The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-12-02
WILLIAMS RESIGNATION
Why Consul General Lees Prede-
osssor Left Havana.
THE SPANISH WERE OFFENSIVE
They Made His Stay Unpleasant, and He
Would Have Left Earlier but for Presi-
dent Clevsland's Urgent solioitation-He
Tells of spanish Disregard Of Treaties.

Tells of spanish Disregard Of Treaties.
NEW YORK, Dec. 2.-Ramon O. Will
iams ex-consul general of the United
States at Havana, arrived at his home In
Brooklyn yesterday from a trip through
England, France and Spain. He consented
to talk for the first time concerning the
circumstances of his resignation from
Office last year, which was surrounded by
some mystery, and the reasons for which
have not before been made public. There
was talk at the time that Mr.. Williams
and Secretary of State Gresham differed
regarding the policy Of this government
toward American citizens, but General
Williams declined to discuss that point.
He said that his resignation was given
because his activity In the case of Ameri-
can citizens under arrest made him per-
soma non grata to the Spanish government,
and made his residence in Havana I'M
pleasant. The particular episode in which
Mr. Williams incurred the dislike Of Spain,
he says, was his insistence that Sanguilly,
Aguirre and GARLIC, who were arrested
Feb. a. 1895, as insurgents, and court
courts under article Of the treaty of 1895.
Mr.. Williams said:
Both the captain general and the in
sular secretary of state were entirely ig-
norant of the existence of article Z The
captain general became offended because
demanded the transfer from military to
civil jurisdiction, and the case was re-
ported in such a manner to the Madrid
government as to almost provoke the re-
vocation of my exequator
II was guided in this by a recollection
Of similar cases which had come under my
notice in Cuba was young man en-
ployed MS clerk in Havana in 1851, when
the Crittenden men were shot, regardless
Of the treaty of 1895 l was merchant in
Havana when the Virginius men were
shot In 1878, an almost similar case.
again, while was there, Zeccanea, an
American citizen, who had gone, repre-
sentng certain Spanish elements to me-
gotiate terms of peace with the insurgents
in the eastern department during the last
insurrection in 1873, was arrested by the
Spanish forces, tried by court martial,
condemned to death and shot in the fort
at Cabanas, where Sanguilly and the Com
petitor prisoners are now held, regardless
of the safeguards of the treaty Of 1905 and
the safe conduct given to him by tho
Spanish minister at Washington. Tho
recollection Of these cases animated me to
make quick and earnest defense of these
men, and it was this action on my part
that gave otfense to the Spanish authors
ties at Cuba.
II was then in Washington. Acting on
the rule that no man of self respect would
want to return or to enter any place
where he believes he is not welcome, re-
solved not to continue longer in the posi-
ton Of consul general, and signitled my
desire to resign. The circumstances how
ever, were of such character that went
back to Havana, resumed charge of the
office and continued the defense of San
gully until the case was transferred to the |
civil courts.
"a few weeks before this the case of an
American citizen, Jose repro, who had
been arrested and subjected to court |
martial, and several other American citi- |
zens had been treated the same way, and |
in consequence was not able to present |
my resignation in due form until Febru-
ary 1886"
Mr.. Williams said that he returned to |
Havana only on the urgent solicitation of
President Cleveland himself, and added
that Secretary Greshams subsequent ill
ness and death occurred too soon to admit
Of his personally explaining to the secre-
tary his views on the matter.