The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-06-10
Special Commissioner Calhoun Delivers It
to the State Department
CONFERENCE WITH THE PRESIDENT
Official Report Presented Twenty.
Four Hours After the Newsnnncrs
got Hold of IT = How They Got
"fn3 oft the Pnzzling Question
The Ruiz Cnse.
Washington. D. c., June Q. 1897.

y,
Mr- calhoun. the Presidents special
commissioner to Cuba, had another CON
ference 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 $3.50 by appointment.
re was accompanied by his secretary.
MI. flshOack. They remained with the
: HleSideht three quarters Of an hour
Neither Secretary Sehrman nor Assist
ant Secretary Day was present ut to-
days conference.
Mr. calhoun next paid u visit to the
state Department with Mr. Fishbac5,
and was in consultation with Assistant
Secretary Day for about an hour and a
nail which time the Assistant Secretary
Denied himself to all callers.
ne Lee report upon the Ruiz case,
Whlch mas attacted so much attention,
MAS MAS brought TO- the department by Mr..
tishback and delivered to Judge DAY.
VINO saw the original twenty -four hours
after it had been brought to his atten-
lion In the press.
Ihe renort was thoroughly discussed
by the three officials All That tn,l1
be gathered from them as to tn. future
action of the department III the matter
was that 1t would be held il: allegiance
until the return of President Mckinley
from his Nashville trip.
- "do iesiiuet lHlS tGfnOOn IHlt the
department of state is in possession OF
Two distinct reports bearing upon the
ltulz case. They were brought to Wash.
lnEton by Mr.. Fishback, the secretary.
to MIR. Calhoun, and handed to Assist
ant Secretary Day. One Of these reports
was made by Consul General Lee and
has been fully set out in the newspapers
Ihe other report really the original
was joint production, slgnei by Con.
SUI General Lee and by DR.. ConSosto,
the Spanish Consul at Philadelphia, who,
with General Lee, constituted q Special
commission 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 Il mere
statement of the facts that are not sub
leoted to controversy. Failing to agree
upon q statement Of the causes which
led 10 Ru!z's death, the commissioners
signed the document at this point, ana
then. by mutual agreement. made what
may be described as supplemental re-
ports TO their own Governments, in
which they set out statements 5hat they
could not agree to include in the original
report.
The published report OF General Lee
was one of these supplemental reports.
and it is probable that the Spanish Gov
ernment has one intended to controvert
It, made by DR.. Congosto. With all Of
TINS literature on the subject In posses
sion of the two Governments the pos
sibil!ties 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 20
until tomorrow.
This will afford time for further dis.
cussion between the Assistant Secretary
and the special counsel concerning Cuban
affairs. The publication of tho re-
port in advance Of It's reception a the
State Department has given much an
noyance TO the officials, and probably
will be made the subject Of quiet in
quiry, inasmuch as it is believed that
the position Of our Government in the
negotiations that are sure TO follow with
Spain Is weakened by thus putting its
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 in that were more aggravat-
ed. the department has had to complain
and seek rcparation in other cases In
FolTlnG the confinement Of American
citizens in violation of treaty rights
This was true in the case Of Scott and
OF 1'olon and. although the claims for
Illegal imprisonment were preferred,
they were pigeon-holed and never heard
Of again. In the case Of the Dclgados.
payment OF $4,000, which satisfied the
individual for the assault upon his per-
son. but there was no record Of any
apology for the incident. 1t Is evidently
the intention of the department, how
ever. not TO allow this last case to go
the way of It's predecessors, but to press
1t TO q conclusion without it's being per-
mitted to drop out Of sight.
MIR. FISIIBACK INTERVIEWER.
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 to night from
Washington. In an interview with a
representative the Of Associated Press
regarding the work Of the commission
and reports. Mr. FishDack said: Gene
raj Lees personal report needs no COM
mcnt. ] would like to say, however, that
had absolutely nothing to do with It's
premature publication. The statement
that the report was given into my per-
sonal charge. although true, might lead
to some misapprehenslon as to my con-
ncction with this matter. The fact is
that General Lee read his report to Mr..
Calhoun and myself on June 2d in Ha-
vana and then scaled it UP with the
Consulate seal. That seal was broken
for the first time to-day by Judge Day.
had no copy OF the report. therefore it
would baCa bccn in,pnc sib1a for mo n