Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-25
ENTRADITION TREATY EXPIRES.
Fortunately There Were Few Fugi-
tives From Justice to BE Affected.

The Mexican extradition treaty expired
| ut midnight last night, according to the no.
| tice given by the Mexican government
Fortunately for the good of society, the
| larse of the treaty finds remarkably
small number of fugitives from justice in
either country who might profit from that
fact. So far as known at the State Depart
ment, indeed, there is but one Mexican
fugitive now at large in the United States,
and that is Santiago Morphy, who is re-
ported to have made sensational escape
from the Mexican chief of police in New
Orleans just one day before the treaty ex-
PRED.
On the other side of TIE line there is one
American, James Temple, W no is technical
~ fugitive from justice, and against
Whcm extraction proceedings are now in
progress. Temple was 4 railroad man and
was arrested by the Mexican authorities at
Nosales, charged with killing a Mexican on
the American side of the border. A most
interesting international question was rails
ed by this arrest, and although our govern
me1t made demand for Temples release
without deciding the point involved, the
shorter course adopted of seeking to
secure Temple through eXtradition proceed
ings.
1t happens that the Mexican government.
always disposed, as it has been of recent
Years to the exercise OF comfy toward the
United States has concluded to adopt the
view that fugitives from American Justice
may be surrendered to the United States
notwithstanding the lapse of the treaty,
providing the proceedings were begun be-
fore the treaty expired, that no difficulty
is expected to be encountered in the case
of Temple.
me hiatus following the lapse of LIS ex-
tradition treaty is deplored by both narties
and on each side an earnest disposition is
being shown to replace the old treaty with
a new one at the earliest possible moment
1t was the intention of the Mexican gov
eminent that the late Senior Romero should
nave concluded such convention, but the
task has now fallen upon the shoulders of
United States Minister Clayton at the Citv
OF Mexico, and the Mexican foreign minis
ter, Senior MariScal. 1t is believed that fair
progress is being made, though it is real
lied that II is no easy task to reconcile the
radical difference of opinion between the
Mexican government and our own in the
definition of political crimes which NAV not
be subject to eXtradition. 1t was Just this
point, the refusal of the United States to
surrender the Bonivides band on the ground
that they We're revolutionists and their of
Tense was political, that led to the denun-
citation of the treaty, the Mexican govern
ment claiming that the men were thieves
and bandits.
1t is said that fugitives from Justice who
may seek to profit of this treaty will find
a very limited measure of safety provided
the present efforts to conclude a new treaty.
are successful. 1t is proposed on one side
at least to include in the new treatv a
paragraph making it retroactive at least
to the extent of covering the gap of time
between the two treaties, and even should
this not be done there is sound precedent
Tor the opinion that treaty may be made
TO work retroactively in such cases even
without specific provision of the kind