Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-02
WAS TOO ACTIVE FOR SPAIN
Ramon 0. Williams Gives the Reasons for
His Resignation.
INSISTED ON TRIALS BY Clvl COURTS
EN-ConsuI General to Cuba Allows
Himself TO lie interviewed for the
First Time Conccrning Ills
Removal from Oncc.

NEW YORK. Dec. Ramon o. Williams,
ex. consul general OF the United States at
Havana arrived at his home in Brooklyn
today, from a trip through England, France
and Spain. He consented to talk for the hrSt
time concerning the circumstances of his
resignation from office last year, which was
surrounded by some mystery, and the roa-
sons for when 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 gov
ernment toward American citizens, but Gen
cral Williams declined to discuss that point.
He said that his resignation was because his
activity in the cases of American citizers un-
der arrest made him persona non grata to
the Spanish government, and made his resi-
dence in Havana unpleasant The particular
episode in which Mr. williams incurred the
dislike of Spain, he says, was his inststence
that Sanguily, Aguirre and GARLIC, VINO
were arrested February "a, 1875, as insur-
gents and court-martialed, should be tried
in the civil courts, under Article VII OF the
treaty of 1895 Mr.. Williams said:
Both the captain general and the insular
secretary of state were entirely Ignorant Of
the existence OF Article vii. The captain gen,
eral became offended because | demanded
the transfer from military to civil jurisdic-
ton. and the case was reported in such a
manner to the Madrid government as TO
almost provoke the revocation OF my eXequa-
tur. / was guided in this by recollection
of similar cases which had come under my
notice in Cuba. | was young man, en-
ployed as clerk in Havana. in 1851, when the
Crittendens men were shot regardless OF the
treaty of 1895. | was a merchant In Havana
when the Virginus men were snot IN 1893,
an almost similar case. Again, whiie | was
there Zeccanea an Italian-American citizen,
Ntbp ,a1
elements to negotiate terms OF peace with
the insurgents in the eastern department
during the last insurrection in 1878, and
who was arrested by the Spanish FORCES,
tried by court-martial. condemned to death
and shot in the fort of Cabanas. where
Sanguily and the Competitor prisoners are
now held regardless of the safeguards OF
the treaty of 1895, and the safe conduct
given him by the Spanish minister at WASH
ington. The recollection of these cases en-
abled me to make quick and earnest defenses
OF those men, and 1t was this action on my
part that gave offense to the Spanish author
tiles in Cuba.
81 was then In Washington. Acting on
the rule that no man of self-respect would
want to return or enter any place where he
believes he is persona non grata, and there
fore, not welcome, | resolved not to continue
longer in the position of consul general to
the island. and signified my desire to resign
The circumstances however, were of such a
character that | went back to Havana, re-
sumed office and continued the. defense OF
Sanguilly until the case was transferred to
the civil courts. few weeks before the
case OF the American Citizen Jose Cepro, who
had been arrested and subjected to court
martial, and several American citizens had
been treated the same way, and, in conse-
quenCe, | was not able to present my reslgna-
tion in due form until February, 1896"
Mr.. Williams said that he returned to
Havana only on the earnest solicitation Of
President Cleveland himself and added that
Secretary Gresham's subsequent illness and
death occurred too soon to admit of his
personally explaining to the secretary his
views on the matter.