The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-04
Secretary Gresham Submits
Statement.
WHICH is SENT TO THE SENATE
An Attempt to Punish the Murderer
of One Citizen Was Prevented
by Flight.


adopted by the Senate on the 4th ult. re-
Questng the President, If not incomp patti
bic with public interest. to send to the
Senate any reports or correspondence re-
lating to affairs at Bluefelds, in the
Mosquito Territory, and also 10 inform
the Senate whether any American citizens
have been arrested or the rights OF any
American citizens at Blue fields have been
interIered with during the past two years
by the Government of Nicaragua has the
honor to submit the correspondence called
for that the same may be transmitted to
the Senate, should the President deem it
compatible with the public interest to
do so.
Although the resolution covers the
affairs at Bluefeds during the past two
years, the events to which ii relates oc-
Cured within the last twelve months. In
December. 1S93 war broke out between
Nicaragua and Honduras. In January a
de tachment of Honduran troops seized
Cape Gracias a Dios in Nicaragua, about
six miles sboVe the Mosquito strip. The
Kearsarge was ordered to Bluefields to
protect the interests of American citizens.
but was wrecked on the way on Roncador
Reef. Early in February the Government
of Nicaragua sent military force to the
strip to repel the threatened invasion. On
February IL the Nicaraguans occupied the
Bluffs and on the 18th they look posses
sion vf BIuefelds and proclaimed martial
law in the reservation. Against this
action Clarence, the so-called Mosquito
Chief, protested.
"War vessels of Great Britain and later
Of the United States were sent to Blue
fields to protect the respective foreign in-
terests in that locality. The Nicaraguan
Commissioner to the reservation attempt
ed, with the concurrenee of the. British
naval and consular representatives, to Or
ganize provision al administration for the
strip In. which Niearaguans and foreigners
were 10 take part, but the endeayor proved
abostlve, This Government withheld its
sanction of the scheme as inimical To the
sovereignty of Nicaragua and American
interests at Buefelds, and refrained from
participating in the proposed admiuistra-
ton. British marines were temporarily
landed to proe ect life and property in view
OF the threatened disturbances. but they
were Withdrawn when the necessity for
their presence no l0nger existed, and there
after an American vessel sufficed for all
needs for foreign protection. In July last
movement against the Nicaraguan au-
tEorty was temporarily successful. the So
called Indian Government was for time
restored, the Bluff captured with loss of
life on the part of Nicaragua, and the
Nicaraguan garrison of BlUefelds ex-
PEELED.
"a few citizens of the United States
Iii
this insurrection left the country. Two
Americans, hampton ana Wiltbank, ac-
cepted municipal Offices under the short
lived regime, and they and ten or twelve
Others, mostly English and Jamaicans.
were arbitrarily arrested and banshed.
The urgent emonstrance of this Govern
ment and its demand that the two Ameri-
cans be allowed a hearing, and in any
event an opportunity to arrange their
affairs before expulsion, resulted in per-
mission being given them to return to
Bluefields under pledge of good behavior.
With these exceptions, and perhaps that
of one AusbuTD, whose return was for a
short time refused, but afterward allowed,
the undersigned is not advised that Amer-
can citizens in Bluefelds have been ar
rested. Sundry complaints growing out
of Interpretation of trade and use of
American vessels by the Nicaraguan
authorities have had proper attention and
will doubles yield TO the usual methods
of treatment.
"During the period covered by the
events in question the Nicaraguan Gov
ernment. Withdrew the exequatur Of Mr..
Braida, the United States Consul at San
he
alleged unfriendly acts, but it was. .subse-
quentIy restored and unfortunately threat
ened for time to strain the good relations
between this Government and that of
Nicaragua. One Wilson, an American
citizen, having been murdered at Rama by
Arguella, the temporary Governor of the
town, demand for the trial and punish
ment of the Grimm al and his acc0mplice
was made. Arguella was arrested at
Rama, but escaped with the evident con-
nivance of the local authorities, and his
rearrest and detention at Bluefelds were
followed by a second escape. under cir
cumstances indicating gross negligence. to
say the least. on the part OF those respon-
sible for his safe custody. He is said to
have fed the country, thus battling the
efforts of the proper authorities to. do JUS
tice in the case. The Nicaraguan Govern
ment, however. testified its abhorrence of
the atroc;ous crime by dismissing Torres
from the office of Governor of Rama and
by sending commissioner to the reserya-
ton In place Of Lscayo. who was in COM
mand at B,uefelds at the time Of the
second escape.
''The facts above stated and incidental
references to the treatment of the ques-
tion of the interoceanic canal by the
Government OF Nicaragua appear in the
correspondence. 1t will be observed that
from the beginning of the conflicts, which
at times were serious, this Government has
steadily recognized the paramount sover-
eighty of Nicaragua over the entire
reservation, yielding to DO pretenslons
inconsistent with that sovereignty.
''At no time during the last forty or
fifty years has the so-called native
Indian government in the strip been