The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-06-11

r General Lee Aione-Oficial- Annoyed at
Publication of the Latter-Hovv the Press
Secured 1t a Mystery-Mr. Calhoun in
Consultation With the President
Washington, June 9.-Mr. Calhoun,
The presidents special commissioner to
Cuba, had another conference with
president Mckinley this morning.
Owing to the fact that Mr.. Mckinley
was to leave at noon on the trip to
Nashville, Mr.. Calhoun went to the
White house at $50 O'Clock by appoint
ment. He was accompanied by his sec
rotary, Mr.. Fishback. They remained
with the president about three quarters
of an hour. Neither Secretary Sher-
mar nor Assistant Secretary Day was
present at today's conference.
Mr.. Calhoun next paid a visit to the
state department with Mr.. Fishback
and was in consultation with Assistant
Secretary Day for about an hour and
a half, during which time the assist
ant secretary denied himself to all call
ers. The Lee report upon the Ruiz
case, which has attracted so much at
j%tention, was brought to the department
by Mr.. Fishback, and delivered to
Judge Day, who saw the original. TWEEN
Hy-lOur hours aIlcT IL Ldu Dc"Il drought
to his attention in the press.
The report was thoroughly discuss
ed by the three officials. All that could
De gathered from them as to the flu
hure action Of the department in the
matter, was that it would be held in
allegiance until the return of President
Mckinley from his Nashville trip.
1t was learned this afternoon that
the department Of state is in posses
sion of two distinct reports bearing
upon the Ruiz case. They were brought
to Washington by Mr.. F'ishback and
handed to Assistant Secretary Day.
One Of these reports was made by
Consul General Lee and has been fully
set out in the The other
report, really the original, was a joint
production, signed by Consul General
Lee and by DR.. COngOstO, the Spanish
consul at Philadelphia, who, with
General Lee, constituted a special COM
mission to investigate the conditions
surrounding the death Of DR.. Ruiz. In
this report the two commissioners
went as far as they could together,
which necessarily confined them to a
mere statement of the facts that are
not subject to controversy. Failing to
agree upon a statement of the causes
which led to Ruiz's death, the commits
siOners signed the document at this
point and then by mutual agreement
made what may be described as sup
elemental reports to their own govern
ments, in which they set out state
ments that they could not agree to in
clude in the original report.
The published report of General Lee
was one of these supplemental reports
and it is probable that the Spanish
government has one intended to con-
trovert it, made by DR.. Congosto. With
all of this literature on the subject in
possession Of the two governments, the
possibilities of prolonged negotiations
are promising.
After his conference with Assistant
Secretary Day, Mr.. Calhoun decided to
delay his departure from Washington
- and instead of starting for his home
in Danville this afternoon, he will not
GO until tomorrow. This will afford
time for further discussion between
the assistant secretary and the special
counsel concerning Cuban affairs.
The publication of the Lee report in
advance of its reception at the state
department has given much annoy
ance to the officials and probably will
be made the subject of a quiet inquiry,
inasmuch as it is believed that the pO-
sition of our government in the nego-
tiatiOnS that are sure to follow with
Spain is weakened by thus putting it's
case in possession of the other side.
1t is recalled in this connection that
the Ruiz case does not stand alone at
the state department, for, although the
conditions III that were more aggra-
waited, the department has had to COM
plain and seek reparation in OthercaSeS
Involving the confinement of American
citizens, in violation of treaty rights.
This was true in the case of Scott and
of TOEon, and, although the claims for
illegal imprisonment were preferred,
they We're ~pigeon-holed and never
heard of again. In the case of Delgado
THE government, by the payment of
SIS, 600, satisfied the individual for the
assault upon his person, but there was
no record of any apology for the Incl
dent. 1t is evidently the intention of
the department, however, not to allow
this last case to go the way OF It's pred
ecessors, but to press it to a conclu-
sion without it's being permitted to
drop out of sight.
New York, June 9.-George w. Fish
back, secretary of the commission ap-
pointed to investigate the death of DR..
Ruiz in Cuba, arrived here tonight
from Washington. In an interview
with a representative of the Associated
Press regarding the work of the COM
mission and reports, Mr.. Fishback
aid
Genera Lees personal report needs
no m I would like to say. how
ever, that 1 have absolutely nothing
ITO do with it's premature publication.
The statement that the report vas
given to my personal charge, although
true, might lead to some misapprehen-
sion as to my connection with this mat
ter. The fact is that General Lee read
his report to Mr.. Calhoun and myself
on June End in Havana, and then seal
ed it up with the consulate seal. That
seal was broken for the first time to-
day by Judge Day. I had no copy of
the report therefore, it would have
been impossible for me to furnish what
was, with the exception of a few trifling
details, an exact transcription. Mr..
Calhoun's report practically embodies
the same conclusions as those in Cen
eral Lees report. 1t could not do 9TH
erwise after an impartial review of the
case. Mr.. Calhoun'S conversation with
President Mckinley today was confin-
ed almost entirely to verbal e~xplana-
tions of the Ruiz matter. Mr.. Calhoun
will return to Washington next week