders against the law there
Of and that an orderly demand for the
surrender OF person accused of crime
by due process Of law, with the exhibit
ton OF warrant of arrest in the hands
OF the regularly accredited officers OF the
law. may not be disregarded nor resisted
by the master of the ship"
San Francisco. Sept. l0.--In regard to
the surrender Of Florencio Bustamente.
one of Antonio Ezeta's lieutenants, whom
the United States courts refused 10 give
up to President Gutierrez, OF San Saliva
dor, by the steamer City OF Sydney 10
the Salvadorean authorities at La L!ber-
tad. Alexander Center local agent of the
Pacific Mail Steamship Company, in an in
terview today upheld the conduct of Capt.
Johnson. Center said that Johnson did
not surrender Bustamente until forced to
do so by the authorities at La Libertad.
He considered it a question of interna-
tional Law. TO be solved by the authorities
at Washington City. United States Dis
trict Attorney Foote said that while the
steamship company could not be held re-
sponsble for the captive's surrender. no
foreign power had any right TO go upon
a vessel flying the American flag and take
away any person for a political offense
without that persons consent. When a
person is on sh.pboard under the Ameri-
can flag. theoretically he is on American
soil Foote continued: 1.-THE proper
course is through diplomacy. II would be
the business of the American minister at
San Salvador to stay any execution OF
the prisoner until the United States gov
eminent could investigate the matter and
see whether any treaty obligations had
been violated. II was for refusing to IN
terfere in the Burrundia case that Lam
sing r. Miner was removed from the Of
fee of minister. Barrundia was taken
from an American ship and shot, and Min
lister Miner did not interfere to protect
him.
Gen Antonio Ezeta is little concerned
about the fate of Bustamente. He does
not think he VIII be sharply treated. be-
cause OF his former friendship with Gut
terrez. but even if "the monkey" as the
captured exile was known. is put away
in his hole in the ground forever, Ezeta
does not think It Will matter much after
all. "Bustamente," said Ezeta. is a half
witted man, about 60 years of age, who
was called the monkey in the hole in
Safvad dor, because no one considered him
OF very much account He was not a
high officer In the army. but just a COM
mon soldier attached TO the comm.ssary
department in the division of Gen. Bo-
lanes whom he followed 70 the Benning-
ton when we took refuge on board that
vessel. I do not think Gutierrez will exc
cute him, because no one will think him
OF sufficient importance to hang. He Will
probably be imprisoned for some time.
and then released. The people of Saliva
dor know him TO be a harmless old fell
low. and I do not think they would like
to see injury befan him