Daily Kennebec journal., 1900-05-19
CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION.
House Judiciary and Insulr Committees Con-
sidcring How 10 Deal with Case.

Washington May 18.-In accordance
with the request of Attorney General
Griggs, the judiciary committee or the
House of Representatives, today, con-
sidered means Of dealing with the
Neely case and like offenses arising in
Cuba The need of action was ex-
planned by the attorney general in a
letter to Chairman Ray of the commit
tee, in which he said:
Recent offences Of criminal nature
committed by an employe Of the pos
tai service in Cuba, who has fled from
Justice there and taken refuge in the
United States make ii my duty to call
your attention to the fact that the ap-
plication OF the present cxtradition
laws in such cases in n condition Of
doubt and uncertainty which make it
embarrassing to the department Of JUS
tice to secure the prompt return Of
such offenders to tho Jurisdiction in
which they should be tried.
1T is obvious that the laws of the
United States ought to provide a sure
ana speedy return Of fugitlvcs from
Justice who flee from Cuba and seek
refuge In the United States. | have
drafted an act which VIII make the
course OF procedure in such matters
sure and certain ana respectfully ask
that il be considered by your commit
tee and. II found expedicnt. that il
be introduced and passed as speedily
as possible"
The discussion before the committee
took a wide range. covering the status
Of these officials who are performing
civil functions while tn" island Is un-
der military control. Some Of the
members regarded this military au-
thority AZ 50 complete that il covered
the case If Nicely. ana others that il
would permit the military branch r.
take Nicely in this country and return
him to cuba. The view was general
that the situation in cuba was most
extraordinary ana complicated, ~
Spain had rrlinquished sovereignty
the United States had not organized as
a sovereign government.
Judge Ray. the chairman. laid before
the committee brief bill he had
drawn. having but one section and pro-
viding for the surrender Of offending
officials Of cuba when fleeing into the
United States. This. ana the attorney
generals bill. was considered at length.
II was finally determined that the
questions involved We're Of such far
reaching character. touching our au-
thnrfty in cuba that it would b. de
sirablc to secure cooperation with TIM
Senate and the executive branch II the
government and a, subcommittee was
appointed consisting Of Representatives
Ray of New York. jenkins Of Wiscon-
sin. Littleiicld Of Maine. DcArmonl of
Missouri, and Clayton Of Alabama, 70
confer with the other branches and
report on the whole subject. next Tues
day.
The insular committee also consider
cd other phases Of the Neely and like
cases. The resolution of Representa-
tive Hay of Virginia. calling for in
| formation as to whether Director Of
Posts Rathbone had reported the Gu
ban postal accounts all right went to
| a subcommittee consisting Of Repre-
sentatives Cooper Of Wisconsin, Loud
| Of California and j. Il. Williams Of
| Illinois.
| Representative Brownwell of Ohio,
made an earnest speech in favor of i'm
| mediately reimbursing the Cuban pos
| tai funds the amount misappropriated.
Pending the inquiries by the sub
| committee. no action was taken on the
Brownwell resolution and the subject
will come up again. next Tuesday.