The age-herald., 1900-05-19
CONGRESS CALLED UPON
 TO ACT IN CUBAN CASE

Washington, May 1S.-In accordance with
 the request of ,torney General Griggs the
 judiciary committee of the house today
 considered means of dealing with the Neely
 case and like offenses arising in Cuba. The
 need of action was explained by the attor-
 ney general in a letter to Chairman Ray of
 tho committee, in which he says:
 ''In view of recent offenses of a criminal
 nature committed by an employe of the
 postal service in Cuba, who has fled from Cuba and taken refuge in the United States.
 I call attention to the fact that the applica-
 ton of the extradition laws of the United
 States to such cases is in a condition of
 doubt and uncertainty, which make 1t eni- barrassing to the department of justice to
 secure the prompt return of such offenders to the jurisdiction in which the crime is
 committed, and in which they should be
 tried. It is obvious that the laws of the United States ought to provide sure and speedy return of fugitives from justice who flee from Cuba and seek refuge in the
 United States. have drafted an act which
 will make the course of procedure in such
 matters sure and certain, and I respectfully
 ask that it be considered by your commit
 tee, and if found expedient that it be intro duced and passed as speedily as possible" The discussion before the committee took | a wide range, covering the status of those | officials who are performing civil functions | while the island is under military control | Some of the members regarded this mili-
 tary authority so complete that it coyer- 1 ed the cases of Nicely and others and would | permit the military branch to take Neely
 in this country and return him to Cuba. 1 The view was general that the situation
 in Cuba was most extraordinary and com
 plieated, as Spain had relinquished sover-
 eighty, the United States had not assumed
 sovereignty and Cuba had not organized
 a sovereign government
 | J. G. Ray, the chairman, laid before the
 committee brief bill he had drawn up, be-
 ing but one section, and providing for the surrender of offending Cuban officials when | fleeing into the United States. This and the attorney generals bill were considered at l length.
 | It was finally determined that the ques- | tions involved were of such far-reaching 1 character touching our authority in Cuba
 that it would be desirable to secure co-op- 1 eration with the senate and executive
 branch of the government, and sub-c mittee was appointed consisting of Repre- | sentatives Ray of New York Jenkins of 1 Wisconsin, Littlefleld of Maine DeArmond i of Missouri and Clayton of Alabama to 1 confer with the other branches and report l on the whole subject next Tuesday. | The insular committee also considered | other phases of the Nicely and like cases. l The resolution of Representative Hay, of 1 Virginia, calling for information as to 1 whether Director of Posts Rathborne has | reported the postal accounts all right went | to a subcommittee consisting of Represen- | tative Cooper, of Wisconsin; Loud, of Cali | fornia, and J. R. Williams, of Illinois. Representative Cromwell, of Ohio. made l an earnest speech in favor of immediate l reimbursing to the Cuban postal fund the amounts misappropriated. He said good faith required this to be done, and that 1 the Cubans and the rest of the world should | be made to understand at once that Cuba was being dealt with in the strictest hon. l esty. MT. Cromwell believed such course would speed the day of annexation if such was to be the outcome, by giving to the Cubans confidence in our fair dealings. Tending the inquiries by the sub-commit- tee no action was taken on the Cromwell resolution and this will come up again next Tuesday.