The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-11
OUR TROUBLE WITH SIAM
sEz1IE ED AFTER A UNITED STATES
GUHBOAT WENT TO BANGKOK,

viee-Consul-C cuernl Bkeilett was Assaulted By
siannese aoidterp-siatn Declined TO Let Us
share In the Observation-Disclosures CHANGED
Fer Mind when tho NIachias Arrived.
The unpleasantness between tho United States
and Siam, due to the brutal assault by Siamose
soldier. upon Mr.. L. V. Kellett. our Con-
sul-General. in November, 1896, has Mt last
been happily adjusted. The Siameso Govern
ment has agreed to apologize for the outrage
and to punish the chief actors in the assault.
This result was FASTENED by the visit to Bang
kok OF q United States %gunboat. which had in
its grim way an excellent moral effect upon the
Siamese, who at last have rendered the JUS
tico they seemed disposed to withhold. The
details are given in tho Siam Free Press.
Mr.. Kellctt was sent in November, 1896, by
Minister Barrett, our chief representative in
Siam, to tho city Of Chiongmai to attend to
some business for our Government. On the
evening Of his arrival. no sent his clerk, Mai
Sye, an educated native, TO the Post Office. Tho
young man carried in his hand a light cane
with an engraved silver head. 10 he was re-
tdrning to the hotel no was arrested by SOL
diers and taken to the police station on the
accusation. that he was carrying "a dangerous
stick at night" thus violating an ordinance.
Mr.. Kellett soon heard Of his arrest. went to
his relief, and after some argumen the clerk
was permitted to depart with his employer.
They had gone from the station only. about
200 feet when they were suddenly surrounded
by fifteen or twenty soldiers, some of whom
struck Mr.. Kellett with the butts of their
rifles. while the others stood about with bay.
onets fixed and guns loaded. The Vice. Con-
sui spranB to the side. of q building and defend.
cd himself as well as he could with his cane. 1t
looked like bloodshed for a moment, but for;
tunately two white missionaries who happened
along were able to calm the soldiers e1n to some
| hia reeiafaucp fha RDldiera marChpd the clerk
back to the police station. and Kellett. sadly
battered and bruised, was permitted to return
When the ncws reached Bangkok Minister
Barrett complained Of the assault to the Siam.
blamed, Mr.. Kellett for taking his clerk from
the, police station before no was duly author
tTiS M rU would u INVESTIGATE the matter t i It hap.
pens, however, that the United states has ex-
tra-territorial Jurisdiction in Siam, just as our
Government and others have in Japan, China,
Of their citizens who are established in the ORR
tige was at stake, not only in Siam but through
out Asia. and he. firmly insisted upon having
sion The siamese Government fatty re-
fused to accede to this. request. wherenpon the
United States Government ordered the gun
where she remained for six weeks at anchor in
front of the city to support Minister Barrett's
Her presence there made it easier for the Siam.
csc Government to see tho Justice of our Min.
lSter 3 ueInanu anu uNally u ulAeu COnhnlSoion
was appointed under the name of a Board Of
Arbitration and all the facts were laid before
this body.
Tho commission has not held Mr.. Kellett
blnmeless. 1t has found that he acted with pro-
cipitancy in taking his clerk from the police
station before he had been formally authorized
to do so; The commission, however, has not
mitigated on this account the punishment OF
the officers who ordered their soldiers to COM
NIT the brutal assault upon Mr.. Kellet in the
street. Two officers have been ordered TO be
reprimanded in the presence OF an official of the
United States legation in Bangkok and a SIAM
csc official of equal rank. They are also re-
duced in rank and may not be promoted again
for a certain time. They also lose their pay for
several months from the date of the reprimand.
Several OF the soldiers are also to BIO punished
in a lesser degree. and His Siamese Majesty's
Government shall express its official regrets to
the United States Government through the
latter's representative in Bangkok that soldiers
of his siamese Majesty's army committed an
assault upon the person Of u consular official
Of the United States and shall duly take steps
to prevent the repetition Of such an incident"
The result is a complete victory for Minister
Barrett: who has scored a diplomatic success,
protected American interests. and increased
our prestige. He has done more, for he has
the East, while at the same time preserving the
tween the United States and Siam.