The record-union., 1896-02-04

1dent sent TO Congress to-day d mes
sage and accompanying correspondence
relating to the killing of three Italian
laborers at Walsenburg, Col, in March
last. The message read as follows
I'm my annual message allusion was
made to the lawless killing of certain
Italian laborers in the State of Colo
rado, and it was added that the depend
ent families of some of the unfortunate
victims invite by their deplorable condi-
ton gracious provisions for their needs.
1t now appears that in addition to three
OF these laborers, who were riotously
killed, two others who escaped death
by flight incurred pitiable disabilities
through exposure and privation.
without discussing the question of
the liability of the United States for
these results, either by reason of treaty
obligations or under general rules of
international law, I venture to urge
upon Congress the propriety of making
from the public treasury a prompt and
reasonable pecuniary provision for
those injured and for the families of
those who were killed
ITO aid in the consideration of the
subject / append hereto the report of
the Secretary of State, accompanied by
certain correspondence, which quite full
ly presents all the features of the sew
eral cases.
A letter from Secretary Olney to the
President is inclosed with the mes
sage. 1t reads:
IT hand you herewith a copy Of cor
respondence on file in this department
relating to the case of Italians lynched
at Walsenburg, Col, in March, 1895."
The facts are without dispute, and no
comment or argument can add to the
force of their appeal to generous con-
sideration. Three persons We're killed
outright, while two others sustained
injuries of a character the most disab-
ling as we'll as painful. The only ques-
ton would seem to be as to the amount
of gratuity in each case, which must,
of course, be wholly in the discretion of
Congress, to whom it can hardly be
necessary to cite the statutes of many
States of the Union fixing the maxi
mum to be exacted in the case of death,
caused by negligence, at the sum of
5000.
The correspondence which accom-
panies this message consists of letters
exchanged between Baron Fava, the
Department of State and Governor Nc
Intire of Colorado. Baron Fava, on
March 13, 1895, the day following the
lynching, called it to the attention of
the State Department on the basis of
newspaper accounts. Immediate
action was taken by Acting Secretary
Uhl to ascertain the facts in the mat
ter, and this was so satisfactory to
Baron Fava that he repeatedly ex-
pressed his belief that the Federal Gov
ernment would not hesitate to do all
that could be done to bring the guilty
parties to justice. Under instructions
from Baron Fava, the Italian Consul at
Denver made an investigation of the
circumstances attending the lynching,
and also of the political status of the
victims.
Governor McIntire and the Italian
Consul agreed that of the three Ital-
ians lynched, one, Lorenzo Andinino,
was naturalized, and the other two,
Vittone Stanstao and Vincinzo Ron
Ghetto, had simply secured their first
papers of naturalization, and were not,
therefore, in full possession of United
States citizenship.
On October 18th Baron Fava, in a
note to Secretary Olney, suggests that
the amount which may be deemed suit
able to indemnify the families of the
victims he would leave ITO your high
and benevolent appreciation according
to the spirit of justice which prompts
all your actions.'
This suggestion was made by Secre-
tary Olney to Governor MeIntire, who
replied that no indemnity appropria-
tion had been made by the Colorado
Legislature, and suggested that if any
liability attached, it should be to the
county, and through suit brought by
the injured and dependent relatives.