Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-05-16

says the Spanish vessels engaged were the
Alfonso XII. and the LIE Gazpi, cruiser
and gunboat which have been blockaded
in Havana harbor.
AN ULTIMATUM TO HAYTI.
American Minister Powell Sends .
Businesslike Note to the
Foreign Minister.
PORT AU PRINCE, HAYTI. May g.
One would say that ultimatums addressed
to the Haytian government tickle its sense.
of importance and are a luxury that It
dotes on. Minister Powell gave the for
eign office thirty-six hours in which to
signify its intention Of carrying out the
provisions Of the treaty Of 1864. With equal
emphasis he has just replied to a COM
munication Of NJ. Brutus st. Victor. the
foreign minister, on the subject Of fine
illegally levied on the Clyde steamer Nava-
hoe. formerly the Thuringia.
The charge against the Navahoe was Of
a purely technical character and was no
doubt simply concocted by the lower ON
GERS Of the customs for the sake Of
possible division Of the spoil. The Thur
ingia brought to the port Of Miragoane
| three barrels Of merchandise, the marks
Of which did not exactly correspond with
those on the manifest. The correct duty
was paid on them. however. Nevertheless.
on July Is, last. the customs chief at Mira
goane formulated complaint against the
vessel. 1t is alleged by the Clyde officer
that he had previously endeavored to OBJ
tain considerable gratuity from the COM
pany.
The technical irregularity in regard to
| three barrels Of merchandise was used by
him as a pretext for his corrupt demand.
Nothing was paid him, and the steamship
was nominally seized and . fine Of 800 I'm.
posed upon her owners. The company's
representative at Miragoans stood firm,
| and the company appealed to the American
state department through its travelling
agent, Mr.. Hutchtman. Mr.. Powell, at his
request, opened q correspondence with the
Haytian government on the subject, and
asked that It make thorough investiga-
ton Of the case before arriving at final
determination in regard to It. Mr.. Powell.
upon studying it himself. found that the
| agents explanation OF the difficulty was
entirely correct.
The charge made BY the oflcer Of the
customs was attempted smuggling. The
penalty which was levied was many times
| the value Of the goods. Mr.. Powell asked
| the Haytian government to furnish him
with copies Of the alleged faulty Invoices.
This It refused to do. He obtained them,
however. from the Clyde company. About
December q last the government threat
ened to take final possession Of the vessel
| unless the fine was paid.
The American minister informed the min
| lister of finance through tho foreign min
lister, that the vessel must not be seized.
She was at that time proceeding to this
port. The government yielded 30 far as to
modify its previous orders, telesraphing
Immediately to Cape Haytien that the Ma
| yaioe was not to be molested. The affair
was thus adjourned. as Mr.. Powell sup
posed, until he could receive the papers in
the case. They reached him only two weeks
ago and he submitted them, together with
his conclusions thereon to the minister Of
finance through the foreign once. A day or
| two ago he received reply stating that
the Haytian government regarded the whole
affair as having been closed early In jan
uary and that Il did not propose to reopen
| 1t and would not remit the fine; and that
| II this was not paid it would lay hands
on the vessel. In q letter to the foreign
minister, dated May Z 1888, In reply to the
communication, Mr. Powell pronounced the
1
technicality. the manifest and invoices were
regular He dwelt upon the failure Of the
government to furnish Information in the
case requested by him and the presentation
| Of friendly nation Immediately interested
| in It, and in conclusion he used this un-
mistakable language:
This fins, imposed by the customs au-
| thorities at Miragoane. Will not be paid
by Mr.. Clyde, and in the event Of any
vessel belonging. to the Clyde line being
seized and held for the payment Of this
sum, shall demand its instant release
| and shall claim sufficient damages from
the Haytian government TO cover the loss
| sustained by Messrs. Clyde d Co. or that
they may suffer by its detention. OF this
indemnity shall demand prompt payment.
With this. sir, desire you to understand
| that the incident Is closed, 50 far a. this
| legation Is concerned"
| To this ultamatum, decidedly brusque as
| 1t is in its terms. Mr.. Powell does not ex-
pect any answer. Nor does he expect that
the Clyde company or the American gov
ernment will ever again hear officially
| from the Haytian government about the
Nayahoe claim It will probably be allow
ed simply to drop into oblivion without
| further ado. But in the event Of any
physical attempt being made to enforce
the fine imposed at Miragoane Mr.. Powell
is firmly determined to send at once for
an American man-of-war and the object
lesson to which the Haytian government
| was subjected some years ago. when the
Philadelphia, with shotted guns, under Ad.
miral Walker, rescued the Haytian queen
from the harbor Of Port Au Prince, may be
repeated. The Haytians. however, after
their bitter experience with the Germans
are not likely to invite anything of the
| kind on the part Of the Americans whom
they hold now in yet moro wholesome re-
| spect.
Smart styles in rings of diamonds with
rubies, sapphires emeralds and pearls are
| to be seen At Jaccards 1904 Main street.
A 1856, 900 Fire at Muncie, Ind.
MUNCIE, ND May 15.-The warehouse
| of Ball Bros big fruit jar works was de-
Stroyed by fire about O'Clock this morning,
| The loss will amount to about $2S5 900. The
| insurance has recently run out on q num-
ber Of the policies, and the estimate given
out Is that only about $4,000 insurance will
be available to cover the loss.
II SLEEPY FEELING
affse hearty eating uss