Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-09
NO ADvICES RECEIVED.

judgment will not be disclosed until it is
signed by Admiral Navarro.
NO ADvICES RECEIVED.
Nothing to he Had From Omcial
Sources Here.
No information is to be had from official
sources in Washington today respecting
the Competitors case In any aspect, either
as to the results of the courtmartial or
as to the course that this government will
follow in the future. Nevertheless, it is
generally understood that the courtma.tial
has found the prisoners, one and all. guilty,
and has imposed the death sentence upon
them.
This, however. does not necessarily mean
that there is 10 be speedy action in the
execution of the sentences. or even that
all nope for the convicted men must be
abandoned. Under the Spanish military
code, as in the case of our own military
law, all capital sentences are renewable
by superior authority.
In this case. arising as it does on the
water, there is some doubt who the re-
viewing authority may be. but doubt
whatever that the case must be reviewed
by some one, and therefore there is
possibility of the immediate execution of
the prisoners, even if the sentences are
finally affirmed. The impression in we'll
informed quarters is that the proceedings
either in the first instance or eventually
to the council of ministers at Madrid, and
while this may be done by the free use of
the cable several days will be required to
complete the action in the case even then.
Meanwhile the State Department Is in
close connection by cable with Consul Cen
eral Williams at Havana, and under his
instructions he will lose no opportunity to
aid the prisoners in all proper ways. Mr..
Williams has already been energetically
protesting and making representations in
the interest of the Americans captured and
has raised some points that, although dis
missed by the court-martial at Havana as
.napplicable, are likely to be made the sub
ject of immediate representations by the
State Department to the Madrid author:-
ties.
1t is said that the Secretary of State is
rot disposed to accept as jinai the construc-
ton given by the court-mar.ial of the cele-
brated Gushing protocol, upon which de-
pends the safety of SO many American citi-
zens in Cuba.
AS gathered from the newspaper reports of
yesterdays trial, the Spanish authorities,
IN answer 10 Mr.. Williams demand that
the Americans under arrest be granted the
privileges assured by that protocol, held
that the protocol did not include persons
captured under such conditions
these, but applies only to American citi-
ZenS resident in Cuba 1t is true that this
is the literal wording of the protocol, but
it is held that this construction is extreme
ly technical and narrow, and it is not likely
this government
Another Kind of Piracy.
The Competitor case is complicated by
wide variance between the Spanish law and
our own respecting the definition Of piracy
and this becomes of great moment when
1t Is realized that in the present case the
captives are accused, in addition to trea-
son, cf being pirates. Under cur law, or
under British law, such & charge would
not apply to their case, but it appears that
the Latin code recognizes what is called
municipal piracy" meaning offenscs COM
mitted against the laws of country from
a base within the waters over which
municipal jurisdiction extends This is the
gravamen of the charge against the Com
petitor's men.
Altogether the case promises to present
features of novelty making it extremely
difficult to deal with legally, and to perhaps
call forth some strong expressions of opn-
ion from both sides before ii is finally dis
posed of.
consulate at Havana will shortly be in
creased by the arrival of Mr.. Donnell
Rockwell, consular clerk formerly sta
toned in Europe, and now on temporary
duty in this city. His selection is said TO
be mainly due to his familiarity with the
Spanish language and methods He will
probably act as Interpreter for Gen. Lee in
all his official dealings with the Spanish
the Spanish language. He and Mr.. Rock
well will make the trip to Havana together
next week. 1t Is understood that Consul
General Williams will remain on duty until
personally relieved by his successor
No Interruption In Representation.
In the present serious state Of affairs at
Havana, involving important American in
terests, it is regarded as absolutely es-
sential that there should be no interruption
whatever in the representation Of the Uni
ted States government. Inasmuch as the
fate Of the alleged filibusters captured On
the American vessel Competitor Is now in
the balance, the preliminary management
Of the case, so far as the interests of Amer
lean citizens are concerned, will perforce
devOlve upon Consul General Williams and
he is under instructions to see that Ameri-
can citizens captured on the Competitor
are fully protected in all their legal rights
So far as the State Department is advised
to date there is but one person answering
that description in the entire party of cap
tives, and his identity has not been salts
factorily established.
Conflicting Rumors.
One report gives his name as Hamilton,
a southern newspaper man; another says
he is a citizen Of Kansas, named Milton.
and other reports give other and entirely
different names Either the State Depart
one American in the party is wrong or
the press dispatches. giving the names of
three or more entirely distinct persons are
not well founded. The presumption is
strongly in favor of the correctness of the
official advces, inasmuch as Consul General
Williams was strictly enjoined to ascer-
tain if there were ary citizens of this coun-
try among the captives, and if there were
such it is reasonable to conclude that
they would not hesitate to make known
that fact, with their lives hanging in the
balance.
Won't Know for a Year.
The State Department claims to be alive
to the situa ton, and to be doing all that
is possible to protect the lives and prop
erty of Americans in Cuba. There is a SIN
gular absence Of Information on this SUBJ
ject, however, and unless Congress calls
for the correspondence, it is not likely
that the public will know exactly what
steps have been taken by the government
for at least year, when the correspond
ence will be published in the Red Book de-
failing the foreign relations for 1905 and
1896. Advance copies of the correspondence
Of the State Department for the year 1894