Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1896-12-05
NC LIFE Is SACRED
CUBAN THEORY WHICH Caused II.
WILLIAMS TO RESIGN.
Ex-CoHsEsl General Saw Americans
Imprisoned and Denied the
Right of Trial.

New York, Dec. 1.-Ramon A. Williams.
e>-consul general of the United States
at Havana, arrived at his home in Brook
| iEn today from a trip through England.
France and Spain. He consented to talk
for the first time concerning the circum-
stances Of his resignation from office last
| year which was surrounded by such mys-
| terry and the surroundings of which have
not been made public.
There was talk at the time that Mr.
| Williams and Secretary of State Gresham
| differed regarding the policy of this gov
eTnment toward American citizens, but
| General Williams declined to discuss that
poin- He said that his resignation W Is
give because his activity in the eases of
A1i1e lean citizens under arrest made him
Ee1s na non Srata to the Spanish gov
efHfnent and made his residence in Ha-
Eana unpleasant The particular episo lie
in v 1lch Mr.. Williams incurred the dis
like OF Spain, he says was his insistence
that SanSuilly Aguirre and Garlic, who
We're arrested February 81 1895, as in
surSents and courtmartia1ed, should he
tried IN the civil courts under article
Of the treaty of 1875.
Mr. Williams said: Both the captain
general and the consular secretary of
state were entirely ignorant of the ,x-
istenGe of article l. The captain general
became Offended because | demanded the
TRANSFER from military to civil jurisdiction
ana she case was reported in such a man
ner to the Madrid government as to al
most provoke the revocation of nv ax-
eCuatur. l was guided in this by a recoI-
lection of similar cases which had come
under my notice in Cuba. l was a young
man employed as a clerk in Havana in
1851 when the Crittenden men We're shot
regardless Of the treaty of 1875. | was a
merchant in Havana when the NirginltIs
case.
Again. while [ was there Zeccanea an
IJaian-American citizen who had gone
representing certain Spanish elements 10
negotiate terms Of peace with the insllr-
gents in the eastern department. during
the last nsurrection in 1873, and who was
arrested by the Spanish forces tried by
court martial, condemned to death ana
sfot in Fort Cabanas, where Sanguilly
and ne Competitor prisoners are now
held regardless Of the safeguards of the
treaty of 1875 and the safe conduct given
to him by the Spanish minister at Wash |
ington.
The recollection of these cases en-
abled me to make quick and earnest tie
fehse Of those men and it was this action
on my part that gave offense to the Span
isn government.
Insisted or Resignins.
II was then in Washington. Acting on
tbe rule that no man of self-respect would |
Wan. 10 return 70 or enter any place
where he believes he is persona non
s1Gta and therefore not welcome | re-
solved not to continue longer i'll the pD-
sition OF consul general to the island and |
siSnified my desire to resign The cir |
ctmstances, however. were Of such d |
character that l went back to Havana, |
resumed charge of the office and con- |
tinued the defense of Sanguilly until the |
case was transferred to the civil courts. |
"A few weeks before this the first |
American citizen, Jose Cepro. who had |
been arrested and subjected to court-mar- |
titti and several other American citizens |
&C nsequence of which | was not able TO |
present my resignation 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 Greshams subsequent i'll |
ness and death occurred too soon to admit |
Of his personally explaining to the seq |
retary his view on the matter.